NEW YORK -- Seeking to build on the improved television ratings it generated when it moved 2001 playoff games to later kickoff times, and scheduled some postseason contests in prime time, the NFL announced on Thursday that the conference championship games on Jan. 19 will begin at 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

"It's part of our continuing effort to make the games available to a wider portion of our audience," commissioner Paul Tagliabue said.

The conference championship games, always held on the same day, were in the past scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. kickoffs. The NFL also moved the kickoff times for the Sunday wild card and division round contests back by 30 minutes, to 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.

The revised 2002 playoff schedule: