Watching the All Star Game on Fox, but somehow got distracted by an ABC News Primetime special on “Family Secrets”, in particular, one story on the huge number of kids who are the result of sperm donors. So many kids, possibly in the low millions, wonder who their father is. This one teenager, Ryan Kramer, gifted in mathematics and already in college at age 16, started this website in hopes of finding his father and some siblings. According to the story, he’s found one half-sister. But because of the anonymity laws protecting sperm donors, many kids are not allowed to know who their father is. Thanks to Ryan’s site, over 3,500 half-siblings and donors have met. But only a handful of donors are willing to come forward, fearful of seeing so many children. I’m amazed that some women are keeping vials of sperm or even re-selling them to other sperm banks so a donor could have sired hundreds of children and not know it. Amazing. Here’s a link to the ABC Primetime story. And the story cited a book by Washington Post reporter Liza Mundy titled “Everything Conceivable”. I’m still buzzing about that story. Thank goodness I never went to the sperm bank.
Ok, to the links tonight.
As the All Star Game dominates the sporting landscape tonight, the Sports Media Watch blog looks at the ratings for MLB this season thus far.
Ratings for the Home Run Derby were down slightly from last year.
Dish Network adds to its sports lineup. The channels being added have already been on DirecTV for a while (yes, I’m a DirecTV subscriber)
This article is a bit technical, but it talks about the live batting practice stream that MLB.com webcast from the All Star Game today.
One story I’ve been following is the dispute between MASN and Time Warner Cable in North Carolina. The RSN can’t pay to get carriage on basic cable in the Tobacco State. It’s currently on a sports tier. But now, nine minor league teams are urging Time Warner to carry the channel on basic saying it will increase interest in baseball and help the local economy. That’s a bit of a stretch. Time Warner says North Carolina is more geared towards the Atlanta Braves. MASN says the Orioles’ and Nationals’ territorial rights extend to North Carolina.
Jesse Noyes has a story in the Boston Herald on Dale Arnold taking NESN to task on his WEEI show on Monday.
Bob Smizik of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says FSN Pittsburgh is making some lineup changes.
In the Los Angeles Times, Mike DiGiovanna answers readers questions and one regards the two broadcast teams FSN West uses for Angels games.
Here’s something you don’t see every day. A Chicago TV reporter, Amy Jacobsen, had to resign from her job after she was shot on video, in a bikini, at the house of a source. The source is a man whose wife has been missing for a few months. Of course, a competing station has the video.
That’s it for tonight. I’ll be back Wednesday.
