"Better" CART Over-the-Air TV Package for 2004?

[pchall]

A rumor arriving circuitously from AR1 says that CART may have more broadcast TV races next season. The plan would be to add a second network to the package to get more broadcast races.

Some takes on this suggest that with the merger of CBS and Viacom that CART is interested in having some races on UPN. This might also involve a switch to a CBS/Viacom aligned cable channel such as TNN.

The big problem with this that I can see is that FCC regs still forbid one corporate entity from owning two broadcast networks. Viacom holds 50% of UPN and the merged companies might need to sell their half to the other owner Chris-Craft if niche network UPN will survive as anything other than CBSlite.

My take on this rumor is that CART actually might be approaching the Fox Network (which aired the LBGP in 2002) and the cable alignment would remain Speed.

[RaceGrrl]

Fox does seem to be the logical choice. I don't know if UPN or TNN would be a help or a hindrance. First class racing on a second-rate cable channel isn't a good thing, IMO.

[Napoleon]

Originally posted by pchall
The big problem with this that I can see is that FCC regs still forbid one corporate entity from owning two broadcast networks.


This may sound stupid at first, but is UPN technically a network? Why I say that is that I recall that when Fox was still an infant, a couple years or so after its years of running shows like "In Living Color", "The Tracy Ullman Show" and that one that began with the song "Stand" that Fox, for some kind of technical reason, was not considered a network and the three regular networks were screaming that Ruport Murdoch (sp?) was getting an easy ride from the Feds.

[Napoleon]

I have not read all of this yet but it looks relavent.

http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/News_Releases/2001/nrmm0105.html

[Don Quixote]

But, but, but, I thought there wasn't going to be a next season. ;)

[Napoleon]

I think I anwsered my own question on Fox not being a network when I stumbled on this in an article in todays NY Times called "From Some Boardrooms, Nostalgia for Regulation"

"For both Mr. Diller and Mr. Turner, a defense of media regulation is an unexpected twist. In the early days at Fox, Mr. Diller helped win the fledgling network an exemption from the programming-ownership rules as a new network."

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/02/business/media/02MOGU.html

[JSR]

I hope it is not UPN. I do not get UPN.

[RobGuru]

Just say NO to UPN or TNN.
What RaceGrrl said!

[Chief]

Originally posted by RaceGrrl
Fox does seem to be the logical choice. I don't know if UPN or TNN would be a help or a hindrance. First class racing on a second-rate cable channel isn't a good thing, IMO.

Second rate maybe, but it's all about exposure and TNN is on alot of cable boxes out there. SpeedTV is still premium or digital tier costing more.

[Railbird]

Any deal is better than no deal.

[RaceGrrl]

Originally posted by Railbird
Any deal is better than no deal.

Who said anything about "no deal?"

[pchall]

Originally posted by RaceGrrl
Who said anything about "no deal?"

Touché.

[nrc]

Obviously if someone's willing to provide the network air time, CART would love to have it. But I don't see how CART is going to come up with the money to buy twice as much network time next year unless someone is going to sell it at half price. I suppose we can't rule that out with UPN.

[chop456]

Originally posted by Napoleon
and that one that began with the song "Stand"

"Get a Life" starring Chris Elliott.

Still one of my favorite shows of all time.

[Napoleon]

Originally posted by chop456
"Get a Life" starring Chris Elliott.

Still one of my favorite shows of all time.

Mine too. Actually all 3 of those shows I mentioned were very good. In Living Color was about as funny as it gets with characters like Hommey the Clown and the gay movie reviewers.

[sundaydriver]

IMHO CART has two options, get engine mfg involvement or spend money on it's TV contract. If CART wants to keep playing beyond the 04 season, they will have to have an influx of money.

If some engine mfg's comes in, they will bring money and I think CART lives to fight another day. If that does not happen, the only thing CART can do is make the TV package better in order to lure more sponsorship into the series. Teams will have a much better chance to secure sponsorship which takes the burden of ISP off of CART.

I think at this point I would like to see CART stabilize it's TV package and get more races on network TV even if they are tape delayed. I believe that is the key. When they have better ratings, sponsors will begin to get interested and engine mfg's will follow. Anyway, my two cents.

[nrc]

Based on the involvment of Jim Liberatore in the Cleveland town meeting, the comments on their plans for the future and the commitment they've shown, I don't believe there will be any changes that exclude SPEED.

Unfortunately for the diehard fans it sounds like there probably will be more tape delay in the future in order to establish a consistant time slot and avoid major conflicts. It's the right thing to do for the sport even if the fans have a hard time with it.

[eiregosod]

Originally posted by nrc
Based on the involvment of Jim Liberatore in the Cleveland town meeting, the comments on their plans for the future and the commitment they've shown, I don't believe there will be any changes that exclude SPEED.

Unfortunately for the diehard fans it sounds like there probably will be more tape delay in the future in order to establish a consistant time slot and avoid major conflicts. It's the right thing to do for the sport even if the fans have a hard time with it.

off the record Jim on Speed's forums mentioned that that he heard (take it with a pinch of salt) CARt was negociating with UPN for broadcast!

though if it were possible would live coverage on speed followed by 1 hour highlights on network in the early evening be a good solution? my answer would be yes but could cost double :(