Channel 4 to Give Scores, Not Highlights, of PGA

NBC-owned Channel 4, in protest of Shoal Creek Country Club’s all-white membership policy, has announced that although it will report the results, it will not show highlights of the ABC-televised PGA Championship, to be played Aug. 9-12 at the suburban Birmingham (Ala.) country club.

ABC-owned Channel 7 has not set any policy, but sportscaster Jim Hill, who is black, spoke out Monday against Shoal Creek’s policy.

“Disgusting is the word for it,” Hill said. “Sports is one of the things that is supposed to bring people together, along with music and a few other things, and a sports event is now causing all this friction.

“To say it is disappointing is an understatement.

“On the other hand, maybe some good will come out of this. It’s another Al Campanissituation all over again. Here we’ve been slapped in the face again.”

Hill was alluding to Campanis’ 1987 appearance on ABC’s “Nightline,” during which he said that blacks might not have the “necessities” to serve in baseball’s leadership positions. Campanis, a vice president of the Dodgers at the time, was subsequently fired.

Hill said he has been a member of the Riviera County Club since 1987, but that he is well aware of prejudice in golf.

“One good thing is that the statements that were made have drawn attention to a serious problem,” Hill said. “Had they not been made, things probably would have remained the same.”

Hill was referring to statements made last month by Shoal Creek’s founder, Hall Thompson, who said his club would not be pressured into accepting blacks.

Thompson later apologized for the remark, but the controversy has continued. Major sponsors have pulled their TV commercials for the tournament and ABC has said it will lose about $2 million in advertising revenue.

Channel 4 is believed to be the first television outlet to change its coverage policy.

Jeff Hoffman, Channel 4’s head sports producer, said: “We’re not trying to ignore the golfers or the fans of golf. Our stance is directed at the course. We’re not interested in publicizing or showing the course on our station.”

Earlier, the Pittsburgh Press had announced it would not send a reporter to the event but would publish results.

Hill said he met with his news director, Roger Bell, on Monday, but a policy on how Channel 7 will handle coverage of the tournament won’t be determined until later.

At Channel 2, Michael Singer, news director, said: “This is both a sports story and a news story, and we will cover both aspects of it.”