FIRST OFF . . .

Thousands of members of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists--TV performers, news anchors, sports announcers and more--reported for work at the big three networks Wednesday without a new contract as talks continued between network management and the 68,000-member union. The talks were extended on a day-to-day basis before the three-year contract expired at midnight Tuesday, but a strike by the union remains a possibility, according to union spokesmen. Those covered by the AFTRA contract include the news anchormen--Tom Brokaw, Peter Jennings, Dan Rather--and more than 3,000 other network employees. Prime-time videotaped series such as “The Cosby Show,” are not affected. Actors on those shows, as well as those on filmed programs such as “Moonlighting,” are covered by a separate agreement--which expires in July--with AFTRA and the Screen Actors Guild. Key issues in the AFTRA talks include working conditions, the economic health of the networks and job duties for news reporters.