Herald: NESN restricts footage use by local TV

[Bob Nelson]

http://redsox.bostonherald.com/redSox/view.bg?articleid=189394

A memo to local TV stations sent by Red Sox-owned NESN lays out the restrictions on footage use:

"NESN’s major restriction is to forbid the use of highlights while Red Sox and Bruins games are in progress." 

This included "Dice-K"'s 6:05 pm debut on March 2. Footage couldn't appear on the 6 pm newscasts
on Ch 4, 5, and 7. Opening day, April 2, has a 4:05 pm start and unless it's a very quick
game (doubtful!), chances are highlights won't be able to appear on local TV's 6 pm 'casts.

Ch.25 (10 pm newscast) apparently already had a policy about not showing highlights of games
in progress. (As the Herald article notes, the restriction also covers the Bruins--despite the
fact that the hockey team probably would welcome MORE local TV coverage.)

The restriction, which also applies to cable outlets like Fox Sports NewEngland and 
New England Cable News, had led to speculation that rights fees may someday be
required, but maybe not...I guess they're concerned about Sox fans
switching from the game to the 6, 10, or 11 pm news ("well, I know the Sox
and Yanks are tied at 3 in the 8th inning, but I'll just switch to Ch 7 news
and catch the highlights there...")

To  be honest I thought that the policy of not using highlights of a game
in progress was already being used (before this year)...who knows.