Ommunicat O N S September/October 1985 $4.00

A Child's Garden of Fantasy, by Bruno Bettelheim

%.1 OMMUNICAT O N S SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1985 $4.00

,Qr:vC''a:..s'sf--:.b`,i,--.+®. Al:+ñ?..:i NETWORK TV THEATER OF PROGRAMMERS WITH THE SUPERB PASSION

A BROADCASTING ON TOP OF THE NEWS IN FAMILY'S PRIDE PRIME TJ\4E

THE INCREDIBLE RADIO'S THINKING HEADS GREATEST HIT

also

All the President's Media Sidestepping the Filter of Journalism

Unleashing the Cable Monopoly What's Irving Kahn Up To Nov

7r Smutbusters Take Aim at Video Newhart, TV's Bland Emir

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TV's funniest cast is back together... with pleity of new surprises! It's the brand new WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW!! 22 ALL NEW FIRST-RUN EPISODES AVAILABLE FALL '85!

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www.americanradiohistory.com SEPTEMBER/ OCTOBER 1985 VOLUME 5, NUMBER 3 NN

ISSUES & REPORTS All the President's Media Political leaders sidestep CROSSCURRENTS PAGE 6 normal journalistic channels with satellite hookups. PUBLIC EYE BY MICHAEL DAVID AND "Broadcasting's PAT AUFDERHEIDE Vanishing Species" BY LES BROWN PAGE 15 What's Irving COMMENT & CRITICISM Kahn Up to Now? The indomitable promoter invests in the future with the PRIVATE EYE passion of a believer. "A Season to Remember BY JAMES TRAUB Television By" BY WILLIAM A. HENRY III PAGE 63 PROGRAM NOTES A Child's Garden "Newhart: Prime Time's of Fantasy Bland Eminence" TV gives children the BY MICHAEL POLLAN PAGE 66 daydreams they need, but "TV's Celebration there are hazards. of Itself" BY BRUNO BETTELHEIM BY MARK EDMUNDSON PAGE 67 BOOKS No Sense of Place Smutbusters Take By Joshua Meyrowitz Aim at Video REVIEWED BY ROBERT KUBEY_ PAGE 69 Porn at the push of a button IDEAS & OBSERVATIONS alarms local prosecutors and federal officials. David Burnham, Tom Goldstein, Jack B. Haskins, Hendrik BY TOM McNICHOL Hertzberg, and Richard Dyer MacCann PAGE 71 DISTANT SIGNALS FRANCE: A Revolution COVER ILLUSTRATION BY in the Making HOVIK DILAKIAN BY ROGER M. WILLIAMS COVER CALLIGRAPHY BY RAPHAEL BOGOSLAV CARTOONS BY CHARLES BARSOTTI

ANYBODY NAMED BRANDON THE HEART OF COUNTRY Stoddard and Tartikoff The Grand Ole Opry By Lee Margulies PAGE 27 P\GEPAGE 38 By Bob Allen ON TOP OF THE NEWS to TV THEATER OF IN PRIME TIME THE SUPERB CBC Journal te MC American Playhouse By Martin Knelman PAGE 30 PAGE 42 By John J. O'Connor

THE INCREDIBLE THE PRIDE OF THINKING HEADS Celebrating those who set the DOROTHY S. BULLIT'I' The Media and Society Seminars highest standards in the KING -TV, Seattle By Michael I. Meyerson PAGE 35 electronic media. PAGE 45 By Roger Downey PAGE 25

2 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com There is more than a comma's difference...

NBC NIGHTLY NEWS "It's often said that there isn't a comma difference between the three network newscasts, but that's not true. In many ways NBC has become a more thoughtful and interesting network in its coverage It often takes a different direction especially in its special reports.... The 'NBC Nightly News' often includes stories of more depth and significance ... Serious newswatchers come away with more substance." 'TODAY' Tom Dorsey, Louisville Couder-Journal "In Rome it managed to gain unusual access to an institution historically wary of news and television organizations." E.J. Dionne, Jr., New York Times AMERICAN ALMANAC "An NBC winner. Mudd is his usual incisive self." Lee Winfrey, Philadelphia Inquirer PRIMETIME NEWS SPECIALS "The First Lady ... sensitive, delightful, sometimes moving." Arthur Unger, Christian Science Monitor "Portrait of the Press, Warts and All, by John Chancellor, marks the first time a network has probed the issue with decent objectivity." Harriet Van Horne, Newsday "Women, Work and Babies is a prime example of the new direction in NBC News. Solidly interesting ... totally relevant." Arthur Unger, Christian Science Monitor "Vietnam-Lessons of a Lost War ... if you see only one television news program make sure this is it." NBC NEWS John Corry, New York Times

