Discovery Dives Into ‘Shark Week’

Discovery Channel’s ninth annual “Shark Week” begins Sunday at 9 p.m. with the special “The Ultimate Guide: Sharks,” a one-hour overview of the mysterious fish.

Following at 10 p.m. is “Sharks of the Red Triangle,” which follows the annual migration of the fish from Los Angeles to San Francisco. The shark festival continues on Discovery for seven days.

On the series front, AMC’s “Hollywood Report,” a monthly magazine show covering movie entertainment with an eye to the past, launches as a weekly series today at 1:30 p.m. Wayne Rogers and Sandie Newton host.

USA unveils its latest series, “The Big Easy,” Sunday at 8 and 10 p.m. Tony Crane, Susan Walters and Barry Corbin star in this New Orleans detective series based on the 1987 film.

HBO’s “Taxi Cab Confessions” returns for its third installment, tonight at 10:30. Producers Joe and Harry Gantz spent several weeks in New York following a taxi cab rigged with cameras and a microphone, taping more than 500 people in all five New York boroughs.

“Gore Vidal’s American Presidency,” airing Sunday at 6 and 10 p.m. on the History Channel, offers the writer’s personal view of the country’s chief executives. A discussion follows with journalist Sander Vanocur and history professor Richard Slotkin.

This week’s Republican Convention in San Diego is the hot topic on most of the public affairs programs.

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Public Affairs: TODAY: Naturalist Jim Fowler visits “Today,” 5 a.m. (4). . . .

Haley Barbour, chairman of the Republican National Committee, will guest on “Evans & Novak,” 2:30 p.m., repeats Sunday at 7 a.m. CNN. . . .

Bay Buchanan of the Buchanan for President campaign and Susan Cullman of the Republican Coalition for Choice guests on “John McLaughlin’s One on One,” 2:30 p.m. (28). . . .

“Capital Gang Saturday” is broadcast live from San Diego, 4 and 10:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“Inside Politics Weekend” also reports from San Diego, 4:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“Larry King Weekend” is also in San Diego, 6 and 11 p.m.; also Sunday, at 3 p.m. CNN.

SUNDAY: “Sunday Journal” airs at 5 a.m. C-SPAN. . . .

“News Conference’s” guest is Mike Reynolds, author of the three-strikes law, 5:30 a.m. (4). . . .

“Sunday Today” is in San Diego with comedians Richard Belzer, Jim Morris and Will Durst discussing politics, 6 a.m. (4)(36). . . .

“Pacesetters” looks at the challenges of partnerships in the area of community development, 6:30 a.m. (5). . . .

Republicans Haley Barbour and Bay Buchanan are interviewed on “Meet the Press,” 7 a.m. (4)(36). . . .

“CBS News Sunday Morning” features convention delegates, banjo player Alison Brown and former President Bush, 7:30 a.m. (2). . . .

“Fox News Sunday” is in San Diego, with guests Jack Kemp, Vin Weber of the Dole for President campaign and former presidential candidate Steve Forbes, 8 a.m. (11). . . .

Govs. George W. Bush (R-Texas) and Christine Todd Whitman (R-N.J.) and evangelist Pat Robertson answer questions on “Face the Nation,” 9 a.m. (2). . . .

A discussion of Sen. Bob Dole’s vice presidential choice takes place on “The McLaughlin Group,” 9 a.m. (4). . . .

“Late Edition” reports from San Diego, with guest Bay Buchanan, 9 a.m. CNN. . . .

“Bob Navarro’s Journal” talks with Los Angeles Times columnist Peter King about California, 9:30 a.m. (2). . . .

“Tony Brown’s Journal” arrives at 9:30 a.m. (28). . . .

“This Week With David Brinkley” reports from San Diego, with guests Govs. Pete Wilson, John Engler (R-Mich.) and Ralph Reed of the Christian Coalition, 10 a.m. (7); 11:30 a.m. (3)(42). . . .

Sweatshops are the topic on “Both Sides With Jesse Jackson,” 2:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“60 Minutes” looks at Bob Dole, the Independent Women’s Forum and reports on a community that supports a crack-house arsonist, 7 p.m. (2).

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Specials and Movies: Tom Selleck stars in Showtime’s “Ruby Jean and Joe,” Sunday at 8 p.m., as a fading rodeo star who befriends a young hitchhiker (Rebekah Johnson). Oscar winner Ben Johnson, in his last screen appearance, also stars. . . . ABC repeats the 1992 miniseries “The Jacksons: An American Dream,” Sunday at 8 p.m. and Monday at 9 p.m. on Channel 7.

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Sports: Pro Football: Exhibition, Baltimore Ravens at N.Y. Giants, today, 10 a.m. (4)(36); San Diego Chargers at San Francisco 49ers, today, 5 p.m. (11); Miami Dolphins at Chicago Bears, Sunday, 10 a.m. (4)(36); Pittsburgh Steelers at Green Bay Packers, Sunday, 5 p.m. TNT. . . . Baseball: Dodgers at Reds, today, 1 p.m. (11), Sunday, 11 a.m. (5).

For a complete list of sports events on TV, see Section C.