JNEn er ailment

A FOX-y
Guy

Huntington Woods native Bill
Borson is a head honcho at Fox
Sports Net, the national
headquarters of the newly launched
Fox Sports Detroit cable sports
channel.

LYNN ISENBERG
Special to The Jewish News

and the University of Michigan, where
ill Borson was the best-kept
he received a bachelor of arts in radio,
secret in the world of sports
TV
and film, Borson first ventured
broadcasting until three
west in 1980.
months ago when Fox
Shortly after he arrived in Los
Sports Net (FSN) wooed him from
Angeles,
he landed a job as production
WGN-TV in Chicago to come aboard
assistant
on
"Solid Gold." Steadfastly
as vice president of production at its
moving
up
the
ladder, he joined
recently launched Los Angeles head-
KTLA-TV
in 1982 as the
quarters. He was a month
station's production manag-
short of his 40th birthday.
Bill Borson:
er, producer and director,
The new cable network
"With Fox Sports covering everything from
debuted last November as a
Net, you get the
Angels' baseball games to
joint venture of Rupert
best of both
Rose Bowl parades, specials
Murdoch's News Corp., the
worlds."
and
documentaries.
parent company of Fox
Then
in 1990 he moved to
Broadcasting, and Liberty Media
another
subsidiary
of Tribune
Group, which is owned by
Broadcasting, WGN-TV in Chicago,
Telecommunication Inc.
where he served as director of produc-
As FSN's vice president of produc-
tion and executive producer of sports
tion, Borson reports to the executive
and original programming.
vice president, and together they exec-
His responsibilities included every-
utive produce all original national
thing
from Chicago Cubs and Bulls
product and oversee the local product
games
to the "Bozo the Clown" show,
compiled by the regional executive
plus
specials
on the 150th anniversary
producers.
of the Chicago Tribune. In addition, he
"The unique aspect of Fox Sports
was responsible for a two-time Emmy-
Net," explains Borson, "is that unlike
winning
documentary on African-
ESPN which is a single distribution
American
theater hosted by actor
network where all programs are seen
James
Earl
Jones.
by the same audience nationwide,
In
all,
Borson
has received 21
FSN is comprised of 16 regions across
Emmys,
half
of
them
for sports relat-
the country"
ed
programming.
He
received
his
The 16 regions have two types of
very first Emmy during the time his
programming. The first is specific,
mother was recovering from cancer
regional programming for specific
surgery.
She insisted he attend the
regional territories, such as local/home
awards
ceremony.
That first Emmy
team sports. The second type of pro-
was
buried
with
his
mother after her
gramming is national programming
ultimately
unsuccessful
battle with
that Fox Sports Net provides.
the
disease.
FSN targets itself toward balancing
Borson readily acknowledges the
both traditional and local appetites for
support
of his family. "Working in a
sports programming, says Borson.
business
where success is measured by
"With FSN, you get the best of both
teamwork,
my success is due to the
worlds."
teamwork
of
my own family," he
In addition to his other responsibil-
says.
His
wife,
Gena, and 3 1/2-year-
ities, Borson took on a new one:
old
twin
boys,
Zachary
and Jacob,
establishing the newest of the Fox
readily moved to L.A. for his new
Sports Net regions in his native
position.
Detroit. Fox Sports Detroit (FSD)
He also enjoys the Detroit support
launched Sept. 17 with a Detroit Red
of
his
father, Fred; brothers, Robert
Wings pre-season hockey game against
and
Richard;
and of his Vermont-
Pittsburgh. FSD has purchased cable
bound
sister,
Suzy.
rights from PASS for Pistons and
And what did Borson want to be
Tigers games. Flying back and forth
when
he grew up? "I'm not sure, but
between Los Angeles and Detroit,
I think I'm doing it," he says with a
.Borson is currently hiring the produc-
grin. Does a love for sports run in the
tion staff for FSD and preparing pro-
family? "Well," he smiles, "at 1 year
grams with the FSN brand.
old, in front of 21,000 fans, my twin
Born and raised in Huntington
sons
Zack and Jake participated in
Woods, a student at Temple Emanu-El
the
halftime
Diaper Derby at a
and a graduate of Berkley High School
Chicago Bulls basketball game!"
His thoughts on the future five
Lynn Isenberg is a native Detroiter
years
hence? "I'm hopeful you'll turn
who works as a Hollywood screenwriter-
on
Fox
Sports Net and say, 'Hey, this
producer.
looks pretty damn good.'"

.

9/26
1997

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