What Mountain Time Zone?

Many years ago, ABC announced that it would carry a BYU football game regionally. And that it would only be seen in the Pacific Time Zone.

The announcement went on to say that ABC's Salt Lake City affiliate, KTVX-Ch. 4, would be among the stations carrying the game. Because, quite obviously, the folks at ABC thought that Utah was in the Pacific Time Zone.

After writing about television for more than 18 years, I can assure you that this was not an isolated incident.

And I'm beginning to think that TNT thinks Utah is on the West Coast, too. How else could you explain that three games in the Jazz's series against the Rockets (including tonight's) start at 8:30 p.m. local time? Which is just too darn late.

(And I'm not just saying that because of the burden it puts on the poor, overworked souls who toil for local newspapers and are battling deadlines.)

If there's a (heaven forbid) seventh game in this series, it won't start any later than 6 p.m.

THE JAZZ WILL definitely be playing on Sunday. We just don't know who, what time or on what channel.

Pending the results of games played Thursday and tonight, the Jazz will either face the Rockets or the Lakers; they'll play at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 5 p.m. or 6 p.m.; and they'll be on either ABC or TNT.

And you wonder why those of us who write about TV are so easily confused.

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David Beckham can be seen on local television on Saturday night. But only if you've got the right kind of local television.

The Los Angeles Galaxy-at-Real Salt Lake game will be telecast live at 7 p.m. on KSL 5.3, one of the local station's digital channels. If you're already receiving digital channels over the air on your high-definition television, it's Ch. 5.3.

If you subscribe to Comcast digital cable, KSL 5.3 can be found on Ch. 105.

Just to be clear about this, the Galaxy-RSL game is NOT on regular ol' Ch. 5. Your rabbit ears won't pick it up. If you don't have Comcast digital cable, you won't get it.

You also won't be able to see the game if you subscribe to Dish or DirecTV — unless you subscribe to Direct Kick, the MLS equivalent of NFL Sunday Ticket or the NBA League Pass.