How much freedom do affiliates have to opt out of network programming?

[charlestondxman]

My network stations have some freedom to preempt programming. Our ABC, Channel 4, owned by Albritton, does it the most. They usually do it during non-sweeps months.

They preempt many shows. AFV often is preempted during summer months for a "Feed the Children" or a special like that, or a older movie. They often preempt sitcoms for a lame spine institute infomercial. The preempted programming airs at weird times on Sunday afternoon when ABC doesn't have anything on.

CBS preempts only for sports. The only times they do are for ACC football and basketball games over CBS events, including basketball. However, all their basketball games air on their .2 subchannel. They used to preempt way more when they had no subchannel. Jefferson-Pilot made them air SEC basketball along with their football package.

One year, when Miami and Florida State were both in the top 10 in college football, Channel 5 preempted the game for another game and moved it to a cable channel not everyone got. OTA viewers were out

NBC rarely preempts at all. The only time they do is with a local telethon they have every March, that only lasts six or seven hours. Even with this, they still air NBC programming on their CW. They used to though. In 1997, the entire Ryder Cup was preempted because they had to air a Navy-Duke game on Sat. It was moved to a cable channel.

 

[arnoldevns]

(if any)

Can individual network affiliates drop the network shows and replace them with local content, or are they required to stick with the network schedule?

Local stations have a lot of latitude to pre-empt network programming when they want to. It is rare to find a station regularly pre-empting network programming, but it has happened. For several years in the 90s, Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA refused to run the show NYPD Blue. They aired some local programming and other syndicated shows instead. KTXA, an independent that was later affiliated with UPN, happily picked up the show and had solid numbers with it.

Other stations pre-empt network shows for sporting events.

These pre-emptions don't come without some downside for the affiliate. It can strain relations with the network if it happens too often. The network can sometimes require the station to air commercials to make up for the lost viewership and revenue the network suffered because of the preemption.

 

[searadiofreak]

A lot of it, unfortunately, has to do with politics. Affiliates that are valuable to the networks can get away with more pre-emptions, and this has always been true. A modern day example is NBC's KSL-TV in Salt Lake City. The station has been a very strong NBC affiliate (although their news ratings have fallen a bit lately), but they still can get away with not airing SNL. The affiliation is more important than this particular program. KING-TV in Seattle used to run a lot of documentary programming in the 60's that pre-empted NBC programming, but it was overlooked due to the strength of the affiliate.

Lesser affiliates of any network will be under the scrutiny of the network when they start messing with network programming, especially if they are infomericals, which can become a real battlefield. However, with the ever-expanding cable universe I wonder if the network power will ever be what it once was.

 

[PDXREXX]

(if any)

Can individual network affiliates drop the network shows and replace them with local content, or are they required to stick with the network schedule?

Local stations have a lot of latitude to pre-empt network programming when they want to. It is rare to find a station regularly pre-empting network programming, but it has happened. For several years in the 90s, Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA refused to run the show NYPD Blue. They aired some local programming and other syndicated shows instead. KTXA, an independent that was later affiliated with UPN, happily picked up the show and had solid numbers with it.

Other stations pre-empt network shows for sporting events.

These pre-emptions don't come without some downside for the affiliate. It can strain relations with the network if it happens too often. The network can sometimes require the station to air commercials to make up for the lost viewership and revenue the network suffered because of the preemption.

I believe this also happened in Jacksonville With NYPD Blue but it wasn't the station (WJKS at the time)
It was all the religious preachers and I believe they replaced it with Robocop The Series

 

[azumanga]

A modern day example is NBC's KSL-TV in Salt Lake City. The station has been a very strong NBC affiliate (although their news ratings have fallen a bit lately), but they still can get away with not airing SNL. The affiliation is more important than this particular program.

But at least KSL found a home for SNL -- KUCW, the local CW affiliate, carries SNL in the region instead.

On the topic of network pre-emptions, KUCW also carries ABC shows if KTVX bumps them for some reason.

 

[anotherguyTN]

In the past local stations probably had too much freedom to pre-empt shows, and some would push the limit on what they could get away with. WMC NBC 5 in Memphis was notorious for dropping a big part of daytime programming for talk shows, and pushing David Letterman back by as much as an hour for other programming. This isn't counting what they did during prime time.