"Its week-long exploration of the Soviet Union won the Edward Weintal prize for diplomatic reporting .. . NBC sent `Today' to Rome for a week of broadcasting that were similarly admired.... And `Nightly News' was the first American news program to carry BBC footage of the horrific famine in Ethiopia, a decision that generated enormous viewer reaction:' Eric Mink, Washington Journalism Review NBC NEWS ON THE MOVE

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EDITOR -IN -CHIEF Les Brown PUBLISHER George M. Dillehay

MANAGING EDITOR One of the Most Audrey Berman SENIOR EDITOR Steve Behrens Important Stories in the World ASSOCIATE EDITOR James Traub DEPARTMENTS EDITOR Richard Barbieri ASSISTANT EDITOR Jeffrey L. Wolf CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Walter Karp. Martin Koughan, David Lachenbruch, Michael Pollan. Michael Schwarz, Brian Winston COPY EDITOR ExCELLENCE has a way of bene- This year Channels has trained its Randy Blunk fiting the com- sights on in programming. We everyone, even excellence INTERN petition. Babe Ruth, in his looked for beacons-there were many- Rebecka Jerome day, may have clobbered the and made some remarkable finds: rival teams, but he filled their A nightly prime -time news program DESIGN DIRECTION ballparks with customers and elevated that surpasses the vaunted American and Marian Chin the stature of all ballplayers. It's the same British newscasts in providing context in every field, of course. Excellence may for global events. SALES AND MARKETING be its own reward, but it produces divi- An American series that rivals the dends as well. drama of the British, who do it so well. VICE PRESIDENT Myles M. Fuchs In the field of electronic media, the A radio program that has defied all good apples have been known to redeem the changes in the medium over the past ACCOUNT MANAGER Tracey Wilen the whole barrel. Whenever the broad- half century and remains live, unique, cast industry is on the griddle in Washing- and faithful to its audience. MARKETING ASSOCIATE Marirose Erskine ton-for exploiting violence, for exam- A television station that still creates ple, or airing songs with indecent lyrics local programs and dedicates itself to ADVERTISING SALES OFFICES on defends itself by reciting its public service. New York: 19 West 44th St., New York, NY 10036. radio-it 212-302-2680. achievements on the high road of pro- An educational program that helps West Coast: Gwen Campbell Winthrop, gramming, as if Roots, the Olympics, and citizens understand complex public is- 15167-E Magnolia Blvd.. coverage of the Kennedy assassination sues without boring them to death. Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, 213-784-3493. were mainstays of the schedule. Two network program executives England: Jack Durkin & Co. "You can't take excellence to the who are not enslaved by the crass num- 130 Earlsfield Road bank," say the Wall Street sages, who bers used to measure success in Ameri- London S W 18 rate media companies strictly on their can television-the Nielsens, the bottom Tel: 01-870-9082 ability to earn money. Yes, but excel- line, and the stock digits. They not only lence can buy what all the corporate bot- excel in their line of work but create a FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION in tom lines together cannot-an industry's climate which others may excel, as CONTROLLER good name. William S. Paley did in his great days at Joseph E. Edelman the CBS (see Ideas and Last fall, editors of Channels began Observations). OFFICE MANAGER a search for excellence in television, ra- As we come to know excellence better, Carlton Hill dio, and cable-and documented it in a we find that it is not a value added but CHANNELS of Communications (ISSN 0276-1572) series of articles-to discover not just something built into the genes of an enter- is published bimonthly for $18 a year by C.C. where but also why it exists in an industry prise. The excellent don't ask if they can Publishing, Inc., 19 West 44th Street. New York, NY 10036. Application to mail at second class postage that doesn't demand it. To our great sur- take it to the bank; they excel because ratei is pending at New York, NY and additional prise, it was not a difficult search. Excel- they cannot abide mediocrity. mailing offices. Volume 5, Number 3, Sept./Oct. 1985. Copyright CO 1985 by C.C. Publishing, Inc. All lence stands out like a beacon. Last We will continue to salute excellence in righ:s reserved. All foreign countries add S6 per year. year's articles on five indisputably excel- Channels, not just because it represents Please address all subscription mail to CHANNELS of Communications, Subscription Service Dept., Box lent companies found that, for all their affirmative criticism, but because we be- 2001, Mahopac, NY 10541, or call 914-628-1154. differences, they were alike in having vi- lieve excellence to be one of the most im- Pasämaster: Send address changes to CH AN N ELS of Communications, Subscription Service Dept., sionary founders, stable managements, portant stories in the world. As a society Box.2001, Mahopac. NY 10541. and a stubborn refusal to compromise we need to know what is transcendent, Editorial and business offices: 19 West 44th Street, New York. NY 10036; 212-302-2680. Unsolicited their principles for expedient trendiness. because that helps us to know who we manuscript, cannot be considered or returned unless Above all, each had made a choice to be are. Excellence is the prelude to great- accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any excellent, even while recognizing that ness, and greatness is the glory of the hu- form without written consent. others around them were prospering man race, the best news of all. nicely enough on mediocrity. LES BROWN

