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

DATE: FRIDAY, December 23, 1994                   TAG: 9412230132
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-5   EDITION: STATE 
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

LOCAL TV PULLS PLUG ON 'SKINS

They won't be on local television this weekend.

The Fox Network affiliate in the Roanoke-Lynchburg market, WJPR and WFXR, will show the Dallas-New York Giants game Saturday at 1 p.m. instead of the 4 p.m. Redskins-Los Angeles Rams contest.

Channels 21 and 27 asked the network for the Cowboys-Giants game earlier this week, said Stan Marinoff, vice president and general manager. WJPR/WFXR originally had been assigned that game, which has playoff implications for New York, then last week was switched to receive the Redskins-Rams. The Cowboys-Giants game will be shown in 64 percent of the country. Only 4 percent of the county will receive the Redskins-Rams telecast - Fox football affiliates in Baltimore, Washington, Norfolk, Richmond and Harrisonburg.

Marinoff said the decision to switch was made after Washington (2-13) lost on Sunday to Tampa Bay for a second time.

``We just decided, after the Redskins' last game, that showing the Dallas-New York game was best,'' Marinoff said. ``The Cowboys are popular here, too, and the Giants are still in it [the playoff chase]. If the Redskins had beaten Tampa Bay, if they were playing better, we wouldn't have made the change.

``We are going to see what kind of response we get. We've stuck with the Redskins all year. In this given situation, and considering the Redskins' opponent [the 4-11 Rams], we think this is the right move.''

Marinoff said WJPR/WFXR recently has received numerous phone calls of complaint, some peppered with profanity, because of the station's commitment to the skidding Redskins' telecast schedule.

``We're going to monitor and see how many and what kind of calls we get this week,'' Marinoff said.

Keywords:
FOOTBALL