REGIONAL SPORTS REPORT and NATIONAL SPORTS REPORT
To Provide One Hour of Primetime Sports News in April
(CHICAGO) — Fox Sports Net Chicago announced today a series of programming schedule changes that are designed to take advantage of the network’s unique regional and national structure, as well as its recent original programming initiative.
The major change occurs Monday, April 2 when its sports news shows, the critically-acclaimed Regional Sports Report and the National Sports Report, will air from 10:00-11:00 PM CT in a 60-minute news block (RSR-10-10:30; NSR-10:30-11). The announcement was made today by James J. Corno, Senior Vice President/General Manager for Fox Sports Net Chicago.
“These changes truly reflect the local edge we have in the marketplace and provides us with the most well-rounded programming line-up we’ve ever had,” said Corno. “This schedule allows for an improved audience flow and showcases our regionality to its fullest competitive advantage.”
The Regional Sports Report will also change its name to the Chicago Sports Report on April 2. Shifting the Regional Sports Report to immediately follow live professional coverage of the Chicago Bulls, Blackhawks, White Sox, Cubs, Fire and collegiate games gives the show the best possible lead-in directly from the local hometown game. It also enhances the opportunity for a full regional show to air in its entirety. Beginning April 2, the Regional Sports Report, which in its own unique way provides comprehensive sports news from a Chicago perspective, is scheduled to air at 10:00 PM or immediately following the game. The 30-minute National Sports Report then provides a complement to the local show.
“By moving the local show to 10:00 PM, we can take the audiences for our White Sox, Cubs, Bulls, Blackhawks, Fire and college games right into the sports news they want to see most,” added Corno.
Chicago Sports Tonight, currently airing at 7:00 PM Monday-Friday or a half-hour prior to live, primetime events, will undergo a time change with the show moving to 6:30 PM starting in April. With most professional teams now starting games at 7:00 PM, Chicago Sports Tonight will continue to set the stage for the upcoming games and the night in sports. For pro events occurring in the afternoons, the show will continue to air a half-hour before those games and will still be called Chicago Sports Today.
On Sunday evening, The Keith Olbermann Evening News replaces the National Sports Reportand runs for a full hour from 10:30-11:30 PM.
The creation of the 60-minute news block is the latest in a series of initiatives to enhance and diversify the Fox Sports Net programming line-up. Four exclusive NASCAR programs debut this week – NASCAR THIS MORNING, NASCAR VICTORY LANE, TOTALLY NASCAR AND NASCAR TECH – and the network recently launched two new original shows, BEYOND THE GLORY and PREPS.
Fox Sports Net is a service of National Sports Partners. Equally owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc. and Fox Entertainment Group, Fox Sports Net now reaches more than 70 million homes nationwide. Rainbow Sports, a division of Cablevision’s Rainbow Media Holdings, Inc., has dedicated itself to “Home Team” fans for more than 20 years. Rainbow Sports incorporates all of Rainbow Media’s sports assets, including: its 50 percent ownership of Fox Sports Net and Fox Sports National Advertising; majority ownership of Madison Square Garden Properties; and the ownership and management of Fox Sports Net regional networks in six of the nation’s largest markets – Chicago, New England, Florida, New York, Ohio and San Francisco.
Contact
Jeffrey Nuich,
FOX Sports Net Chicago
312-396-9800