Network Coverage of JFK Jr. Alters Sports Programming

The search for John F. Kennedy Jr.’s missing plane forced the networks to alter their sports programming, with ABC switching its British Open golf coverage Saturday to fellow Disney-owned ESPN and the Major League Soccer All-Star game to ESPN2.

CBS wasn’t as fortunate. It had to scrap its broadcast of the Ameritech Senior Open golf tournament.

ABC was scheduled to show the third round of the British Open starting at 7 a.m. PDT but instead stayed with the breaking story involving the search for Kennedy.

ESPN picked up coverage about 8:30 a.m. PDT and stayed with the British Open, instead of regularly scheduled fishing and rodeo programs, until the leaders finished.

“We had a breaking news story of national importance that took priority over any program we had scheduled on ABC,” a spokesman for the network said. “Fortunately, we had ESPN so we were able to switch the viewers who wanted to watch the Open championship while staying with the unfolding news story on ABC news.”

The MLS All-Star game in San Diego was supposed to start on ABC at 12:30 p.m. PDT but was switched to ESPN2.

“That’s a momentary blip. Listen, it’s the difference between a much larger audience and a smaller audience for this game,” MLS Commissioner Doug Logan said. “We’ll survive this. It’s a stumble along the way. It’s just tough to throw a party under these circumstances. All-Star games are parties, and these are rather somber circumstances upon which to do this.”

CBS’ broadcast of the Ameritech Senior Open was scheduled to air from 1-3 p.m. PDT. CBS offered local affiliates a 15-minute highlight package, according to tournament director Brian Fitzgerald. The network’s international coverage continued uninterrupted.