The e-mails have been pouring in: What is KMTV (Cox Channel 5) going to offer for coverage of the NCAA Basketball Tournament?The answer comes from Journal Broadcast Group Executive Vice President for Television and Radio Operations Steve Wexler, who is also general manager of KMTV.
"Due to the NCAA's agreement with DirecTV, CBS affiliates can only air the assigned game on both our analog and HD digital signals," Wexler said. "The good news is that Cox HD customers can watch the CBS coverage in high definition on Channel 805."
Those "assigned" games will be determined once the tournament field is announced Sunday afternoon. Wexler said KMTV has the ability to choose one game over another for broadcast if it is a game of significant local interest.
"For example, we can choose to carry a Creighton game over another game if both are being offered," Wexler said.
As far as watching the NCAA basketball tournament on your computer, CBS Sportsline.com promises it will be even better than last year."March Madness on Demand" allows users to watch every game (except whatever the local TV market blacks out).
Last year, more than 1.3 million tuned in, recording more than five million visits. Some 265,000 signed up for VIP priority, which amounts to having a "fast pass" at an amusement park.
This year, VIP signups have already passed last year's mark, and the goal is to allow 400,000. If the site exceeds the allotted number of streams, excess viewers will be shuttled off to an online waiting room where they will wait until someone else leaves.
CBS SportsLine is increasing the size of the video player screen by 50 percent (to 480-by-360 pixels) and has added live audio from the Westwood One radio broadcast for those who can only listen instead of watch (or want to listen to one game while watching another).
Returning by popular demand is the "Boss Button," which allows a user to immediately pause video, silence audio and put a fake spread sheet up on the screen.
Only the first three rounds of the tournament will be streamed online.
7 comments:
Why are people already calling KM3 wondering what they are going to offer for tourney coverage, when the brackets haven't even been announced yet?
Several CBS affiliates around the country are taking advantage of HD tiers to show every NCAA Tournament game.
For instance, WLTX in South Carolina will broadcast the tournament on its regular over-the-air channel, as well as on its three digital channels.
Once again we're at the mercy of CBS (Can't Broadcast Sports). Not much to complain to KMTV about when the network holds the keys (and all the commercials we'll be seeing EVERY 3 minutes). Too bad ESPN can't televise the tourney.
Sean,
I'd have a tough time believing a local affiliate can broadcast multiple games. Wouldn't DirecTV have a fit because it makes a bundle on the exclusive rights to the other games?
-- Mike Sigmond
Mike:
Last year, WLTX was one of four CBS affiliates to broadcast every game of the tournament.
This year, even more stations will do so.
Here's the story:
http://tinyurl.com/ypwhol
Sean,
Anyone who has that deal is very lucky. Thanks for the link!
Mike
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