4 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

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let's Now, reJustice..

Year after year, our civil justice system has become slower. More costly. Less fair to the very people it was meant to help. We all pay the price. Some of us pay in the frus- tration of waiting for a case to end, or by seeing a settlement eaten away by legal costs. All of us pay in the form of higher taxes and insurance premiums. Experts agree on the urgent need for civil justice repair. Chief Justice Burger has criticized "the high cost of legal services and the slow pace of justice:' Derek Bok, president of Harvard and former dean of Harvard Law, has called our legal system "the most expensive in the world:' A 1984 Rand Corporation study of thousands of asbestos -related lawsuits shows how serious the crisis has become. Cases closed took an average two years and eight months, with 11 percent taking six years. How much money went to asbestos victims? Only 37 percent of the expenses and compen- sation paid by defendants and insurers. The other 63 percent went to pay litigation costs. Can anything be done? We think it can. We're the Insurance Information Institute. Our members, property and casualty insurance companies, are vitally involved in this issue. They've joined with others-doctors, lawyers, government officials, business leaders-in coalitions of concerned citizens. Together, they're developing new solutions. In many states, their ideas are being translated into action. Our latest report, The Civil Justice Crisis, examines the reforms now being proposed. It tells how you can get involved. We'd like you to have a copy, free of charge. r W Insurance Information Institute I 110 William Street New York, New York 10038 Please send me a free copy of The Civil Justice Crisis.

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www.americanradiohistory.com CROSS CURRENTS

The Sun Gets into the Act

Twice a year, screens blank out.

ROBERT ABRAHAMS, now a Wold tor, pass directly between the sun and the long-distance phone companies and the Communications executive, was earth. The sun's energy overwhelms the television networks, can switch to working as an engineer for a Los satellites' signals, wiping out their trans- backup satellites, since outages hit only Angeles public -TV station a few missions. Fortunately, the precise align- one satellite at a time. years ago when the sun wiped out the ment of the sun with a particular satellite Engineers use computers to determine station's live coverage of the Pope's U.S. and any single receiving dish lasts only a when an outage will strike, but still there visit. "We knew it was coming," Abra- few minutes, so the disruption to a given are miscalculations. What was perhaps hams says, "but just couldn't stop it." All broadcaster, cable system, or owner of a the most irksome example occurred the station could do was tell viewers backyard satellite dish is minimal. when solar outages hit a public television it was having temporary technical The phenomenon is inevitable, but program, both coming and going. First, difficulties. blank screens can be avoided. Compa- one knocked out a few minutes of the pro- The culprit that day was a "solar out- nies that distribute syndicated television gram as it was being recorded at PBS's age," a fact of life in the satellite age. Out- programming by satellite can predict ex- transmission center in Washington. A ages occur predictably at about the time actly when each of their client stations few hours later, as the program was being of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. will be affected and provide videotapes of relayed-complete with the gap-via an For three weeks in March and again in the program that will be interrupted. alternate satellite, another outage clipped September the communications satel- (Live coverage is another story, of a few more minutes off the already abbre- lites, in stationary orbit above the Equa- course.) Some satellite users, such as viated show. RICHARD BARBIERI AIDS in `Sweeps' Time

