NBC officials are saying little about these and other considerations.

NBC officials said all six candidates had said they would not make fund-raising appeals on the air.

If bought as advertising time, the extra seven minutes would have cost $252,000 to $280,000, NBC officials said.

(NBC officials expect to announce a decision before the end of the year.)

NBC officials said that 93 million people had watched at least part of the two-hour show.

NBC officials said no payments were made for the interview.

The package never went through the mail, an NBC official said.

"The thinking is, his remarks on this subject have been made many times before," the NBC official said.

NBC officials said yesterday that the show would start in late August.

NBC officials declined to say how much a typical episode costs, but said this one will cost $500,000 more.