PressBox: Do Orioles And Nationals Need To Share?

Do Orioles And Nationals Need To Share?

By Dave Hughes
DCRTV.com

Washington Post sports columnist Tracee Hamilton argues that the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals should each get their own dedicated channel from the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, instead of sharing time on two channels.

"The Washington Nationals have reached the five-year point in their one-sided and ridiculous deal with MASN, meaning that under the agreement, they can renegotiate with Baltimore Orioles and MASN owner Peter Angelos over their share of rights fees," she wrote Oct. 22. "The five-year 're-set' was included in the deal to make sure the split still falls within fair market value. ...

"Nats fans have complained that MASN has a definite Baltimore flavor and would like to see more of a division between the two teams on the network. That would seem to be a fair request. One place to start: Stop shuffling both teams between MASN and MASN2. That would actually benefit the Orioles as well as the Nationals."

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Bethesda-based Comcast SportsNet plans live coverage of the 36th Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday, Oct. 30. "SportsNet Central: Live From The Marine Corps Marathon" will air from the starting line in Arlington, Va., beginning at 7 a.m.

Michael Jenkins and Jill Sorenson will cover the event, along with Chas Henry, a Marine and award-winning reporter.

At CSNwashington.com, CSN will provide a video feed of runners as they cross the finish line, plus more than 100 interviews with participants.

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Comcast SportsNet has picked Cesar Aldama to be its senior director of news. He most recently served as news director for Miami's CBS station, WFOR-TV, and its sister WBFS-TV. Before that, he was assistant news director at CBS's KYW-TV in Philadelphia.

During his 25-year career, he also worked as managing editor for Channel 11/WBAL.

Aldama will lead the Bethesda-based sports network's television news department, including content development, editorial direction and strategic planning, as well as overseeing all of its program production, including "SportsNet Central."

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Sports networks like Speed might soon go missing from DirecTV.

The satellite television firm's agreement with News Corporation/Fox for some of their national cable networks and regional Fox Sports networks has expired.

News Corporation wants a 40 percent rate hike for some of its channels, which also include National Geographic Channel, and MyNetworkTV.

If an agreement isn't reached, those channels could go missing from DirecTV come Nov. 1.

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Rumors have it that Jorge Andrés, a sports anchor for Washington's Telemundo Spanish language TV station, WZDC, could become a national sports anchor at ESPN.

A source tells us that Andrés may host "SportsCenter," ESPN News, and other shows for their English language properties, as well as being an NFL analyst, along with duties at Spanish language ESPN Deportes.

There's also a rumor that he might be involved with ESPN's World Cup coverage in both languages.

Andrés used to be a Redskins Spanish coverage play-by-play man for Redskins owner Dan Snyder's now-defunct Spanish sports radio talker WXTR.

Posted Oct. 26, 2011