NBC is eager to deal with the tragic disease, but not the people it strikes. NBC's decision to schedule a Last winter's Con- made -for -television movie about senting Adult (Mar- homosexuality and the disease tin Sheen, Marlo AIDS for November broadcast Thomas, and Barry may seem like a breakthrough. But a Tubb pictured) was close look at the script and the tortured about a family learn- history of the production makes it clear ing it has a gay son. that the network still hasn't figured out The upcoming An how to deal with gay people as characters Early Frost adds in television drama. Such perplexity has AIDS to the same also been evident at ABC-in Dynasty plot. and in an earlier movie about homosexuality. Producer Perry Lafferty tried for more than a year to get NBC's green light for the movie about AIDS, and in that time A month later, the news hit the wires son coming out of the closet. That movie, writers Ron Cowan and Dan Lipman pro- that Rock Hudson had AIDS. Suddenly broadcast last February, focused primar- duced 12 draft scripts. But network exec- Lafferty's hot potato was a hot item with ily on the parents as they reacted to their utives deemed each too touchy and de- hit potential. NBC sped up the produc- son's announcement with disbelief, pain, ferred the project, even though the tion schedule and gave the film a new air and guilt. The son remained a stick fig- terrifying disease had already been epi- date in one of the November "sweeps" ure. Now comes An Early Frost, which demic among gay men and smaller high - weeks, when vital ratings data are gathered. gives the impression that AIDS is not risk groups for almost five years. It The script that emerged from the writ- happening to the gay son, but rather to wasn't until the mainstream American ers' long negotiations with NBC is about the American nuclear family. population began to fear AIDS earlier this a conservative midwestern family forced The networks want to make use of the year that the film, An Early Frost, got the to come to terms with the news that their timely and dramatic subjects of AIDS and go-ahead, according to sources close to son is gay and has AIDS. It focuses on the homosexuality, but because audience the production. In June NBC issued a parents rather than the son, and in that opinions on both subjects are explosive, sketchy announcement about it and pen- way resembles ABC's earlier movie, producers can't seem to find a safe and ciled it in for broadcast in January. Consenting Adult, which dealt with a gay sure way to do it. This quandary seems to

6 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85

www.americanradiohistory.com JACK&L 1 For The Record

"New Englanders are the "I want viewers to know how events impact on them. Ifs

toughest news audience in a very intimate thing that I share with my viewers on

the country. They expect every kind of story that I bring them. We are humans

you to know not only what and we're talking about humans. I work harder every

is happening now, but day than the day before. If I can leave feeling that I what they know ... the gave our viewers a little more information and a sense of history, the back- little more of a choice on

ground. That's why I spend how they deal, or think, or so much time out in the how their lives are influenced

community listening to ... then I feel like I've what people have to say." accomplished something."

"If I have a credo, it is pre- paredness, hard work and caring. As a journalist that means doing a thorough job. It means a sense of trust, honesty, and commit- ment. And I think that comes through in my reporting."

"I chose New England. I'm not here because I was born here. I chose New England because of its rev- "I do Positively New erence for things past- for England because I want family, education and char- to continue to learn more ity. Wednesday's Child is about the area ... the tra- something I wanted to do. dition, the values, the good hard work. Boston is an Being actively involved in electric city. Ifs always alive. It fights, it pulls, it yanks. to - trying improve things But, it's loyal. New England is loyal." helping children with special needs, foster parents, "In a lot of ways, Channel 4 is like New England. It's children born with birth de- all these people with incredible skills, incredible fects ... ifs my way of say energy. I think viewers turn to us because over and ing 'thank you' to New England. Ifs my way of saying over we've proven ourselves on the big stories. We go this is where I want my roots." that extra step - and we do it every night." Jack Williams Liz Walker

EYEWITNESS NEWS wg? The Station New England Turns To.

