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

DATE: SATURDAY, February 12, 1994                   TAG: 9402120019
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Staff report
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

TNT TO AIR 45 HOURS OF OLYMPICS COVERAGE

In addition to CBS Sports' 120 hours of coverage from the Lillehammer Games, cable's TNT will air 45 hours of the Winter Olympics from 1-6 p.m. on nine weekdays.

Turner Broadcasting is paying CBS $29 million for U.S. cable rights. About 60 percent of the TNT coverage will be live, although CBS will embargo coverage of some events for taped airing during its prime-time shows.

Of the CBS hours, about 50 will be in prime-time with Greg Gumbel as host.

The only weekday TNT will not air the Games is Feb. 21, Presidents' Day. That holiday features CBS' most extensive schedule - 11 1/2 hours - from 7-9 a.m., 1-6 p.m., 8-11:30 p.m. and 1:07-2:07 a.m. Pat O'Brien will serve as host for the late-night hour, usually at 12:37 p.m., following "The Late Show with David Letterman."

Nick Charles and Fred Hickman will anchor TNT's coverage from Atlanta, with John Naber as Lillehammer host.

CBS and Turner Broadcasting, as U.S. telecast rights-holders could have an edge on the Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding story because of access to venues and the Olympic Village.

by CNB