I believe that NBC allowing so many of their stations to get away with dropping a big part of their daytime schedule is why their daytime lineup now is nothing but an extended Today show and Days of Our Lives. Instead of caving in to local stations NBC should have put pressure on their stations to stay with the network's daytime lineup, and penalizing them if they didn't.

I've brought this up in other threads, but the one type of pre-emption that the networks or the FCC shouldn't tolerate at all is for infomercials. Actually this is something I've thought that the FCC should step in and put a stop to by limiting the amount of time that local stations can have infomercials, and not allowing them in network prime time.

 

[rwells2265]

Birmingham, Alabama, home to two very strong and independent stations in the 60s (WBRC-6 and WVTM-13).

WBRC only ran two of ABC's seven nights in pattern. It preempted the ABC news for its own world and national news, which was antiquated. It also at times preempted Bewitched in the 1960s.

Yes, WBRC-6 was notorious for playing fast and loose with ABC programming.  With its ratings and the biggest (then-analog) signal in Alabama, they clearly had the upper hand.  

WBRC did carry ABC News until 1967, when the network finally expanded to 30 minutes.  6 simply felt no need to offer one hour of local news when they dominated over 13 with its 30-minute format: 15 minute world cast, followed by the 15' "Alabama Newsreel."   It wasn't until 1972 when WBRC was literally shamed into finally clearing ABC's cast ... I think it was one of only two holdouts (wasn't a station in Ohio the other?), and that station also fell into place when 'BRC did.

An underlying reason centered around then-commentator Howard K. Smith.  Some of you might recall he was the brains behind a 1961 CBS documentary very critical of Birmingham (it led to his departure from that network).  Not surprisingly, HKS didn't top the most-admired list of a number of viewers in the B'ham area. WBRC didn't censor ... but let's just say his presence didn't exactly discourage Channel 6 from "insourcing" (if that's a word :-D) world/national newscasts.

WVTM was an NBC blend with the best of CBS, too. All the reject stuff went to WBMG-42 (by 1970, they'd be the full-time CBS), such as The Tonight Show and the Heidi Game. At one time, the only national news sent to Birmingham was Huntley-Brinkley if what I remember from reading is correct.

Whatever you read was incorrect.  At any one time, at least two of three network casts were seen in Birmingham.  Beginning in 1961, when WAPI-TV 13 (it didn't become WVTM until 1980) juggled NBC and CBS due to WBRC-6 dropping the eye for ABC, 13 for a time aired both Cronkite and Huntley-Brinkley, back to back, when they were in 15-minute formats.

When both NBC and CBS went to 30 minutes, Channel 13 opted with Huntley-Brinkley.  CBS was not very popular at the time (see "Howard K. Smith documentary").  No judgment call on my end - it was what it was.

Uncle Walt was bumped in Birmingham for a several years before WBMG-42 picked up CBS' evening cast by default.

More background of Birmingham's very peculiar network TV landscape:
http://www.birminghamrewound.com/radio-tv.htm

The "Heidi Bowl" craziness as it played out in the 'Ham:
http://www.birminghamrewound.com/features/heidi.htm

They used to block national news back then because it exposed the faults of segregation...ironically, that "keep them out" culture still prevails in Central Alabama (not so much in Birmingham proper anymore)...

Untrue.  You're confusing Birmingham with Jackson, Mississippi, where it DID happen.  (WLBT-3 would drop out of NBC feeds at the drop of a hat if they didn't like the content)    Birmingham, like many other markets in the South, was indeed guilty of letting the mentalities of the time play a role in program decisions.  CBS News gave more press to civil rights, and its commentators were very much pro-integration.  Again, the 1961 "CBS Reports" documentary was still fresh in viewers' minds.  So, with only 30 minutes to play with, then WAPI-TV went with the path of least resistance.  Huntley-Brinkley had bigger ratings, soooo....

HOWEVER (!!): There were no documented cases, or anecdotal/oral recollections, of any of the Birmingham TV stations spot-censoring network broadcasts.  Big difference.

*********
After 1970, when Birmingham (at long last!) had a "normal" one-station-one-network alignment, things settled down.  42 cleared virtually every CBS program .... WAPI-TV cleared virtually every NBC program (only exception: Carson was delayed an hour, and for some time "Tomorrow" didn't air) ... and WBRC, while still preemption-happy, mellowed out a bit and was (slightly) more faithful to the ABC primetime pattern.

