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Date Posted: 10:17:33 04/04/02 Thu
Author: pas
Subject: The end is near for CBS & Trump Org

washingtonpost.com
Pageants May Move From CBS


By Lisa de Moraes
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 3, 2002; Page C10



Donald Trump is shopping the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants to various television networks against the possibility that CBS is going to end its long-running relationship with the franchise.

The network has been the broadcast home of the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants since 1972 and of Miss Teen USA since '83. Its most recent, five-year contract to air the trophy shows ends this year. Sources at other networks say Trump has approached them about buying the broadcast rights to the pageants; one executive says the networks have been told that CBS is going to pass on the franchise.

Trump, who bought the pageants' parent company, the Miss Universe Organization, from Madison Square Garden in November of 1996, acknowledged yesterday that he was talking to other networks, but denied that CBS had declined to strike a new deal to continue broadcasting the pageants.

"We had a five-year deal that expires in August," Trump said yesterday. "At the end of five years I can go re-price it with other networks. I wanted the right, after a five-year period, to shop it for market value. I think it's very strong."

He can't be referring to the ratings, which have been slowly sliding for many years. Miss Universe, which back in '74 attracted more than 35 million viewers, last May suffered a worst-ever viewer average of 8.3 million. Miss USA drew nearly 30 million viewers in '74, but a worst-ever 7.6 million this past March. Miss Teen USA, which had 20 million viewers in 1984, averaged just under 8 million last August, though that was better than 2000's average of about 7 million.

Those ratings slides occurred despite efforts to update the aging franchise, including the addition of music acts, quirky hosts such as William Shatner, and interview and Internet elements to the broadcasts. CBS declined to comment on its plans for the pageants, saying through a spokeswoman that it is "planning to broadcast 'Miss Universe' in May and 'Miss Teen USA' in August, and further plans for the pageant won't be announced until later."

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