On The Air
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
October 20, 2006

A few days after the Eagles’ win over the Cowboys last week, a bleary-eyed, but still jubilant Rob Alberino, executive producer of the Eagles Television Network (ETN), just finished watching the game for the sixth time.

“I knew we were going to win,” said Alberino, who is responsible for the production of five television shows (“The Donovan McNabb Show,” “The Andy Reid Show,” “The Eagles Kids Club,” “Eagles Football Frenzy” and “Inside the Eagles”) and three-radio shows every week during the season.

The Eagles are one of 11 teams in the NFL with their own television network. The Eagles Television Network, which was created in 1997, utilizes eight full-time and 40 parttime employees, making ETN bigger than most of the broadcast television sports staffs in town. It has won 30 Mid-Atlantic Emmy awards and has been nominated for 97 Emmys.

Besides television and radio, ETN provides content for www.philadelphiaeagles.com, which gets over 1.5 million visits a month.

Alberino, an employee of the Eagles, acknowledges that his job is not to provide hardhitting journalism, but to promote the team.

“However, we won’t sugarcoat things,” he said. “Last year when we lost 42-0 to Seattle, there was nothing good to say.”

So far, this year, for the most part (except for the Saints and Giants losses), things have been sweeter for the team and ETN.

Vai’s a happy guy
 
The return of the NFL to NBC has brought lots of smiles to the NBC10 sports department because the ratings are up for their Sunday night sports show, “Sports Final.”

NBC10 sports director Vai Sikahema said, “It’s great to have the NFL back. It was like we were standing outside the prom without a date.”

The Eagles have not been on “Sunday Night Football” with John Madden and Al Michaels yet, but with this season’s flexible television schedule, there is a chance the Nov. 26 game between them and Colts may be moved to Sunday night. The Eagles are scheduled to appear on NBC when the Eagles play the Cowboys on Monday, Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

This and that
 
Former QVC host and selfproclaimed “radio geek” Steve Bryant wrote a song parody about Sports Talk 950-AM’s anemic 0.5 share (27 out of 28 stations) in the ratings released this week. Set to the tune of “New York, New York,” “Point Five, Point Five” can be heard on either www.radioracket.com or www.phillytalk.com. … Keith Primeau, who retired from the Flyers this year, is providing analysis for 16-weekend games on “Flyers Post Game Live” this season. … Our own Mike Sielski will be part of the “Writer’s Roundtable” on “Eagles Game Day Live” Sunday at 11:00 a.m. on Fox29.

Laura Nachman can be reached at lauranachman@verizon.net