Jones' coaching show up for bid
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
K5 and Oceanic Cable are expected to compete for the right to produce a weekly University of Hawai'i football show featuring head coach June Jones.
UH athletic director Herman Frazier sent each local television company a request to bid for the show.
"In order to ensure fair and equitable evaluations of submitted proposals," Frazier wrote in the request, the school devised a six-category, 100-point scoring system. "Financial benefits" — the cash payouts — are worth a maximum 30 points. Up to 20 points are awarded for "format," 15 points each for "advertising opportunities" and "frequency of shows," and 10 points each for "location" and "potential viewers."
The winning bidder earns the right to produce the football coach's show during the 2004 season.
The rights fee will go directly to the UH athletic department. Jones has agreed to waive his appearance fee and will not receive any money for participating as the show's co-host.
"It's part of the opportunity for the school to market what we do," Jones said.
Most NCAA Division I football head coaches receive money from their weekly television shows as part of their salary packages with their schools. Former UH coaches Bob Wagner and Fred vonAppen received their appearance fees directly from K5, which produced the football coach's show for several years.
When Jones was hired as UH's head coach in December 1998, it was agreed his television and radio appearance fees would be included as part of his base pay. The new contract Jones signed last year did not include any money for television appearances.
Oceanic Cable and Portlock Productions, owned by sportscaster Russell Shimooka, produced the "June Jones Show" last fall. The show was taped on Sundays, and shown twice that day and replayed throughout the week on Oceanic's channel 16. Jones was not paid for participating.
The bidding deadline for this year's show is June 14.
"We're interested in it," said John Fink, K5's president and general manager. "We think we can do a good job. We've always done a good job in the past."
Oceanic spokesman Dave Vinton said his company has started working on a bid proposal.
Rick Blangiardi, general manager for both KHON-2 and KGMB-9, said he is "evaluating" whether to submit a bid. Emmis Communications owns KHON-2, the Fox affiliate, and KGMB-9, the CBS affiliate.
Blangiardi said the criteria of airing a show multiple times on an Emmis station is a "little bit awkward" because of the few available time slots. "However, it doesn't discount our interest in putting our hat in the ring," Blangiardi said, noting he could run the show on Sundays at 5 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
