Comcast Network
200px
Launched	1996
Owned by	NBCUniversal (owned by Comcast)
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 720p (HDTV)
Country	United States
Language	American English
Broadcast area	Mid-Atlantic and southern Pennsylvania
Formerly called	CN8
Sister channel(s)	Comcast SportsNet Chicago WMAQ WSNS Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia WCAU Comcast SportsNet Washington WRC
Website	Comcast Network Philadelphia; Comcast Network Washington
Availability
Cable
Comcast	Check local listings for channels.
Verizon Fios	ch. 99

Comcast Network (formerly known as CN8) is a cable television station that is shown mostly in parts of Comcast Cable services in the Eastern part of the US. Viewed in four states and 20 television markets from New Jersey to Virginia on Comcast cable systems. The main focus of the network is Philadelphia although they attempt to make their shows look like national shows. Key markets include New Jersey, the Pennsylvania cities of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Baltimore, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia. Comcast Network, which employs more than 400 people in its footprint, was founded in 1996 and now airs more than 90 hours a week of original programming from two to three studios in Philadelphia and Washington. The network's programming and hosts have been recognized by the television industry with more than 370 regional Emmy Award nominations, with a network demographic for people over 40 years of age. It is owned by NBCUniversal, the successor to Comcast's media division.

The CN8 brand was discontinued in early 2009, as part of a larger restructuring of the network in order to respond to low ratings as well as closing down in the New England market, where its primary market was Boston.^[1] The Philadelphia and Washington feeds have been split into separate networks solely branded as "The Comcast Network,"^[2] which will henceforth report to sister network Comcast SportsNet.^[1][2]

Shows broadcast[link]

The network's flagship show is It's Your Call with Lynn Doyle, which is played three times a day and has been on the air for over 10 years. The restructuring of the network has now reduced it to a half-hour pre-recorded program from a live one-hour show. Another key show in the station's lineup is Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, a show that focuses on issues pertaining to seniors. It features the wife of the founder of Comcast, Suzanne Roberts.

Shows broadcast on The Comcast Network) include:

• American Builder with Brian Gurry Sun@7pm / Mon@6:30pm
• Art Fennell Reports Sun@9pm / Thur@5:30pm
• It's Your Call with Lynn Doyle Sun@8:30pm / Mon@ 5:30pm
• Seeking Solutions with Suzanne Sun@7:30pm
• Flavors of America Mon - Fri@4:30pm
• The Chef's Kitchen Mon - Fri@5pm
• Larry Kane: Voice Of Reason Sun@9:30pm
• Roll Call TV with Robert Traynham Sun@8pm / Tue@5:30pm
• Philadelphia Phillies replays
• National Rugby League
• Australian Rules Football
• US Open 9-Ball Sat@10pm
• Heartland Poker Sat@11pm
• CFL Games
• Ballroom Brawl Boxing

Comcast Network has recently made the leap from linear television programming to Video on demand content. Original programs are available On Demand immediately following their live broadcast for viewing any time day or night for up to three days. In addition, special broadcast events are also made available On Demand for up to two weeks following their original air time. In an effort to ramp up its political coverage, Comcast Network offers local political coverage On Demand as well. Political viewers have access to Candidates On Demand, the Philadelphia Mayoral Race, Political Conventions, Presidential Debates, and President Gerald Ford’s memorial services, among others.

Comcast Network Sports, a division of NBC Sports, produces and airs more than 200 local, regional and national sports events each year. These broadcasts include collegiate teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer and lacrosse; “Varsity GameNight” featuring regional high-school football and basketball match-ups and playoffs; professional and amateur sports events including boxing, figure skating, gymnastics, baseball, tennis, rodeo; and more.

CN Philadelphia carries NISL soccer games for the Philadelphia KiXX as well as select minor league baseball games, generally from the Eastern League. CN Philadelphia carries "overflow" games when at least two of the Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Union or Philadelphia 76ers play at the same time, with one of the games airing on either CSN Philadelphia or (as of 2009) WPHL-TV.

In Western Pennsylvania, the Comcast Network broadcasts live and tape delayed collegiate sports of the University of Pittsburgh, branded as Pitt Panthers Television, on channel 188 or 210.

In addition, CN Washington has carried Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards games when overflowing with Comcast SportsNet's Mid-Atlantic networks as well.

Within the last year, Comcast Network has made a big push to have more of a national presence, including the addition of a flagship studio in the Washington, DC market. Located on Capitol Hill, the studio hosts a variety of local and federal government leaders throughout the year. The network hired Robert Traynham as the Washington Bureau Chief for the network. Traynahm hosts “Roll Call TV with Robert Traynham”, CN’s show that focuses on legislative issues throughout the DC area. “Roll Call” is the first show to originate from the network's studio in the nation’s capital.

