[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Monday, November 17, 1997

New York fans shut out of Cowboys finish

By JOSH DUBOW / AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) -- New York football fans were denied a chance to watch the end of the Cowboys' comeback victory against the Redskins, when the local station chose to air a show featuring a monkey carrying a kitten.

WNYW, which showed "World's Funniest!" instead of the football game, was the only Fox affiliate in the country not to pick up the national network feed at 7 p.m. EST. The rest of the country showed "World's Funniest!" in its entirety after the game ended.

"It was a decision that our New York station made on Friday and they are the only one who chose not to go that route," said Fox Sports spokesman Vince Wladika.

WNYW general manager Hillary Hendler was not immediately available for comment. WNYW is owned by Fox, but makes its own programming decisions.

Most of the country was watching either the Redskins-Cowboys game or the 49ers-Panthers game, which ended before 7 p.m. Under NFL television rules, the St. Louis, Detroit and New York affiliates were barred from showing a doubleheader game because their teams were at home Sunday.

That restriction is lifted at 7 p.m., and WNYC was the only Fox station that chose not to air the game.

The game, won by Dallas 17-14 on a field goal with 4 seconds left, had playoff ramifications for the New York Giants, who are one game ahead of Dallas and Washington in the NFC East.

NBC's New York affiliate, WNBC, routinely picks up the national feed of NBC doubleheaders at 7 p.m.