The Atlanta Constitution from Atlanta, Georgia • 95

7-D JTHE ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, Oct. 12, 1979 CBS-TV Seeking To Rescue NBA Ratings tar! By Ed Barfteld CmMutiM Staff Writ Heading Into the second year of a four-year contract with the National Basketball Association, CBS television is confronted with a most difficult task: To rescue its pro basketball ratings, which have a reputation of being prime time disasters. Since the Philadelphia-Portland championship series in 1977, when the NBA Nielsens were at an all-time high, CBS pro basketball numbers have dipped severely. In fact, last season, CBS's regular-season NBA ratings dropped to 5.2 from 7.0 in 77-78, meaning that less than 5Vi percent of all TV homes were watching the NBA. And this was particularly discouraging since the network made several changes in its NBA telecast formats, one of which was to eliminate its absurd half time "Horse" show.

And it appears obvious that if ratings don't rise significantly in the next three seasons, pro basketball will eventually go the way hockey did on NBC and lose its TV package ($74 million a year). "We're not looking that far ahead (1982, when NBA-CBS contract expires) yet," said Jay Rosenstein, director of media relations for CBS. "CBS hasn't come to any decisions concerning that The ratings problems are no secret we acknowl- Perhaps one reason for CBS' lower drift in NBA ratings last season is the fact that in several of the major TV markets cities such as Boston, New York and Los Angeles the teams were uninteresting and weren't contenders. And last season, some 20 of CBS' 200 affiliates, including Baltimore, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, chose not to show the Sunday games and 20 opted not to show the playoff games. There was further humiliation when the championship series between Washington and Seattle, the league's glamour event, was not shown in prime time in May.

CBS also hopes that more tape mechanisms and technical equipment to beef up broadcasts, more affiliate pickups, and other dynamic faces, such as Boston's. Larry Bird, and Los Angeles' Magic Johnson, will improve this season's outlook. NOTES Saturday's ABC (WXIA, Channel 11) college football game: Oklahoma vs. Texas, 3:30 p.m., with Keith Jackson (play-by-play), Frank Broyles (color) and Bill Flemming (halftime and scores) Sunday's pro football lineup: Buffalo at Miami, NBC (WSB, Channel 2), 1 p.m., with Don Criqul (play-by-play) and John Brodie (color); New Orleans at Tampa Bay, CBS, 1 p.m.; Atlanta at Oakland, CBS, 4 p.m., with Pat Sammerall (play-by-play) and Tom Brookshier (color); Los Angeles vs. Dallas, ABC, 9 p.m., with Frank Gilford, Don Meredith and Fran Tarkenton.

TVRadio Sports edge them. But we're going to make some changes'. "During the regular season telecasts, which start in January (Jan. 13, formal season), well accent a national game of the week as opposed to regional games. We'll show the best game available that Sunday, with a backup game.

"We will also start at 1 m. (as opposed to which will allow us to compete directly with the NCAA (basketball) on NBC, which also starts at 1," said Rosenstein But the fact remains that the ratings situation is serious. Atlanta's CBS affiliate, WAGA-TV (Channel 5), hasn't carried NBA games for the past six years, and won't do so this season. "As far as we'e concerned, it just doesn't pay us to run them," said Jim Ferguson, WAGA program director. "The ratings haven't improved, and that doesn't do us any good.

We've already given them (CBS) a turndown on it this year." However, Channel 36 (WATL) in Atlanta will show Friday night's NBA season-opener matching the Lakers and Clippers, beginning at 11:30 (Brent Musburger, play-by-play, and 'Hot Rod' Hundley, color). But the station hasn't yet committed for the full 1979-80 NBA package. it riS i7s I -l NBA Rare Spirits HAWKS vs (NICKS "0PEIIII1G UIG1IT" THE OMlil ISAAC HAYES SIIIGS THE IATI0SIAL AHTIIEH I Krystal IS "HflVXS FR0UD" AND WILL HAVE PRIZES I Rockets Trade Newlin To New Jersey From Prtu DHmIOki and made veteran forward Phil Jackson a full-time assistant coach. Briefly son on the five-game disabled list The former West Georgia College player is suffering from an injury to the big toe on his right foot The San Antonio Spurs cut former, Duke standout Tate Arm-' strong. The Washington Bullets cut veteran guard Charlie Johnson and put forward Mitch Kupchak, who is recuperating from summer back surgery, on the disabled list The only newcomer to make the Bullets was free agent guard Gas The Denver Nuggets reduced their roster to 11 players by waiving forward Rod Griffin, an All-America from Wake Forest Griffin, a 6-foot-6, 225-pounder, was the Nuggets' first selection in the 1978 college draft, but was waived the day before the 1978-79 season began.

Griffin reported to the 1979 Nuggets camp last June after playing in Forli, Italy, and averaged 6.3 points and 2.9 rebounds per game while playing in all of Denver's exhibition games. Bailey, a former Atlanta Hawk The Kansas City Kings cut veterans Lucius Allen, Darnell Hillman and Bob Nask Rookie guard Larry Butler, the leading college scorer in the nation last season while playing at Idaho State, was released by the Chicago Bulls. Butler, who averaged 31.1 points per game last season, was drafted in the second round. The Bulls also put former Auburn player John Mengelt on the injured list FOR EVERYBODY! TICKETS AVAILABLE AT AU S.E.A.T.S. LOCATIONS 9 Veteran guard Mike Newlin, who became expendable when the Houston Rockets signed free agent Tom Henderson, was traded to the New Jersey Nets Thursday for a 1980 second-round draft pick and $25,000.

The 6-foot-4 Newlin, an eight-year veteran from the University of Utah, averaged 10.2 points in 76 games with the Rockets last season. His career average is 14.0. Bill Walton is gone, but the Portland Trail Blazers are still having injury problems. Maurice Lucas (broken finger), Mychal Thompson (broken leg), and Dave Twardzik (bad back) will start the season on the injured list Cleveland's Foots Walker will also start the sea SEASON TICKETS STIU AVAILABLE GAELS. COI-SGOO 66 PROOF BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY ImrtnrtoH hu Th Paririinotnn Cnm New York, Newark I SHARPi I i I 1 1 i i ii To get down to the National Basketball Association's 11-man roster limit, the Rockets also cut veteran guard Slick Watts and put rookies Paul Mokeski and Alan Leavell and second-year man Jacky Dorsey on the injured list Dorsey, a former University of Georgia standout, is recuperating from offseason knee surgery.

Meanwhile, the Nets cut veteran guard Louie Dampier raODOtfCIlG ILAQGGIT DC3 1 ttl J.JLC1 vT 1V3 is Continued From Page 1-D "I thought I had as good a chance of making the team as anyone," Givens said. "It's been a tough camp, and I didn't score well. But this team awards value to perform THE STEREO VILLAGE WAREHOUSE DOORS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT 10 AM FRIDAY MORNING AND STAY OPEN ALL WEEKEND THROUGH 9 PM MONDAY WITH THE LOWEST PRICES ON THE LARGEST SELECTION OF HIGH FIDEUTY COMPONENTS IN ATLANTA. MANY UNADVERTISED SPECIALS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT ALL LOCATIONS IN ADDITION TO ALL THE BARGAINS LISTED IN THIS AD. IF YOU HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THE RIGHT TIME TO BUY THE SOUND SYSTEM OF YOUR DREAMS, THE TIME IS NOW, DURING THE FAMOUS STEREO VILLAGE WAREHOUSE SALE! fPnOII(F(FO ADVERTISED PI1ICE UVUINJVL-VL-J ON PIONEER THIS VEEKENDI UJE UJILE.

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