The '80s would see 13 (now as WVTM) preempt NBC a bit more often, especially daytime.  Of course, by then it was the norm.....

--Russell

 

[azumanga]

It wasn't until 1972 when WBRC was literally shamed into finally clearing ABC's cast ... I think it was one of only two holdouts (wasn't a station in Ohio the other?), and that station also fell into place when 'BRC did.

I think WJRT in Flint, Michigan was another holdout.

 

[kilamanjero]

Birmingham, Alabama, home to two very strong and independent stations in the 60s (WBRC-6 and WVTM-13).

WBRC only ran two of ABC's seven nights in pattern. It preempted the ABC news for its own world and national news, which was antiquated. It also at times preempted Bewitched in the 1960s.

Yes, WBRC-6 was notorious for playing fast and loose with ABC programming. With its ratings and the biggest (then-analog) signal in Alabama, they clearly had the upper hand.

WBRC did carry ABC News until 1967, when the network finally expanded to 30 minutes. 6 simply felt no need to offer one hour of local news when they dominated over 13 with its 30-minute format: 15 minute world cast, followed by the 15' "Alabama Newsreel." It wasn't until 1972 when WBRC was literally shamed into finally clearing ABC's cast ... I think it was one of only two holdouts (wasn't a station in Ohio the other?), and that station also fell into place when 'BRC did.

An underlying reason centered around then-commentator Howard K. Smith. Some of you might recall he was the brains behind a 1961 CBS documentary very critical of Birmingham (it led to his departure from that network). Not surprisingly, HKS didn't top the most-admired list of a number of viewers in the B'ham area. WBRC didn't censor ... but let's just say his presence didn't exactly discourage Channel 6 from "insourcing" (if that's a word :-D) world/national newscasts.

WVTM was an NBC blend with the best of CBS, too. All the reject stuff went to WBMG-42 (by 1970, they'd be the full-time CBS), such as The Tonight Show and the Heidi Game. At one time, the only national news sent to Birmingham was Huntley-Brinkley if what I remember from reading is correct.

Whatever you read was incorrect. At any one time, at least two of three network casts were seen in Birmingham. Beginning in 1961, when WAPI-TV 13 (it didn't become WVTM until 1980) juggled NBC and CBS due to WBRC-6 dropping the eye for ABC, 13 for a time aired both Cronkite and Huntley-Brinkley, back to back, when they were in 15-minute formats.

When both NBC and CBS went to 30 minutes, Channel 13 opted with Huntley-Brinkley. CBS was not very popular at the time (see "Howard K. Smith documentary"). No judgment call on my end - it was what it was.

Uncle Walt was bumped in Birmingham for a several years before WBMG-42 picked up CBS' evening cast by default.

More background of Birmingham's very peculiar network TV landscape:
http://www.birminghamrewound.com/radio-tv.htm

The "Heidi Bowl" craziness as it played out in the 'Ham:
http://www.birminghamrewound.com/features/heidi.htm

They used to block national news back then because it exposed the faults of segregation...ironically, that "keep them out" culture still prevails in Central Alabama (not so much in Birmingham proper anymore)...

Untrue. You're confusing Birmingham with Jackson, Mississippi, where it DID happen. (WLBT-3 would drop out of NBC feeds at the drop of a hat if they didn't like the content) Birmingham, like many other markets in the South, was indeed guilty of letting the mentalities of the time play a role in program decisions. CBS News gave more press to civil rights, and its commentators were very much pro-integration. Again, the 1961 "CBS Reports" documentary was still fresh in viewers' minds. So, with only 30 minutes to play with, then WAPI-TV went with the path of least resistance. Huntley-Brinkley had bigger ratings, soooo....

HOWEVER (!!): There were no documented cases, or anecdotal/oral recollections, of any of the Birmingham TV stations spot-censoring network broadcasts. Big difference.

*********
After 1970, when Birmingham (at long last!) had a "normal" one-station-one-network alignment, things settled down. 42 cleared virtually every CBS program .... WAPI-TV cleared virtually every NBC program (only exception: Carson was delayed an hour, and for some time "Tomorrow" didn't air) ... and WBRC, while still preemption-happy, mellowed out a bit and was (slightly) more faithful to the ABC primetime pattern.

