WEEKEND TV : The Olympics vs. Politics

The Olympic Torch will be lit today, signifying the official opening for the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. An archer will shoot a fiery arrow 115 feet to ignite the Olympic flame.

While pay-per-view has made it possible for some viewers to watch--on three channels for a $125 fee--12 hours of live programming and 12 hours of replays each day of the Olympics, NBC (4)(36)(39) will offer 161 hours of coverage over the next 16 days, starting with the four-hour opening ceremonies at 8 tonight. Hosts for the event at the Montjuic Olympic Stadium and Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona are Bob Costas, Dick Enberg, Katie Couric, Jim Lampley and Hannah Storm.

Sunday’s coverage will run from noon to 6 p.m., 7 p.m. to midnight and 12:35 to 2:05 a.m., covering men’s basketball, swimming and diving, weightlifting, gymnastics and men’s volleyball.

The presidential race, meanwhile, will be featured Sunday in “Road to the White House,” with two half-hour interviews with the Democratic presidential ticket, beginning at 6:30 p.m. with Gov. Bill Clinton followed by Sen. Al Gore at 7 p.m. on C-SPAN.

The campaign also will be the focus of “Reliable Sources” at 6:30 tonight on CNN and “Capital Gang,” at 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. today on CNN.

Iraq is the subject of “Meet the Press,” featuring Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney, 8:30 a.m. Sunday (4)(36)(39), and of “Newsmaker Saturday,” with Rep. Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) and Ambassador Rolf Ekeus, at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. today.