Sports Media Digest- December 19, 2011

Here are some sports media news items coming out today:

•Let’s start with ratings news. CBS reports that yesterday’s national coverage of Brady/Tebow (Patriots/Broncos) scored a 19.5 overnight rating forthe network. That is the highest rated game thus far this season and the highest regular season game on any network since November of 2007.
•NBC reports a 11.3 rating for last night’s Sunday Night Football (SNF) contest between the Ravens and Chargers. That rating is down from last year’s SNF Week Fifteen match-up between the Patriots and Packers which earned a 15.2 mark.
•The NFL Network (NFLN) is looking at an all-times ratings year as it prepares for its final game telecast this Thursday. To date ratings for NFLN games are up 19% over 2010. NFLN’s audience for Saturday’s Cowboys/Buccaneers game had an audience of 5.6 million viewers, up 27% over 2010. The NFLN finale is this Thursday as the Houston Texans visit the Indianapolis Colts.
•On Christmas Day the NFL Network will air a special presentation looking back at the 40th anniversary of the NFL’s longest game. The 1971 playoff game between the Dolphins and Chiefs was played on December 25, 1971. The game went two overtimes before the Dolphins won 27-24. The special will include never before seen footage and interviews with those involved. The program airs at 6:00p.m. ET on Christmas night.
•Speaking of the NFL Network, this week’s NFL Replay will feature the Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs and the Detroit Lions at the Oakland Raiders. NFL Replay begins tomorrow at 8:00p.m. ET
•The Golf Channel announced today that golf analysts Johnny Miller and Nick Faldo will work together at the PGA’s 2012 opening event in January. Miller, who works for NBC, and Faldo, who works for the Gold Channel as well as CBS, will work together on the Hyundai Tournament of Champions beginning January 6th from Hawaii.
•NBA TV will provide a pre-season double header this Wednesday night. The action tips off at 7:00p.m. ET as the Miami Heat takes on the Orlando Magic. The night cap will involve the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers.
•ESPN has reached a deal with online audio service TuneIn to broadcast many ESPN Radio programs and games. The partnership begins early next month when TuneIn will make available ESPN Radio’s coverage of the Bowl Championship Series games.

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