Jim McKay "Lent" by ABC to NBC for Winter Olympics
The New York Times reports that Jim McKay of ABC Sports will be lent to NBC for the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. McKay will play the role of "senior correspondent".
The article explains the extraordinary negotiations between ABC and NBC over employment of McKay, whose voice is inseparable with Olympic television coverage for many Americans. Part of the reason that the negotiations initially took place was that so many of the senior executives from ABC and NBC had trained under Jim McKay early in their careers. The fact that all parties involved in this negotiation agreed to work together is truly amazing, considering the mistrust that broadcast networks have had for each other in recent years.