Three Programming Notes for Friday and Beyond

Got a couple of press releases to post before I do the regular Friday features.

First, Hockey Night in Canada has a special Friday edition as it airs the Montreal Canadiens’ 100th Anniversary Game at the Bell Centre against its traditional rival, the Boston Bruins.

CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA PRESENTS

MONTREAL CANADIENS 100^th ANNIVERSARY GAME FRIDAY, DEC. 4

Fans get inside the game with Hockey Night in Canada All-Access

100 years of remarkable memories will be celebrated this Friday, Dec. 4, as the Montreal Canadiens face off against Original Six rival the Boston Bruins in a special instalment of CBC’s HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA, live from the Bell Centre. CBC’s extensive coverage begins at 6:30 p.m. ET, from Centennial Plaza, with the official unveiling of a commemorative monument honouring every player that has played for the historic franchise, along with exclusive interviews with Habs legends. Ron MacLean will host CBC’s coverage, and will be joined by legendary commentator Dick Irvin, Guy Carbonneau and P.J. Stock. Jim Hughson will handle the play-by-play alongside analyst Craig Simpson, while Elliotte Friedman will report from rinkside.

Making its debut on CBCSports.ca/hockey for the landmark game is Hockey Night in Canada All-Access. This exclusive live interactive feature provides users with a completely unique, virtual in-arena customized viewing experience. The view of the game can be controlled by users with just a click of their mouse. Hockey Night in Canada All-Access will be available for select CBC’s HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA broadcasts throughout the remainder of the season.

CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. The Corporation is a leader in reaching Canadians on new platforms and delivers a comprehensive range of radio, television, Internet, and satellite-based services. Deeply rooted in the regions, CBC/Radio-Canada is the only domestic broadcaster to offer diverse regional and cultural perspectives in English, French and eight Aboriginal languages.

CBC’S HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA DECEMBER 4 AND 5

Friday, December 4 – 6:30 p.m. ET, Canadiens 100^th Anniversary: Ceremony

8 p.m. ET, Canadiens 100^th Anniversary Game: Boston at Montreal

Saturday, December 5 – 6:30 p.m. ET, Hockey Tonight

7 p.m. ET Toronto at Boston

10 p.m. ET Calgary at San Jose

NHL Network will pick up the game for viewers in the US. It will be blacked out in the New England area as NESN will show the game locally.

Starting Friday morning, Tennis Channel will pick up live coverage of the Davis Cup Finals between Spain and the Czech Republic. It will air throughout the weekend.

RAFAEL NADAL LEADS SPAIN INTO DAVIS CUP FINAL ON TENNIS CHANNEL THIS WEEKEND

Complete, Live Coverage as Spain Battles the Czech Republic

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 3, 2009 – Tennis Channel will provide exclusive coverage of Spain and the Czech Republic’s Davis Cup championship competition in Barcelona this week
end, with live and same-day “Instant Encore” replays Friday through Sunday. Spanish superstar Rafael Nadal will lead his nation as it defends its 2008 Davis Cup crown and plays for its fourth title overall.

The year-ending final between Spain and the Czech Republic will consist of two singles matches on Friday, Dec. 4, at 10 a.m. ET, followed by the doubles match Saturday, Dec. 5, at 10 a.m. ET. Tennis Channel’s coverage concludes with the remaining singles play Sunday, Dec. 6, at 6 a.m. ET. Each of the five matches is worth one point, with the team that wins at least three points winning the Davis Cup title.

Coverage from Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona (all times ET):

Friday, Dec. 4:

10 a.m. – Live Singles #1

1 p.m. – Live Singles #2

{8 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1}

{11 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2}

Saturday, Dec. 5:

10 a.m. – Live Doubles

{8 p.m. – Instant Encore Doubles}

Sunday, Dec. 6:

6 a.m. – Live Singles #1

9 a.m. – Live Singles #2

{8 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #1}

{11 p.m. – Instant Encore Singles #2}

Spain and the Czech Republic have faced each other five times in Davis Cup play, with Spain winning three of those matches. The most recent competition was during the 2004 Davis Cup first round, when Spain won 3-2 in Brno, Czech Republic. The Spaniards enter this weekend’s match after defeating Israel 4-1 in Torre Pacheco Murcia, Spain, to reach the Davis Cup final for the seventh time. Spain, will attempt to become the first nation since Sweden in 1998 to successfully defend the Davis Cup trophy. In 1965, 1967 and 2003 Spain reached the Davis Cup final, but fell to Australia on all three occasions. Last year Spain won its third Davis Cup title and its first win away from home by defeating Argentina 3-1 in Mar del Plata.

Spain is captained by former professional tennis star Albert Costa, who won the 2002 French Open singles title and played on Spain’s winning Davis Cup squad in 2000. Rafael Nadal, World No. 2, is building on a year that saw him lift his sixth Grand Slam trophy at the Australian Open and capture three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles, despite his summer absence due to injury. Nadal won the 2008 Olympic gold metal in singles and holds 36 career titles. Fernando Verdasco, No. 9, enjoyed one of his best years by wining his third singles title in New Haven and rising to as high as No. 7 in the world rankings. At this year’s Australian Open, Verdasco defeated Radek Stepanek, Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga before losing to eventual champion Rafael Nadal in the semifinals. Other notable stars on Spain’s Davis Cup squad include David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez.

The Czech Republic has reached the Davis Cup final for the fourth time by defeating Croatia 4-1 in Porec, but this is the nation’s first appearance since its sole Davis Cup title in 1980, when Czechoslovakia defeated Italy 4-1 in Prague. The Czech team is captained by Jaroslav Navratil and features Radek Stepanek, Tomas Berdych, Jan Hajek and Lukas Dlouhy

And Fox Sports Ohio continues to find alternate channels for tonight’s Xavier-Kent State game.

Friday, December 4

The Cavaliers will be on FOX Sports Ohio.

7:30pm Cavaliers Live pre-game show

8:00pm Cavaliers v. Chicago (HD)

The Xavier Musketeers will be on the alternate channels listed below:

7:00pm Musketeers Live pre-game show

7:30pm Xavier v. Kent State

Cincinnati, Ohio:

· Cincinnati Bell Fioptics: Channel 261

· Time Warner: Channel 310

• Insight: Channel 6

Columbus, Ohio:

· Time Warner, Insight and WOW – check local channels

Cleveland, Ohio:

· Time Warner: Channel 310

· Cox: Channel 98

DISH Network: FS Cincinnati

Direct TV: FS Cincinnati

We are working with additional operators to make the game available.

Please check www.foxsportsohio.com for channel updates.

Primetime and Late Night Viewing Picks are coming up.