LAWRENCE, Kan. – When I said three weeks ago that, for CBS, this year’s NCAA Tournament “may very well be the network’s own shining moment,” I never could have anticipated the whirlwind ride that followed. Not only were we treated to two overtime games in the first session of the first round, but we were also treated to close game after close game, upset after upset.

In a year with so much uncertainty about the future of the tournament, teams delivered the most exhilarating set of games in history. They showed off everything that is right with the current format, making a seemingly imminent expansion to 96 teams look that much more ridiculous.

Filed under:
Opinion/Editorial, Sports TV, Television by Scott A. Winer

LAWRENCE, Kan. – As CBS embarks on another NCAA Tournament, it is important to remember just how good they are at doing this event. Sure, they will miff some viewers by jumping around from site to site to update other games – the necessary evil known as “walking the dog” – but when your game is on the line, you can be sure you’ll see it live.

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Opinion/Editorial, Sports TV, Television by Scott A. Winer

LAWRENCE, Kan. – If you choose which games you watch based on the announcers or crew covering them, this is for you. Here is the breakdown of which crew is at which site for the first two rounds of the 2010 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament as well as the early and late first round games.

Filed under:
Sports TV, Television by Scott A. Winer

LAWRENCE, Kan. – America loves an underdog, and America loves a comeback. Put those together, as the New Orleans Saints did in Sunday’s Super Bowl, and you get ratings. Big ratings.

CBS’ average overnight rating/share was a 46.4/68. In layman’s terms, an average of 46.4% of U.S. television households watched the game, with 68% of those watching television from 6:30-9:45 p.m. ET tuning in to the Super Bowl. It marks the highest rating since current CBS lead analyst Phil Simms was leading the New York Giants to victory in Super Bowl XXI (47.8/68). Conveniently, that too was a come-from-behind win.

Filed under:
Sports TV, Television by Scott A. Winer

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Let me begin by making a couple things clear.

First, as most people who have read my blog, visited my sites, listened to my podcasts or followed my tweets would know, I have worked for CBS Sports off and on as a runner and tape logger since I was a sophomore in high school. (That’s 2001 for those not keeping score.)

Second, I am gay. I came out when I was 17, began to have some doubts when I was 20, and ultimately came out for a second time shortly after my 23rd birthday. Was I gay that entire time? Yes. Was I sure? No, but I am now. For me and practically every other person, sexual orientation isn’t just black and white, cut and dry. It’s nuanced and complicated.

So too is CBS’ criteria for accepting and rejecting Super Bowl commercials.

Filed under:
Sports TV, Television by Scott A. Winer

LAWRENCE, Kan. – This week I had the pleasure of interviewing CBS Sports director Bob Fishman for my podcast, “No Relation.” I have known “Fish” for seven years, meeting him by chance as a senior in high school. It didn’t take long for me to see that there is something truly special about him.

He commanded the respect of everyone working with him, but not the kind forced by title or protocol. It was more of a collective fondness and warmth for their leader. I shadowed “Fish” as his unpaid assistant for the SEC Football Championship in December 2002. Surrounded at a round table of camera operators, most of whom were twice my age if not older, they marveled my unique opportunity. “He doesn’t know yet how lucky he is,” one said. I didn’t then. I do now.

Filed under:
Sports TV, Television by Scott A. Winer

O’FALLON, Mo. – Where do I begin? There’s been a lot of interesting television in the last week, and some other intriguing item looking forward.

Late Night

Saturday Night Live delivered one of its best episodes in recent memory. And I have a pretty good memory, particularly with regard to SNL. Beginning with a well-executed cold open and perhaps the most physically demanding monologue since Bill Murray scaled the “Homebase” set 10 seasons ago, Joseph Gordon-Levitt proved himself a more-than-formidable host. Musical guests Dave Matthews Band made yet another appearance on the show. DMB is the only musical act I can think of who’s performances have now spanned the three longest-tenured directors in SNL’s history – the late Dave Wilson (with host Courteney Cox in 1994), multiple appearances with director Beth McCarthy Miller, and now Don Roy King. I have no doubt I’m the only person who really cares.

Filed under:
Late Night TV, Music/Variety, Sports TV, Technology, Television by Scott A. Winer

LAWRENCE, Kan. – For as long as I’ve been writing about the world of live television, I don’t think I’ve ever actually put forth a list of who I think is the best for on-air and production.

Here are a couple of rules: 1) individuals must still be active in their respective roles (network changes are okay); 2) there is no limit on how many people working for a particular network can be chosen (if the network happens to be that good, it wouldn’t make sense for me to suggest otherwise); 3) for sports, when I feel it is warranted, I may select multiple people holding the same position but for different sports.

Filed under:
Music/Variety, Opinion/Editorial, Sports TV by Scott A. Winer

LAWRENCE, Kan. – You couldn’t tune in to last weekend’s Masters coverage without incessant reminders that Tiger Woods was playing. Honestly, how could we forget? CBS probably would have run promos mentioning Woods whether he was “within striking distance” or not. It’s understandable. Like Duke and North Carolina in basketball, a tournament with Tiger is sure to get big ratings, especially if he’s threatening the lead.

In this year’s case, however, CBS didn’t need golf’s biggest name to draw in viewers. Americans Kenny Perry and Chad Campbell did plenty to help. Oh, and they didn’t even win. Perry and Campbell led after two rounds at Augusta National and kept it more than interesting for the final two. Neither golfer is entirely unknown, which was a plus. But what really made the tournament was the competition.

Sure, Tiger has put up some wowing scores at the Masters, but he has often won convincingly with no threat on Sunday. This year’s final round had all the makings of a network executive’s dream. The scenery at Augusta is always something to behold, and high definition doesn’t hurt. That much is a given. After some concern of stormy weather earlier in the week, the clouds cleared and the stars on the course shone bright.

Filed under:
Opinion/Editorial, Sports TV by Scott A. Winer

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Chalk another one up to Sean McManus, the president of CBS News and Sports. McManus, whose 9-year term at the helm of the network’s sports division has been marked by over a dozen high-profile on-air additions, can now add Katie Couric to that list. This morning, the 15-year veteran of NBC News’ Today Show officially announced that she will leave NBC in May to assume the roles of anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News. The highly-anticipated announcement comes after a year of speculation regarding Couric’s future, and McManus was the perfect person to seal the deal. While the Today show has lost ground in the morning ratings game, CBS Evening News has been on the way up under the leadership of interim anchor Bob Schieffer. The two networks’ news divisions seem to be heading in opposite directions. With people like McManus and Couric revamping CBS News, the eyes have it. As for NBC News, the peacock is for the birds.

Filed under:
Opinion/Editorial, Television by Scott A. Winer