The lively debate over tape delay.(Brief Article)

(The following column was previously recorded.)

Someone in the audience could surmise this is being typed "live," thus the disclaimer. You don't get many of those in TV Land, a place where videotape is idolized and networks habitually break the 11th Commandment--THOU SHALT HONOR THY SPORTS AND TELEVISE 'EM LIVE.

Example: the women's final of the French Open, a Jennifer Capriati victory that NBC ran on a three-hour tape delay. Hannah Storm hosted poker-faced, and no Recorded Earlier graphic appeared. When NBC serves Breakfast at Wimbledon, how do we know it's live as advertised, not an Egg McMuffin under a heat lamp?

Ah, tape delays are a time-tested tradition. Way before Brent Musburger cooed "You are looking live!" Lindsey Nelson narrated Notre Dame replays with, "After an exchange of punts, we move ahead in the action." The NBA considers the 1980 Finals starring Magic Johnson that were delayed to 11:30 p.m. its nadir; CBS fondly remembers its 1992, '94 and '98 Memorex Olympics.

Why do networks use tape delay? Rob Correa, CBS programmer, explains: "One, to protect your schedule, particularly in front of a big event. Two, to accommodate time-zone differences. Three, to make a better show. Not necessarily in that order."

Case studies: Outdoor Life Network will have live, protracted weekday coverage of the Tour de France; CBS, one-hour weekend condensations. (Makes a better show.) Wimbledon's early rounds on TNT are taped. (Time-zone difference.) The March 31 Ericsson Open, a lead-in to the Final Four, was delayed and edited by ...