www.americanradiohistory.com CURRENTS THE SECOND AGE OF have most severely crippled the writers as a titillation, a minor strand among of Dynasty, whose scripts trap Steven many plotlines. Then, each time, Carring- TELEVISION Carrington, one of the rich oil family's ton's boyfriend was quickly removed. sons, in a revolving closet door. Car- The first one was killed off several sea- EXPLORING THE GREAT rington has been gay one month and sons ago-accidentally, sort of-by Car- straight the next since the series began. rington's father. His second boyfriend, NEW COMMUNICATIONS Dynasty's producers are proud that it's by all accounts, died in a terrorist attack the only network show with a long -run- on last season's final cliffhanger. At this FRONTIERS ning gay character, but they've given him rate, Dynasty will have to keep killing off only brief periods of gay romance, most Steven Carrinton's boyfriends until its of it offscreen. He gets to show affection writers and producers can figure out what An intensive weekend only by straightening his lover's tie. to do with a live homosexual. seminar with leading experts in all Twice homosexuality was introduced VITo Russo the emerging electronic media, highlighted by demonstrations of the newest technologies. Microwave -Ready or Not THE WIRE-THE ETHER-SPACE- THE HEARTH-THE CHIP `Wireless cable' TV services warm up slowly. PRESENTED BY TALK about inauspicious begin- in part because of shortages of address- CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATIONS MAGAZINE nings! When it signed up its first able descramblers and the downconver- and customers last December, the ters necessary to show microwave trans- COLUMBIA COLLEGE, CHICAGO- Capitol Connection of Arlington, missions on standard TV sets. TELEVISION DEPARTMENT Virginia-the nation's first multichannel There are also problems that future mi- microwave broadcast service-did it crowave operators could face. According and with all the pride and flourish of a com- to Michael Kelley, director of telecom- ARTS. ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA pany just starting out. Then, only a few munications for George Mason Univer- MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT. weeks later, the "Connection" abruptly sity, from which the Connection is leasing lost three of those precious charter sub- its microwave channels, the company has November 1, 2 and 3, 1985* scribers-in a gangland -style slaying. been hampered by the fact that many of at the Getz Theatre One could hardly have blamed the Con- the suburban Maryland and Virginia 72 East 11th Street nection's principals for starting to believe counties within its reach are already Chicago, Illinois in omens; after all, their firm was already wired for cable, and that Washington, With. losing customers. D.C., its major potential market, has too many tall trees that interfere with the line Michael H. Dann, Reese Schonfeld, William Fortunately, things have improved Grimes, Jonathan Miller, James Jimirro, David since then, although perhaps not as much of sight needed for microwave reception. Lachenbruch, Gary Arlen, Martin Koughan, as the company's executives would have The service's slow start, however, Roger Fransecky, Richard Neustadt, liked. After eight months in operation, hasn't fazed its president, James Schultz. John Williamson, Sue Buske, Mark Foster, the four -channel "wireless cable" ser- "The first kid on the block always gets John Reilly, Stanley S. Hubbard. vice has signed up only 730 households, arrows in his back," he says. Arrows not -

Keynote:

Lawrence K. Grossman, president, A New ANO Pl-o RASTRENO ---ZAPPING CoPYclRt-rERS NBC News and former president, Public Broadcasting Service.

Host and Moderator.

Les Brown, editor -in -chief, Channels. The American media landscape is changing before our eyes. Learn how it is taking shape and what opportunities it holds. Your future may depend on it. For the complete seminar, including opening reception, the fee is $250.00. You may register now. For complete details, call (312) 663-1600, ext. 347, in Chicago or write to: The Television Department, Columbia College, 600 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60605. * The seminar opens officially on the evening of Friday, November 1 with the keynote address and a wine and cheese reception. On Saturday and Sunday the sessions begin promptly at 9 a.m. and run until 5 p.m. Saturday's session will include a box luncheon.

