MLB Network assures big hits

As NFL Network and NBA TV struggle to find their way onto cable systems, MLB Network has no such problem – and it hasn’t even launched.

More than five months from its Jan. 1 debut, Major League Baseball’s new cable channel already is assured of being seen in more than 50 million of the nation’s 113 million TV households, according to the channel’s CEO, Tony Petitti. Major operators Comcast, Cablevision and Time-Warner will offer the network on a digital basic package. DirecTV also will offer it on basic.

By comparison, NFL Network (which launched in 2003) is in 40 million homes and NBA TV (which launched in 1999) is in 15 million. Petitti, who joined the new network last month after 11 years at CBS, shared his vision in a phone chat:

•At least initially, MLB Network plans to air only one live major league game per week, on Saturday nights, because it realizes most fans want to watch their local team. On most nights, expect a multihour block of live studio programming, with scores, highlights, analysis and cut-ins to games.

“We will have the definitive highlights show in the last hour of the studio each night,” Petitti said.

But luring viewers from ESPN’s Baseball Tonight will be challenging.

“ESPN has very good talent, and we will need a strong team that people see as entertaining and credible,” Petitti said. “Maybe being on a little more will help us.”

No announcers have been hired, but it wouldn’t be surprising if MLB Network pursues broadcasters from ESPN. (Remember, NFL Network hired former ESPN anchor Rich Eisen as its signature studio voice when it launched.)

•Petitti said there’s “some interest in replaying games” hours after they happen, perhaps as overnight or morning programming. Also under consideration: a package of minor league games and games from Japan and Latin America.

•Off-season programming will include a live studio show with news (”at least a couple of hours in prime time,” Petitti said), and lots of programming from MLB’s archives, including rebroadcasts of classic games.

“We don’t want to be a classic channel – we want to be current,” Petitti said. “But we want to do a lot about the history of the game. We’ll develop series, do some theme-week programming.”

The channel – which will be based in Secaucus, N.J., and available in high definition – has only 10 employees, but “a year from today, we’ll be between 165 and 175,” Petitti said.

“You’re building this from scratch, and it’s a great challenge. Because we’ll be so widely available from the start, you want to get it right as soon as possible.”

Around the dial

So why did Brett Favre do his interview on Fox News this week? Favre assuredly knew he would have a sympathetic interviewer in Greta Van Susteren, a Packers fan and shareholder. In fact, Favre’s wife reportedly pitched the idea to Van Susteren in an e-mail.

“I’d like to say I got the Favre interview because of dogged determination, but it kind of fell in my lap,” Van Susteren told mediabistro.com.

•Fox, which omitted the Florida Marlins from its original ’08 schedule, added Saturday’s game against Philadelphia and will send it to 11 percent of the country, with Dick Stockton and Tim McCarver announcing.

•With 14.5 million viewers, on average, Tuesday was the most-watched All-Star Game since 2002. ESPN’s 6.4 rating for the Home Run Derby made it the most viewed cable TV program of the year and ESPN’s highest-rated non-NFL game since Miami-Florida State drew a 6.9 on Labor Day night in 2006.

•A couple of thoughts on Billy Packer’s departure from CBS: Packer – who will be replaced by Clark Kellogg – never used game telecasts for self-promotion, analyzed X’s and O’s skillfully (though there were holes in his commentary late in this year’s Memphis-Kansas championship) and never wavered with his opinions.

But some of those opinions in recent years were offered prematurely and some were either highly questionable (his railing against midmajors) or wrong (calling the North Carolina-Kansas Final Four game over in the first half). Because he was so serious and quick to judge, his approach in recent years had been portrayed – fairly or unfairly – as joyless and condescending at times, and a lot of viewers were ready to see him go.

Though a case could be made to include a third person on the No. 1 team during the tournament (Jay Bilas or Bill Raftery), CBS reiterated Thursday it will use a two-man lead team: Jim Nantz and Kellogg.

•Hired this week: former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer (as an ESPN analyst on assorted programs) and Tom Watson (to work British Open broadcasts on ABC).

•NBC announced its 106-person Olympic announcer lineup, and the NBC host gigs – beyond Bob Costas in prime time – went to Jim Lampley (afternoons) and Mary Carillo (late nights).