Criticism[link]

As the network is regionally-based and on cable-only in order to expand the value of a cable system, Comcast Network is unavailable via the major satellite services, though it has been made available to subscribers of Verizon FIOS. However, it is not available in High Definition for FIOS subscribers. This causes some consternation in regards to sports rights, as TCN's Philadelphia channel is not available on the pay television system for the University of Pennsylvania, which has a satellite-based system and has much of their sports content carried by TCN Philadelphia (the same issues exist for sister network CSN Philadelphia).

The network was criticized by local Boston media for forcing the public access broadcaster Brookline Access Television of Brookline, Massachusetts out of their shared space at Comcast's Brookline office and studios and forcing that provider to seek different facilities, to allow Comcast full use of the studio for CN8's New England operations until their discontinuation in 2009.

Variants[link]

Chicago[link]

Comcast's Chicago cable systems carry a different Comcast Network, unrelated to those in Philadelphia and the Mid-Atlantic region called CN100. It is the home of the AHL Chicago Wolves.

Michigan[link]

Comcast Television - Available in Michigan, this channel is used mostly for infomercials and classified ads as well as occasional sports telecasts and public affairs shows.

Denver[link]

A Comcast local channel similar to CN8 is available in the Denver area, Comcast Entertainment Television (CET).

San Francisco Bay Area[link]

Comcast Hometown Network is a regional cable network produced by Comcast and available in the San Francisco Bay Area and Central California on Digital Channel 104.

See also[link]

• Broadcasting of sports events
• NBC Sports

References[link]

External links[link]

• Comcast Network Philadelphia
• Comcast Network Washington
• Chicago's CN100
• Comcast Hometown Network
• Detroit's Comcast Local^{[dead link]}
• Multichannel News Article on FCC Video News Release controversy
• NBC Sports Website

v t e NBCUniversal LLC A joint venture of Comcast (51%) and General Electric (49%) Company Officials Board of Directors Stephen B. Burke (CEO) · Brian Roberts · Michael Angelakis · Jeffrey Immelt · Keith Sherin Senior Corporate Executives Stephen B. Burke (CEO) · Matt Bond · Lynn Calpeter (CFO) · Steve Capus · Richard Cotton · Dick Ebersol · Patricia Fili-Krushel · Robert Greenblatt · Bonnie Hammer · Ted Harbert · Mark Hoffman · Paula Madison · Ron Meyer · Adam Miller · Jeff Shell · Page Thompson · Lauren Zalaznick Universal Studios Focus Features · Geneon Universal (80.1%)[nu 1] · Illumination Entertainment • United International Pictures[nu 2] · Universal Animation Studios · Universal Pictures · PlayBack · Universal Studios Home Entertainment · Working Title Films Universal Parks & Resorts Universal Studios Dubailand · Universal Studios Hollywood · Universal Orlando Resort (Universal Studios Florida · Islands of Adventure · Universal CityWalk) · Universal Studios Japan · Universal Studios Singapore · Universal Studios South Korea Broadcast TV assets NBC · NBC News · NBC Sports · Telemundo NBCUniversal Cable A+E Networks (15%) · Bravo · Chiller · Cloo · CNBC · E! · G4 (88%) · MSNBC · Mun2 · Oxygen · PBS Kids Sprout (part owner)  · ShopNBC (30%) · Style Network  · Syfy · Telemundo Puerto Rico · Universal HD · USA Network · The Weather Channel[nu 3] · Weatherscan[nu 3] NBC Sports Group Golf Channel · NBC Sports Network · Universal Sports (part owner)[nu 4] · Alli Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (45%)  · California  · Chicago (20%)  · Houston  · Mid-Atlantic  · New England  · Northwest  · Philadelphia  · SNY (8%)  · The Mtn. (50%) · CSS (50%) · Comcast Sports Southwest  · New England Cable News  · Comcast Network CNBC CNBC global channels CNBC · CNBC Africa · CNBC Asia · CNBC Europe · CNBC Latin America · CNBC World CNBC Europe branches Class CNBC (20%) · CNBC Africa · CNBC Arabiya (according to CNBC Europe) · CNBC-e · CNBC Nordic · TVN CNBC CNBC Asia branches CNBC-TV18 · CNBC Australia · CNBC Awaaz · CNBC Hong Kong · CNBC Pakistan · CNBC Singapore · Nikkei CNBC · SBS-CNBC Universal Networks International 13th Street Universal · Diva Universal · KidsCo[nu 5] · Movies 24 · Steel[nu 6] · Studio Universal · Syfy · Universal Channel Syfy global channels Asia · Australia · Benelux · France · Germany · Japan · Latin America · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia · Serbia · Slovenia · Spain · UK · US NBCUniversal Television Group NBC Studios · NBCUniversal Television Distribution · Telemundo of Puerto Rico Studios · Telemundo Television Studios · Universal Television NBC O&Os California Nonstop · KNBC · KNSD[nu 7] · KNTV · KXAS[nu 7] (DFW Nonstop) · WCAU (NBC Philadelphia Nonstop)  · WMAQ (Chicago Nonstop) · WNBC (New York Nonstop) · WRC (Washington Nonstop) · WTVJ · WVIT Telemundo O&Os KBLR · KDEN · KEJT-LP · KHRR · KNSO[nu 8] · KSTS · KTAZ · KTMD · KVDA[nu 8] · KVEA · KXTX · WKAQ · WNEU[nu 8] · WNJU · WSCV · WSNS ShopNBC O&Os WWDP Internet ventures: Hulu[nu 9] · iVillage · msnbc.com[nu 10] · Television Without Pity · DailyCandy · Fandango Other assets: EMKA, Ltd. · qubo[nu 11] · WSI Corporation[nu 3]  · International Media Distribution Defunct properties: NBC Weather Plus (2004–2008) · Trio (1997–2005) · Diva TV (2007−2012) · Hallmark Channel International (1997−2011) · Discovery Kids (1996-2010) · Discovery Kids on NBC (2002-2006) · DreamWorks Records (1996-2005) · Go Fish Pictures (2000-2007) See also: Vivendi (former NBCUniversal stockholder and current parent company of Universal Music Group) · Comcast (telecommunications company that holds 51%) · General Electric (conglomerate that holds 49%) · MCA Inc. (legal predecessors of NBCUniversal) ^ Co-owned with Dentsu. ^ 50%, with Viacom's Paramount Pictures. ^ a b c Co-owned with Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. ^ minority share, InterMedia Partners is the majority owner. ^ Co-owned with Corus Entertainment and Cookie Jar Group. ^ Co-owned with Mediaset. ^ a b The stations are co-owned with LIN TV in a joint venture (76% owned by NBC, 24% owned by LIN). ^ a b c The stations are owned by NBCUniversal, but are controlled by ZGS Broadcast Holdings. ^ Co-owned with News Corporation and The Walt Disney Company. ^ Co-owned with Microsoft in a joint venture (50% owned by NBC, 50% owned by Microsoft). ^ Co-owned with Corus Entertainment, Classic Media, Nelvana, Scholastic Books and ION Media Networks.

