ATLANTA (CNNSI.com) -- TNT NBA studio analyst Charles Barkley, who provides analysis on Inside the NBA alongside host Ernie Johnson and co-analyst Kenny "The Jet" Smith, has signed a multiyear agreement to remain on the show and will expand his role within AOL Time Warner.
Barkley also will join CNN’s Arthel Neville on TalkBack Live once each week throughout the NBA season, and will contribute to various other CNN programming.
“One of our goals as we start the new NBA agreement was to keep Charles as part of what we feel is an exceptional studio team,” said Turner Sports president Mark Lazarus. “Giving Charles another forum for his unique viewpoints on TalkBack Live will be a major benefit for CNN viewers, and shows the depth of our AOL Time Warner assets.”
TNT’s new six-year agreement with the NBA calls for the network to air Thursday night, exclusive doubleheaders beginning with the 2002-03 season. TNT also will feature the entire NBA All Star Weekend in every year of the deal, the first time the NBA All Star Game has aired on cable, as well as an expanded package of exclusive playoff games, including one conference finals series.
Charles in charge
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Charles Barkley, the latest addition to CNN, jumps into his new role and voices his opinion on prominent current events. Start
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Meanwhile, Bill Walton and Tom Tolbert are heading from NBC to ABC and ESPN to call NBA games.
Walton, a Hall of Famer, will team with play-by-play announcer Brad Nessler for ABC and ESPN, which also are beginning a six-year, $4.6 billion TV rights deal with the NBA next season.
Tolbert, who played in the league from 1988-95, will join Mike Tirico as an ABC studio analyst and also will be a game analyst.
Walton and Nessler will be the lead duo for ABC's coverage and for ESPN's Wednesday games.
"With the NBA returning to ABC Sports for the first time in nearly three decades, we have assembled an announce crew that provides credibility and instant name recognition," ABC Sports president Howard Katz said Thursday.
I hate Barkley and Walton
Barkley also will join CNN’s Arthel Neville on TalkBack Live once each week throughout the NBA season, and will contribute to various other CNN programming.
“One of our goals as we start the new NBA agreement was to keep Charles as part of what we feel is an exceptional studio team,” said Turner Sports president Mark Lazarus. “Giving Charles another forum for his unique viewpoints on TalkBack Live will be a major benefit for CNN viewers, and shows the depth of our AOL Time Warner assets.”
TNT’s new six-year agreement with the NBA calls for the network to air Thursday night, exclusive doubleheaders beginning with the 2002-03 season. TNT also will feature the entire NBA All Star Weekend in every year of the deal, the first time the NBA All Star Game has aired on cable, as well as an expanded package of exclusive playoff games, including one conference finals series.
Charles in charge
Click the image to launch the clip
Charles Barkley, the latest addition to CNN, jumps into his new role and voices his opinion on prominent current events. Start
Video Plus
Visit Video Plus for all the latest video and audio.
Meanwhile, Bill Walton and Tom Tolbert are heading from NBC to ABC and ESPN to call NBA games.
Walton, a Hall of Famer, will team with play-by-play announcer Brad Nessler for ABC and ESPN, which also are beginning a six-year, $4.6 billion TV rights deal with the NBA next season.
Tolbert, who played in the league from 1988-95, will join Mike Tirico as an ABC studio analyst and also will be a game analyst.
Walton and Nessler will be the lead duo for ABC's coverage and for ESPN's Wednesday games.
"With the NBA returning to ABC Sports for the first time in nearly three decades, we have assembled an announce crew that provides credibility and instant name recognition," ABC Sports president Howard Katz said Thursday.
I hate Barkley and Walton