CBS Radio Criticizes TV Coverage of Football

The CBS Radio Network took a swipe yesterday at television coverage of pro football, accusing the networks of presenting pro football "as a lavish form of entertainment" and of lacking "the journalistic enterprise, independence, and objectivity that marks the coverage of other events of such national scope and interest."

Commentator Allan Jackson made the charge on the radio network's "CBS Views the Press."

"Professional football goes virtually un-reported by the three major networks," Jackson said, even though it is on the screen every Sunday afternoon and Monday night for half of each year.

Jackson examined television coverage of sports in two five-minute programs. The first was broadcast Saturday, on the eve of the Super Bowl, and the second last night.

"The most significant journalistic failing in television coverage of professional sports lies in the areas of off-the-field developments and events of great importance to the world of pro football and other sports," he said.

He said television gives little or no attention to such things as labor-management disputes, charges of monopoly, racial problems, and economic issues.

"Basically," Jackson said, "the networks have become part of the game itself. Their investment is huge--nearly $40 million a year just for television rights."

This results in television being "as concerned with the image and exploitation of the sport as the teams, owners, and league officials," he said.

Jackson added that most commentators and play-by-play men "are more boosters than reporters...quick to declare the glory on the field, but notably hesitant to mention blunders, especially official blunders."

The CBS reporter said that the real news about the game comes from newspapers and magazines.