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Local TV coverage of Bucs a mixed bag

By SHARON GINN

© St. Petersburg Times,
published September 7, 2001

Considering the Bucs are Super Bowl contenders -- on paper at least -- now would be the logical time for Tampa Bay's network affiliates to step up coverage.

Three of those stations appear to be doing so. Meanwhile, WFLA-Ch. 8 seems to be scaling back.

News director Forrest Carr doesn't agree with that assessment, but at the moment the station has no firm plans to send any member of its staff to the seven regular-season road games after the opener at the Cowboys. For the Dallas game, Ch. 8 will send one photographer to get player interviews and other footage.

Meanwhile, WFTS-Ch. 28 has significantly increased its coverage in hopes of boosting ratings. Sports director Jay Crawford will travel to every road game, and weekend anchor Al Keck will host the new Sunday night show BucsZone. WTVT-Ch. 13 will continue its substantial home and road coverage. And WTSP-Ch. 10, which has taken heat for letting Keck go and cutting sports from its early evening newscasts, has committed to sending either sports director John Nugent or weekend anchor Dave Wirth.

Carr said Ch. 8's travel schedule has not been fully determined. "We're taking it on a case-by-case basis," he said. "Money is tight."

And "convergence" is king. In the past year, the line has blurred between Ch. 8 and the Tampa Tribune. Both are owned by Media General and share the same offices. The only live reports Ch. 8 has planned for Bucs road games will come from Tribune staffers, who have another set of deadlines to meet. The Times and Ch. 10 have a partnership agreement, but gather news independently.

As for footage, Ch. 8 sports director Dave Cook expects for now to rely mostly on the NBC affiliates in host cities. But Cook acknowledges those stations may not have a lot of time to gather Bucs footage when they are focusing on their own teams.

While the concept of convergence is "all experimental," Carr said, he added that "between our people and (Tribune) people, we'll have the Bucs well-covered. I don't look at it at all like WFLA will have less."

Ch. 8 may well come through. But on paper, it doesn't look like a Super Bowl season.

BUCS ON THE AIR: It's evident big things are expected of the Bucs when even punter Mark Royals has his own radio show.

Okay, so Royals is a natural. But the fact that fans are interested in listening to a punter means they're dying for any inside information they can get.

This year, a boatload of Bucs will be able to give it to them). WQYK-AM 1010 has a show every weeknight. WDAE-AM 620 has four shows -- two more than last year -- including Royals'. Ch. 28 has locked up Sunday night exclusives with John Lynch and Warrick Dunn. Ch. 13 gets general manager Rich McKay and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin.

Other deals may follow. Stations are betting you'll stay tuned.

MORE ON MILLER: Folks intrigued by Dennis Miller's sometimes obscure and seemingly random references on Monday Night Football might want to check out The Annotated Dennis Miller at ABCSports.com (once in the site, click on the MNF link).

The reference guide actually originated last year at Brittanica.com, where senior editor Locke Peterseim offered long-winded, cheeky explanations to Miller's one-liners. ABC Sports was clever enough to hire Peterseim to do it for them.

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