Earvin "Magic" Johnson

No. 32
Point guard / Forward
Personal information
Born	(1959-08-14) August 14, 1959 (age 52) Lansing, Michigan
High school	Everett (Lansing, Michigan)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)[1]
Listed weight	255 lb (116 kg)[2]
Career information
College	Michigan State (1977–1979)
NBA Draft	1979 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Pro career	1979–1996
Career history
1979–1991, 1996	Los Angeles Lakers
Career highlights and awards
5× NBA Champion (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987–1988) 3× NBA Most Valuable Player (1987, 1989–1990) 12× NBA All-Star (1980, 1982–1992) 3× NBA Finals MVP (1980, 1982, 1987) 9× All-NBA First Team (1983–1991) All-NBA Second Team (1982) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1980) 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1990, 1992) NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team NCAA Champion (1979) #32 Retired by Los Angeles Lakers
Career statistics
Points	17,707 (19.5 ppg)
Rebounds	6,559 (7.2 rpg)
Assists	10,141 (11.2 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Basketball Hall of Fame as player

Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers. He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time.

Johnson's career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular-season assists four times, and is the NBA's all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2.^[3] Johnson was a member of the "Dream Team", the U.S. basketball team that won the Olympic gold medal in 1992.

Johnson was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.^[4] He was rated the greatest NBA point guard of all time by ESPN in 2007.^[5] His friendship and rivalry with Boston Celtics star Larry Bird, whom he faced in the 1979 NCAA finals and three NBA championship series, were well documented. Since his retirement, Johnson has been an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex,^[4] as well as an entrepreneur,^[6] philanthropist,^[7] broadcaster and motivational speaker.^[8] Johnson was a part-owner of the Lakers for several years, and was part of a group that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012.

