Century Gets With the Program at Last

There is good news for sports fans, as Century Communications on Thursday began carrying Fox Sports West 2 on most of its cable systems in the evenings and on weekends leading to a full-scale launch on July 15.

There is bad news too, as word came out this week that you might eventually have to pay extra for ESPN.

First, the good news. The agreement between Century and Fox Sports West 2 leaves only one major holdout--Comcast, which mainly serves Orange County. Unfortunately, that stalemate isn’t likely to end soon. Kitty Cohen, Fox Sports West’s general manager, said Comcast officials have not responded to requests to reopen negotiations. Comcast officials did not return calls from The Times.

Century relented primarily because so many subscribers complained. “We didn’t want to suffer through that kind of pressure again,” said Bill Rosendahl, a senior vice president for Century.

Century systems in Chino, Glendora and Monrovia won’t launch Fox Sports West 2 until after upgrades are completed later this year, and Rosendahl said the Century system in Brea should be ready about the same time but wasn’t sure when that would be.

An immediate benefit for Century subscribers who now get Fox Sports West 2--it’s Channel 67 on most systems--is that the Dodgers’ four-game home series with the Philadelphia Phillies is being televised by Fox Sports West 2, beginning Monday.

As for the bad news regarding ESPN, the Wall Street Journal reported that some major cable companies are threatening to put ESPN on a separate sports pay tier.

However, ESPN officials, as well as Decker Anstrom, president of the National Cable Television Assn., don’t expect that to happen.

Rosa Gatti, ESPN’s senior vice president of communications, said that cable operators will not put ESPN on a separate pay tier because of the local-advertising revenue it produces as a basic service. She points out that with ESPN now doing a full season of NFL games, rather than half a season, the network has been able to increase the number of spots available for local advertising, which generates revenue for local cable systems.

Operators can charge more for that advertising if it is on a basic channel and thus reaches more viewers.

Anstrom, on the possibility of ESPN going to a pay tier, said, “I don’t believe it makes much sense for our customers.”

The Wall Street Journal story said that some cable operators are frustrated over a recent ESPN rate increase of 20% to reportedly more than $1 per subscriber per month, and the newspaper said the rate could exceed $4 by 2006, the last year of ESPN’s NFL contract.

Gatti declined to go into specifics but said rates have been set only through the summer of 1999 and that the rate would not reach $4 by 2006.

CHICK AND STU VS. TNT

Although TNT has to black out the Lakers when they play at home, the network can show them when they are on the road. So both Channel 9 and TNT televised the Lakers’ two playoff games at Seattle.

One problem with TNT’s coverage is that Kevin Harlan sounds like a poor imitation of Marv Albert. Harlan’s vociferous style just doesn’t work.

We’ll take Chick Hearn and Stu Lantz any day.

L.A. viewers are choosing Hearn and Lantz too. The rating for Monday night’s game on Channel 9 was a 12.0, compared to a 2.4 on TNT. That’s about 1.8 million viewers compared to 360,000.

Hearn is a draw, but so is Lantz. He has become a first-rate commentator and is certainly not merely a “yes” man for Hearn. When Hearn said Bill Gates, a spectator at Wednesday night’s game, owned the SuperSonics, Lantz didn’t hesitate to correct his partner. Lantz’s willingness to stand up to Hearn is a big plus.

Another thing about the Channel 9 telecasts is the production value. Even though Channel 9 is a local station, it at least matches TNT, a national network.

Also, Channel 9’s pregame shows with Alan Massengale and Orlando Woolridge have been outstanding. Wednesday night’s show got a 4.1 rating.

SHORT WAVES

Fox brings back the FoxTrax when it televises the St. Louis Blues and Detroit Red Wings on Sunday at 11 a.m. Fox will also use five ice-level cameras on the game that is going to 93% of the country. . . . The Kings’ Ray Ferraro joined Bill Pidto and former King coach Barry Melrose in the ESPN2 studio Thursday night and will continue in that role through the second and third rounds. . . . TBS has named Jim Lampley host of its 45 hours of Goodwill Games coverage July 19-Aug. 2.

Need a football fix? Check out the NFL Europe games on Fox Sports West on Sundays at 6 p.m. . . . CBS has hired Steve Tasker and Mark May as NFL commentators. . . . Classic Sports Network, now owned by ESPN, becomes ESPN Classic Sports on June 1. . . . Attention CART racing fans: Fox Sports West is now carrying “Inside Cart ‘98” each week, generally Tuesdays at 4:30.

Paul Sunderland, who will work the Laker pregame show for Fox Sports West tonight and as a sideline reporter for NBC on Sunday’s Laker-Seattle telecast, says his plate is so full, he’s cutting back on pro beach volleyball, the sport that gave him his broadcasting start 12 years ago.

Bud Greenspan has signed an agreement to provide five feature-length documentaries to Showtime, beginning this fall with his film on the 1998 Winter Olympics. . . . USSB offers another of its periodic $9.95 pay-per-view fights today at 5 p.m., a heavyweight card featuring Andrew Golota against Jack Basting.

Hollywood Park has made a deal with Channel 2 to have its Sunday feature races carried live as part of the station’s new two-hour “Sports Central” program that runs 3-5 p.m. with Jim Hill and Bret Lewis. Rory Markus and Caton Bredar will report from Hollywood Park. . . . The Roy Firestone Award will be presented to John Wooden at a dinner at the Los Angeles Athletic Club Wednesday night, a benefit for Westcoast Sports Associates and youth sports.

This morning’s “Big Show” on Fox Sports West 2 and AM 1150 will promote a Los Angeles Sports Council dinner tonight at the Century Plaza Hotel that opens L.A.’s bid for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

IN CLOSING

Ted Turner is at it again. At a national cable television convention in Atlanta this week, Larry King used the word “successful” to describe Rupert Murdoch. Responded Turner: “You have to define successful. Al Capone made a lot of money.” Turner, referring to the breakup of Murdoch’s marriage after 32 years, also said, “I don’t know whether Capone’s wife left him or not.”

What Los Angeles Is Watching

A sampling of L.A. Nielsen ratings for May 2-3 SATURDAY

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Event Ch. Rating Share Pro basketball: Minnesota at Seattle 4 7.3 22 Horse racing: Kentucky Derby 7 6.1 17 Baseball: Dodgers at Pittsburgh 5 3.8 10 Golf: Shell Houston Open 7 2.1 6 Golf: LPGA Titleholders Championship 2 0.1 0

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SUNDAY

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Event Ch. Rating Share Pro basketball: Charlotte at Chicago 4 10.3 25 Pro basketball: Houston at Utah 4 9.2 25 Pro basketball: New York at Miami 4 7.4 21 Baseball: Dodgers at Pittsburgh 5 2.8 8 Gymnastics: NCAA women’s championships 2 2.3 7 Golf: Shell Houston Open 7 1.5 4 Soccer: New York/New Jersey at New England 34 1.1 3 Golf: LPGA Titleholders Championships 2 0.7 2

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WEEKDAY RATINGS: Lakers-Seattle, Ch. 9, Monday, 12.0, 19 share; Lakers-Seattle, Ch. 9, Wednesday, 13.3, 20 share.

Note: Each rating point represents 50,092 L.A. households.