Going for the gold.
KUSA-Channel 9 gearing up to go all out for Winter Olympics coverage, beginning with Opening Ceremonies from Turin, Italy (7 p.m. Friday).
“It’s a great opportunity for the network and local affiliates,” said news director Patti Dennis at 9News. The city’s No. 1 station for 30 years means to make hay while the snow falls.
In addition to the daily coverage courtesy of NBC, Channel 9 will have six hours of “special programming” and live coverage inside every newscast. A large part of the station’s website has been turned over to the “Olympic Zone.” Adele Arakawa and Bob Kendrick host an on-air version nightly at 6:30 p.m.
Kendrick has been working the beat for a year, hanging out with the 36 Colorado-based athletes. “He met every athlete who lives or trains in Colorado,” said Dennis. “Getting to know the athletes helps; they come to you.” Kendrick and photographer Brian Willie left for Italy Saturday to settle in.
The NBC network coverage – some live, some taped – runs from 7 to 10:30 p.m. nightly, meaning Channel 9’s 10 o’clock news will move to 10:30.
Heads up: If you make a habit of watching 9News but don’t want the results before the event is broadcast, hide your eyes. The station will post results onscreen but not announce them.
Good sports for TV
Memorabilia signed by John Elway, Jake Plummer, Peter Forsberg, Joe Sakic, Carmelo Anthony and other local sports celebs goes up for auction at 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the annual KBDI-Channel 12 auction.
Money raised supports Channel 12 programming. Drew Soicher and Sam Adams emcee.
Where your life went
No wonder the game droned on. Advertising consumed 47 minutes, 18 seconds of the Super Bowl XL telecast on Sunday.
Figures compiled by Nielsen Monitor-Plus show that 57 brands appeared, including spots for beer, motion pictures, automobiles and wireless telephone services.
Around the dial
CBS sideline reporter Bonnie Bernstein decided she had enough of injury reports and quickie interviews with coaches. She’s leaving to form a consulting company, Velvet Hammer Media. If every sideline reporter disappeared tomorrow, no one would notice … CBSSportsLine.com is posting results, profiles, schedules at sportsline.com/
olympics/winter/ … Mike Tirico, Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser will man the booth when ESPN assumes “Monday Night Football” this fall … Todd Hamilton, the 2004 British Open winner, among the guests when Jerry Walters and Jon Lawrence do their show live from the Denver Golf Expo at the Merchandise Mart (noon Saturday, KOA 850-AM). … Quotable: “A team is where a boy can prove his courage on his own. A gang is where a coward goes to hide.” Mickey Mantle
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com.