Amateur career[link]

Early years[link]

Earvin Johnson Jr. was born to Earvin Sr., a General Motors assembly worker, and Christine, a school custodian.^[9] Johnson grew up in Lansing, Michigan, and came to love basketball as a youngster, idolizing players such as Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes,^[10] and practicing "all day".^[4]

Johnson was first dubbed "Magic" as a 15-year-old sophomore playing for Lansing's Everett High School, when he recorded a triple-double of 36 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists.^[4] After the game, Fred Stabley Jr., a sports writer for the Lansing State Journal, gave him the moniker^[11] despite the belief of Johnson's mother, a Christian, that the name was sacrilegious.^[4] In his final high school season, Johnson led Lansing Everett to a 27–1 win–loss record while averaging 28.8 points and 16.8 rebounds per game,^[4] and took his team to an overtime victory in the state championship game.^[12]

Michigan State University[link]

Although Johnson was recruited by several top-ranked colleges such as Indiana and UCLA, he decided to play close to home.^[13] His college decision came down to the University of Michigan and Michigan State University in East Lansing. He ultimately decided to attend Michigan State when its coach Jud Heathcote told him he could play the point guard position. The talent already on Michigan State's roster also drew him to the program.^[14]

Johnson did not initially aspire to play professionally, focusing instead on his communication studies major and on his desire to become a television commentator.^[15] Playing with future NBA draftees Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent and Mike Brkovich, Johnson averaged 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game as a freshman, and led the Spartans to a 25–5 record, the Big Ten Conference title, and a berth in the 1978 NCAA Tournament.^[4] The Spartans reached the Elite Eight, but lost narrowly to eventual national champion Kentucky.^[16]

During the 1978–79 season, Michigan State again qualified for the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the championship game and faced Indiana State University, which was led by senior Larry Bird. In what was the most-watched college basketball game ever,^[17] Michigan State defeated Indiana State 75–64, and Johnson was voted Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.^[12] After two years in college, during which he averaged 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game, Johnson was drafted in the 1979 NBA Draft.^[18]

Professional career[link]

Rookie season in the NBA (1979–80)[link]

Johnson was drafted first overall in 1979 by the Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson said that what was "most amazing" about joining the Lakers was the chance to play alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,^[19] the team's 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) center who became the leading scorer in NBA history.^[20] Despite Abdul-Jabbar's dominance, he had failed to win a championship with the Lakers, and Johnson was expected to help them achieve that goal.^[21] Johnson averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game for the season, was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Team, and was named an NBA All-Star Game starter.^[22]

The Lakers compiled a 60–22 record in the regular season and reached the 1980 NBA Finals,^[23] in which they faced the Philadelphia 76ers, who were led by forward Julius Erving. The Lakers took a 3–2 lead in the series, but Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 33 points a game in the series,^[24] sprained his ankle in Game 5 and could not play in Game 6.^[21] Paul Westhead decided to start Johnson at center in Game 6; Johnson recorded 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals in a 123–107 win, while playing guard, forward, and center at different times during the game.^[21] Johnson became the only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award,^[21] and his clutch performance is still regarded as one of the finest in NBA history.^[5][25][26] He also became one of four players to win NCAA and NBA championships in consecutive years.^[27]

Ups and downs (1980–83)[link]

Early in the 1980–81 season, Johnson was sidelined after he suffered torn cartilage in his left knee. He missed 45 games,^[18] and said that his rehabilitation was the "most down" he had ever felt.^[28] Johnson returned before the start of the 1981 playoffs, but the Lakers' then-assistant and future head coach Pat Riley later said Johnson's much-anticipated return made the Lakers a "divided team".^[29] The 54-win Lakers faced the 40–42 Houston Rockets in the first round of playoffs,^[30][31] where Houston upset the Lakers 2–1 after Johnson airballed a last-second shot in Game 3.^[32]

During the off-season, Johnson signed a 25-year, $25-million contract with the Lakers, which was the highest-paying contract in sports history up to that point.^[33] At the beginning of the 1981–82 season, Johnson had a heated dispute with Westhead, who Johnson said made the Lakers "slow" and "predictable".^[34] After Johnson demanded to be traded, Lakers owner Jerry Buss fired Westhead and replaced him with Riley. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,^[35] he was booed across the league, even by Lakers' fans.^[4] Despite his off-court troubles, Johnson averaged 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and a league-high 2.7 steals per game, and was voted a member of the All-NBA Second Team.^[18] He also joined Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the only NBA players to tally at least 700 points, 700 rebounds, and 700 assists in the same season.^[12] The Lakers advanced through the 1982 playoffs and faced Philadelphia for the second time in three years in the 1982 NBA Finals. After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 4–2, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award.^[36] During the championship series against the Sixers, Johnson averaged 16.2 points on .533 shooting, 10.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 2.5 steals per game.^[37] Johnson later said that his third season was when the Lakers first became a great team,^[38] and he credited their success to Riley.^[39]