The '80s would see 13 (now as WVTM) preempt NBC a bit more often, especially daytime. Of course, by then it was the norm.....

--Russell

Uh negative...I'm talking about Birmingham...

You are saying that them not air CBS News programs aren't a result of them not wanting to "hear the truth about their racist ways" back in then? Or ABC 33/40 (WBMA/WCFT/WJSU) not airing the "Puppy" episode of Ellen didn't reveal their ass-backwardness, either? Uh ok...

I'm quite familiar with the shuffling of the programming in the Birmingham market back in the 1950s-1970, but don't act like they were doing "just like many other markets in the South, was indeed guilty of letting the mentalities of the time play a role in program decisions". There are very few cases of these issues in Atlanta, Nashville, or New Orleans, Memphis, all prominent Deep Southern markets at the time. WBRC along with WRAL-TV in Raleigh, NC, intentionally didn't air CBS News because it's shown how jacked up racial segregation was in the South. Hence, why both of them eventually changed to ABC affiliation now too soon afterwards. However, it sounds like to me you are trying to down play bigotry so that these stations didn't look like spineless cowards they choose to be back then on programming racial integration or LGBTs.

FYI, WLBT-TV in Jackson, MS was the only station that overtly didn't care with what they were doing thus why the FCC revoked their owners (Lamar) at the time license to broadcast. WBRC might not have been that dumb to do spot censorship (Taft wouldn't going to have that) doesn't mean their constant pushing of CBS programming in lieu of their local didn't have racial and political implications...

 

[wncc]

WBRC along with WRAL-TV in Raleigh, NC, intentionally didn't air CBS News because it's shown how jacked up racial segregation was in the South. Hence, why both of them eventually changed to ABC affiliation now too soon afterwards. However, it sounds like to me you are trying to down play bigotry so that these stations didn't look like spineless cowards they choose to be back then on programming racial integration or LGBTs.

[/quote]

WRAL was not a CBS affiliate until 1985. They were NBC in 1956 and switched to ABC in 1962. They were secondary NBC (along with WTVD) until the 1970's.

 

[kilamanjero]

WBRC along with WRAL-TV in Raleigh, NC, intentionally didn't air CBS News because it's shown how jacked up racial segregation was in the South. Hence, why both of them eventually changed to ABC affiliation now too soon afterwards. However, it sounds like to me you are trying to down play bigotry so that these stations didn't look like spineless cowards they choose to be back then on programming racial integration or LGBTs.

WRAL was not a CBS affiliate until 1985. They were NBC in 1956 and switched to ABC in 1962. They were secondary NBC (along with WTVD) until the 1970's.
[/quote]

My mistake, but WRAL-TV did air Jesse Helms' commentary during the last ten minutes of the timeslot allocated for the national nightly newscast instead.

 

[firepoint525]

In the past local stations probably had too much freedom to pre-empt shows, and some would push the limit on what they could get away with. WMC NBC 5 in Memphis was notorious for dropping a big part of daytime programming for talk shows, and pushing David Letterman back by as much as an hour for other programming. This isn't counting what they did during prime time.

West Tennessee NBC viewers were screwed whether they received NBC from channel 5 in Memphis, or from WPSD channel 6 in Paducah, Kentucky. Channel 6 routinely bumped popular prime-time programming (including even The Cosby Show and other Thursday night hit programs) for University of Kentucky basketball. They delayed Saturday Night Live by an hour for the better part of 20 years, which is interesting, considering that during the rest of the week, they signed off after Letterman, rather than showing Later with Bob Costas. One pre-emption that particularly upset me was when they pushed St. Elsewhere aside to show a rodeo!

 

[azumanga]

West Tennessee NBC viewers were screwed whether they received NBC from channel 5 in Memphis, or from WPSD channel 6 in Paducah, Kentucky. Channel 6 routinely bumped popular prime-time programming (including even The Cosby Show and other Thursday night hit programs) for University of Kentucky basketball.

I read somewhere that NBC sent WPSD a tape of a "Cosby Show" episode on nights that a game is scheduled for 7PM, which they would show BEFORE basketball at 6:30PM.

 

[bpatrick]

WBRC along with WRAL-TV in Raleigh, NC, intentionally didn't air CBS News because it's shown how jacked up racial segregation was in the South. Hence, why both of them eventually changed to ABC affiliation now too soon afterwards. However, it sounds like to me you are trying to down play bigotry so that these stations didn't look like spineless cowards they choose to be back then on programming racial integration or LGBTs.

