No local TV coverage of state title game

By Staff
Basketball fans in the local television market who want to see Meridian High's girls play for the Class 5A state championship Friday night will have two choices:
Drive to the nearest CBS affiliate outside Meridian; or
Drive to Jackson to see the game in person.
WMDN/WGBC confirmed Wednesday that the Meridian station is not airing the Meridian/Tupelo state title game. In fact, Mark Ledbetter general manager of the local station and of Tupelo's WTVA, an NBC affiliate, and WLOV, a Fox affiliate said he didn't know the big game was an option.
Jackson's WJTV, Channel 12, will broadcast both the Class 5A girls' and boys' state championship games from the Mississippi Coliseum Friday. The Jackson station offers the games live to all other CBS affiliates in the state, most of which will air the game.
WMDN-Meridian showed last year's state title contests involving teams from Tupelo, Jackson Murrah and Harrison Central.
Meridian coach Donald Shirley, who admitted he was disappointed in the station's decision not to air the game, said he preferred not to comment publicly.
Rocky Higginbotham