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Show The Salt Lake Tribune TELEVISION Costas to Create Weekly Interview e Channei 7:00 7:30 8:00 Monday, December 27, 1999 8:30 9:00 BS 9:30 10:00 10:30 Series for HBO BY GAIL SHISTER KNIGHT RIDDER NEWS SERVICE ‘Think of it as Ted Koppel in a coach’s cap and cleats, After finally getting the OK from his bosses at NBC, Bob Costas will create a weekly, mostly ne interview series for HBO that as a “sports version ofNightline,” Tt 4s echeduled to debutin February 2001. mefive years ago, but NBC,correctly, had exclusive rights to my services. “A point had to be reached where NBC was comfortable with an arrangementlike this.” The point was Marv Albert. When NBC announced Albert would return as lead announcer on NBA games next season, it meant freeing Costas from the fill-in gig he’s been doing for two ears. Costas still belongs to NBC, but network insiders say NBC Sports boss Dick Ebersol gave him the green light for HBO as paybackfor having stepped up when NBC needed him. HBO has ordered 12 episodes of Costas’as-yet-untitled show,to be based in New York.Notimeslot yet, but Costas wants a weeknight. A 28-year NBC Sports veteran whois aboutto lead network coverageofhis fourth Olympics, Cos- tas says his HBO series would give him “the time to treat sports with some depth.” “Now, you get it in bits and pieces. There’s no regular vehicle on broadcast-network sports. Especially with the added competi- tion of cable, networks do not see this type of show as a sufficient ratings generator.” For the predominantly male viewers of broadcast-network sports, “anything longer than a sound bite is considered the Sermon on the Mount in some cir- cles,” Costas adds. “You must get outof those circles for longer-form material to be appreciated.” Costas, who hosted NBC’s late- night general interest “Later” from 1988 to ’94, sees his show and Bryant Gumbel’s monthly HBO sports show as complementary, not competitors. “Real Sports,’ roughly speaking, is the ‘60 Minutes’of sports, with lengthy produced pieces that are lef irito by the host. Our ap- proach. can be loosely compared to ‘Nightline’ — more of a live show, with more flexibility in format.” The two shows may share cor- respondents occasionally, Costas says, And if they happento go after the same hot story,“we'll have different approaches.” NBC’s approach to the Summer Olympics, Sept. 15 ret Canei in Sydney, Australia, will ferent from that of any chs Eee you ples iyenn Cusetions aakedof studio vistors (Part 1 of 2); Lanza: 12 pm — Events that led to alleged patricide, () T+ ra’ Soames (8 1 pn — Crading nan ere corte, NWSE Ly Pa" Benen Wane oe eee a eee (BOT am — Tom Henkes, Roger Detrey. TH14" malipiipedeerengeoe . ) ys 4 y ’ 3 = (Gemeter VCR Puss system. WAR: A |