WRAL was not a CBS affiliate until 1985. They were NBC in 1956 and switched to ABC in 1962. They were secondary NBC (along with WTVD) until the 1970's.
[/quote]

During the time in the late '60s/early '70s when WRAL carried NBC News, it did not pre-empt the last 10 minutes for Jesse Helms' editorials. I think that story came about because, when ABC had a 15-minute newscast, WRAL would air it beginning at 6:20, followed by Helms's "Viewpoint" at 6:35, a move I think was deliberate more for competitive reasons: because Cronkite came on WTVD at 6:30, and WRAL wanted to hold the audience for Helms. I've also put up enough North Carolina retros that show that WRAL carried NBC News, and (later) Smith and Reasoner from 6:30-7.

WJRT and WBRC were the last holdouts on ABC News; both began carrying Smith and Reasoner on August 7, 1972.

And if you read Russell's history of Birmingham television, you'll find that WBRC's switch from CBS to ABC was motivated as much by Taft's growing relationship with Leonard Goldenson (sp?) as by the Smith documentary. Around the time WBRC changed to ABC, sister stations WKRC Cincinnati and WKYT Lexington also moved from CBS to ABC (although both have since returned to the Eye Network).

However, Bill Paley was concerned about the possible loss of CBS affiliates in the South following the Smith documentary, and dumping Smith seemed to be one way of dealing with the problem. (I can say, from having checked, that the two CBS affiliates in North Carolina that carried "CBS Reports" in 1961, WFMY Greensboro and WBTV Charlotte, have never left the Eye Network; WNCT Greenville-New Bern-Washington had a secondary ABC affiliation at the time and I believe it carried "The Untouchables" instead of "CBS Reports", but it's still with CBS; WTVD would be if the CapCities/ABC merger hadn't made it an ABC o&o.)

 

[azumanga]

And if you read Russell's history of Birmingham television, you'll find that WBRC's switch from CBS to ABC was motivated as much by Taft's growing relationship with Leonard Goldenson (sp?) as by the Smith documentary. Around the time WBRC changed to ABC, sister stations WKRC Cincinnati and WKYT Lexington also moved from CBS to ABC (although both have since returned to the Eye Network).

Though WKYT returned to CBS much sooner -- when WTVQ signed on in 1968 (as WBLG-TV), they chose to be affiliated with ABC, due to the owners' relationship with ABC for WBLG radio. This left WKYT carrying CBS full-time.

WKRC flipped from ABC to CBS in 1996, after a deal between ABC and Scripps-Howard allowed WCPO to join ABC.

 

[recto101]

(if any)

Can individual network affiliates drop the network shows and replace them with local content, or are they required to stick with the network schedule?

Local stations have a lot of latitude to pre-empt network programming when they want to. It is rare to find a station regularly pre-empting network programming, but it has happened. For several years in the 90s, Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA refused to run the show NYPD Blue. They aired some local programming and other syndicated shows instead. KTXA, an independent that was later affiliated with UPN, happily picked up the show and had solid numbers with it.

Other stations pre-empt network shows for sporting events.

These pre-emptions don't come without some downside for the affiliate. It can strain relations with the network if it happens too often. The network can sometimes require the station to air commercials to make up for the lost viewership and revenue the network suffered because of the preemption.

How About CBS O&O's that have a CW O&O's in their markets like KBCW and KPIX (CBS5) I notice that KPIX would move its Sunday afternoon childrens programming to the CW or re-air Eye on the Bay when KPIX has to air an NFL game from CBS during the season or any sporting event that is issued by CBS. But back in the 1990's KPIX pre-empted CBS programming for the Golden State Warriors when they were Group W owned.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

The Houston and Detroit NBC stations delayed Letterman and Conan past 1am for years. KMBC has delayed Nightline for 2 or 3 sitcom reruns since the beginning. The Kansas City stations pre-empted anything outside the top ten in the late 60s/early 70s
http://www.wtv-zone.com/dpjohnson/kcit50/index.html

 

[azumanga]

The Houston and Detroit NBC stations delayed Letterman and Conan past 1am for years. KMBC has delayed Nightline for 2 or 3 sitcom reruns since the beginning. The Kansas City stations pre-empted anything outside the top ten in the late 60s/early 70s
http://www.wtv-zone.com/dpjohnson/kcit50/index.html

And as that site attests, some independent stations picked up the shows bumped by the affiliates.

