
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, September 1, 1994                   TAG: 9409010079
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CODY LOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

LOCAL STATIONS AREN'T CRYING FOUL OVER LOSS

You won't find Roanoke-Lynchburg market TV advertising managers kicking dirt on the players' or owners' shoes over the loss of major league baseball.

In fact, the strike has made their lives a little easier, the ad salesmen said.

"Commercial-wise, we usually get a higher rate for regular programming than for baseball," WSLS-TV (Channel 10) general sales manager Randy Smith said Wednesday. "Financially, we're probably better off without them."

"We're actually helping our advertisers by showing family-oriented movies," said WSET-TV (Channel 13) general sales manger Mike Brunette.

Even the loss of the World Series, scheduled to go to ABC this year, would be OK with Brunette.

Suppose the World Series has Montreal vs. Texas, Brunette said. "People around here would rather watch `Home Improvement' or `Roseanne' or `Coach.' Regular ABC programming does better in the ratings than baseball."

"Roanoke doesn't have a major league team, and there's no clear-cut loyalty to any major league team," said Smith. "Consequently, baseball never delivered as big an audience in the Roanoke area as it might in other areas."

Smith does expect that there would be some impact from the loss of the playoffs, though, a time when fan interest and advertising rates go up.

"As strong as business is right now, we're going to sell whatever we air. But [loss of the playoffs] would be the loss of an opportunity," when the station "could command a higher rate."

by CNB