Hannah Storm To Anchor ESPN's SportsCenter

NEW YORK — ESPN will add Hannah Storm to its "SportsCenter" lineup in August when it will supplant nine hours of taped programming in favor of live sports news.

Storm, most recently on CBS' "The Early Show," will co-anchor the middle three hours of ESPN's new daytime news block.

"I loved being in news _ it made me a better journalist _ but I've always had a passion for sports," Storm told The Associated Press on Monday.

Storm worked at NBC Sports for 10 years before joining CBS News in 2002, and had sports jobs at CNN and in local markets before that.

She will co-anchor "SportsCenter" each weekday from 9 a.m. to noon. It premieres Aug. 11.

ESPN airs a live "SportsCenter" at 2 a.m. Eastern each day. That one-hour show is repeated six times between 6 a.m. and noon with only occasional updates for breaking news.

With three more hours of taped programming following that, ESPN essentially doesn't begin live programming each day until 3 p.m. Eastern.

That no longer reflects the fast-moving nature of sports news, said Norby Williamson, the network's executive vice president of production.

"You look at Fox News and CNN, it's inconceivable that they would be on tape for that amount of time," he said. "The sports world is evolving in that direction. Things are happening all the time."

ESPN was doing OK in the ratings during the reruns. But constantly repeated versions of the same "SportsCenter" don't exactly keep viewers tuned in for a long time, and advertisers take note of programs that can keep an audience.

The new nine hours of "SportsCenter" will be divided into three parts. The first, from 6 to 9 a.m., will be chiefly devoted to highlights from the events the night before. Some new touches will be mixed in, like referring to how sports radio is reacting to a particular event that morning, Williamson said.

Storm's shift will take in more dayside news and the third shift, between noon and 3 p.m., will be more devoted to that day's news or previewing upcoming events, he said.

Williamson would not name any of the other anchors for the nine hours of "SportsCenter." Storm will be the only hire from outside ESPN, he said.

Comments

[GeeBee]

ESPN is going the way of a lot of channels, replacing content with overpaid talking heads. Remember when ESPN showed sports instead of blowhards (and MTV showed music videos)?

As for Hannah Storm - Yuk. I still haven't got over her annoying schtick at the Barcelona Olympics, constantly welcoming us back to Clooob Barcelona. Probably the only Spanish word she bothered to learn.

[Maanu]

I'm feeling Hannah Storm AND Espn sprucing up their programming. MSNBC weekends, anyone? (snores)

[westreal]

Great choice! I like her sports knowledge.

[lakeqi]

Are you kidding? When she worked for NBC she was the most obnoxious woman in sports by far. Bugging her eyes out and tilting her head trying to be a female Bob Costas. She is SOOOOOOO annoying. I can't believe Espn went with an old worn out hag instead of some fresh new blood. Keep Hannah on those morning shows that no one watches- keep her off of Sportscenter! What a disaster!

[impatient]

Why is this even in the slightest bit noteworthy? Who the hell cares?

[ChiGuy]

She was always better fitted for sports than that godawful Early Show.
I'll enjoy seeing her in that format again.

[adamsmith]

Bummer there can't be comments for the O'Reilly clip above. Looking at his watch showed he had a pressure situation with a crappy writer. Anybody on here that says they've never "gone off" with profanities in a tough spot is a liar. Bill's got brass ones and that's why I like him. I disagree with him 25% of the time, but he puts it out like he sees it........Cheap shot, ZsaZsa.............

[leftbehind2000]

Is she still married to a dwarf?

[KarateKid]

One more thing: she is the daughter of Mike Storen, the former commissioner of the American Basketball Association. Nepotism and connections are wonderful things, no? She sucked everywhere she has been and there are scores of women more talented than she is.

[KarateKid]

Oh, beejesus, HER again. Oh well, ESPN has long been in decline, with all of it's self serving promotions and shills. They used to be the network of Bob Ley, Tom Mees, Keith Olbermann and Dan Patrick, but now it's all about Booyah Stuart Scott and Back, Back, Back, Back Chris Berman.

Fortunately, there are other places to get sports news now. What a shameless network it has become since ABC bought them.

[strifeknot]

She's horrible in every respect. But then so is ESPN, so it's an understandable move.

[SmootyBooty]

Please Flying Spaghetti Monster, GET THIS WOMAN GOOD WRITERS!

[HopeandChange]

Wow! She's better than Olberman, no side kick job for her.

[Hagrid]

2 words
Awe Some!

[whitewaterwillie]

Hannah is not that bad when she reads from a teleprompter, so she is a good match for sports center. But like George Bush she can say some pretty inane things when she tries to wing it.

[mabell75]

Yuck! She is boring and giggles at things that no one sees or getss.

[robXdion]

She's smart, funny, great personality, and easy on the eyes. In that order of importance. Good luck!

[daileyck1]

She sucks donkey balls. thank god for the mute button

[mediamarv]

Some how I don't think you will see that quote in her promo pieces.

I think she would do well over at the Weather Channel, where they could fill up the boirng portions with all sorts of jokes about her name.

Or get her a pole and job on Faux.