Though it seems that KCIT was not ashamed for blatantly mentioning where they got their shows from, especially movies -- apparently to goad the "establishment".

Then again, WTCG in Atlanta got in hot water for picking up shows that then-NBC affiliate WSB bumped, then proudly proclaiming that WTCG was the new NBC affiliate.

 

[LKellerIII]

(if any)

Can individual network affiliates drop the network shows and replace them with local content, or are they required to stick with the network schedule?

Local stations have a lot of latitude to pre-empt network programming when they want to. It is rare to find a station regularly pre-empting network programming, but it has happened. For several years in the 90s, Dallas ABC affiliate WFAA refused to run the show NYPD Blue. They aired some local programming and other syndicated shows instead. KTXA, an independent that was later affiliated with UPN, happily picked up the show and had solid numbers with it.

Other stations pre-empt network shows for sporting events.

These pre-emptions don't come without some downside for the affiliate. It can strain relations with the network if it happens too often. The network can sometimes require the station to air commercials to make up for the lost viewership and revenue the network suffered because of the preemption.

How About CBS O&O's that have a CW O&O's in their markets like KBCW and KPIX (CBS5) I notice that KPIX would move its Sunday afternoon childrens programming to the CW or re-air Eye on the Bay when KPIX has to air an NFL game from CBS during the season or any sporting event that is issued by CBS. But back in the 1990's KPIX pre-empted CBS programming for the Golden State Warriors when they were Group W owned.

Recto - Since KPIX is an O&O - they obviously have permission from the network to move programming around between KPIX and KBCW.


When you speak about "back in the 90s" (and before) - KPIX was an affiliate then - owned by Westinghouse. KPIX became an O&O backwards. What I mean by this is - CBS did not buy KPIX, rather Westinghouse bought CBS (in 1994, I think). Prior to that, KPIX typically pre-empted CBS programming - most notably The Price is Right to air their local talk show - People Are Talking. There were other examples.

They also notably pre-empted the CBS Movies, too - when they felt the subject matter was too violent. KPIX got a lot of press for pre-empting the network premiere of Death Wish (Charles Bronson) in the late 70s.

 

[bpatrick]

Pre-emptions can indeed cost a station its affiliation. WMAR's
almost-nightly pre-emptions of CBS programs for Orioles' games
has been given as a reason CBS moved to WBAL in 1981 (it's a
wonder KDKA, then an affiliate, didn't lose CBS over its frequent
pre-emptions for Pirates' games, but then KDKA was stronger in
Pittsburgh than WMAR was in Baltimore).

KXLY Spokane lost CBS in the mid-'70s not so much for pre-emptions
but for moving CBS programs around to suit itself (WKRG Mobile might
have been next, but after seeing what happened to KXLY, it began
clearing all of primetime in pattern).

If a station's especially strong in its market, though, it doesn't seem
to matter how much it pre-empts; I mentioned KDKA above, and another
was WSB, which pre-empted something like 450 hours of NBC programming
in its last five years with the Peacock Network. It was WSB's decision to
go to ABC; NBC did everything it could to avoid having to take WXIA
as its Atlanta affiliate.

The fact of the matter is, though, that affiliates don't have nearly the freedom
they once had, and I personally think the turning point came with the arrival of
Fox, which practically forbids pre-emptions. Even when an affiliate does pre-empt
(as, for example, WFMY did during the ACC basketball tournament), they may be
forced to run the displaced programs at a later time (WFMY aired CBS's two soaps,
"The Talk," and some of the pre-empted primetime shows in the wee hours of the
morning). Most of the pre-emptions seem to come because management objects to
the content, such as the Sinclair stations' pre-emption of "Saving Private Ryan," or
something like the Victoria's Secret specials (which, BTW, WFMY pre-empted once).

Here's one for you, and I'd like to get some feedback to this question: How many of
you got the Jerry Lewis Telethon on your local CBS or NBC affiliate for years, but now
get the U.S. Open Tennis tournament on CBS or the Barclay's golf tournament on NBC
on Labor Day?