8 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

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Katz Radio Group. The best.

www.americanradiohistory.com CURRENTS

withstanding, Schultz is certain that vice was a way of bringing in added reve- sion lottery that will award about a thou- Washington, with its large number of un - nue to expand his university's sand of these multichannel multipoint cabled, multi -unit dwellings, is an ideal endowment and underwrite improved distribution service (MMDS) licenses is location for courting microwave cus- ITFS programming; for Schultz, a micro- expected soon. And when it comes, the tomers. And Schultz's campaign will un- wave pioneer, the Connection repre- resulting proliferation of these services doubtedly be abetted by the enthusiasm sented an entrepreneur's dream: the may well make microwave better known of those he has already signed up. "I've chance to lay the foundation for a deliv- for delivering cable networks than de- got 423 apartments with microwave," ery medium that he claims will have 2.5 frosting casseroles. says John Walker, owner of the Sixth million subscribers in the U.S. by the JEFFREY L. WOLF Street Venture Management Corpora- early 1990s. tion, "and everybody loves it." Schultz's prediction may already be Such encomiums were exactly what coming true: A five -channel microwave Schultz and Kelley were hoping for when service recently went on the air in San they started the Connection. The venture Francisco, and similar services are set to Town crier, 1985 was made possible by the FCC's May launch this fall in Milwaukee and New 1983 decision allowing schools with In- York, with each leasing ITFS channels Interrupting all channels, police Television Fixed Service from local educational institutions. The structional alert cable viewers to an (ITFS) licenses to lease excess time on company in Milwaukee, TVQ, had to their educational channels for commer- overcome a legal challenge by the local emergency. cial use. Kelley, who had been using his cable operator, Warner Amex, to its right university's ITFS channels to transmit to use ITFS channels, and plans to inau- AT io P.M. one night last July, a shrill CNN and C -SPAN to private companies gurate a 14 -channel package. sound came over the television and government agencies, leased the The real tidal wave is yet to come: sets of some 18,300 cable sub- channels to Schultz, who added Se- More than 16,000 applications have been scribers in Warminster, Pennsyl- lecTV, Home Team Sports, and Odys- filed for the eight former ITFS channels vania and three adjacent communities. sey, a music video service, and began in each U.S. market that the FCC allo- After the warning sounded, the pictures selling the expanded package as the Capi- cated for outright commercial use in that on every channel went blank and police tol Connection. For Kelley, the new ser - same May 1983 decision. The commis - detective Frank Luczak's voice im- plored: "Please stand by for an emergency message. Warminster police are presently attempting to identify a young male, 12 to 13 years old, described as five feet four inches tall, weighing 100 pounds, with wavy blond hair and blue eyes." This was the first time police in War- minster had used the emergency "interrupt system" installed last January by Oxford Valley Cablevision as part of a franchise requirement to serve the community. By dialing a coded telephone number, the police were able to tap into the cable company's transmission center and preempt the entire system, including GRAB ONTO programs coming from independent broadcast stations and national pay -TV THE BEST IN networks. The police have agreed not to use this remarkable attention -getting power for anything short of an emergency, which could include out -of-con- FREE trol fires and severe -weather alerts. Almost immediately after Luczak's an- INFORMATIONAL PROGRAMMING nouncement, the phones began ringing as two dozen townsfolk called to help. Join over 510 cable systems and 10,525,000 subscribers who Within 20 minutes, a lead provided by a enjoy the diversity of MSN - LET'S TRAVEL!, CONSUMER local soccer coach enabled the police to identify the boy, who had suffered a hy- INQUIRY, MODERN LIFE, BUSINESS VIEW, HOME SHOP- poglycemic attack, and locate his par- PING NETWORK, AND MSN SPECIALS. ents. Public response to the interrupt system was generally positive, except for a few subscribers who resented the intru- Call George Umberto sion into the late innings of a Phillies at 800-237-8671 for further details. baseball game. R.B.

10 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com IF YOU DON'T GIVE A DAMN, DON'T WATCH.

Anyone who really cares what's going on in the world wants to watch the people who work together to report it best. People like David Brinkley, Peter Jennings and Ted Koppel. They're all uniquely qualified to bring you the world. C:

www.americanradiohistory.com r NT

Seduction of the Indifferent

Public TV shows will try to hook kids on math and the fine arts.

THE PROBLEM iS not that kids be- toward math. Children's Television ing. "We call it a show about math," says tween the ages of 8 and 12 lack Workshop (CTW), which produces Ses- Milton Chen, the show's research direc- enthusiasm. They have plenty for ame Street, plans to shoot five pilot epi- tor, "but what we're really talking about Duran Duran and soccer. But sodes in October, then assess their effec- is helping kids think better." they don't care much about certain adult tiveness, fine-tune their techniques, and Before Connell can get kids to turn on things. This worries some of the most go into full production in February. CTW to math, he has to get them to tune in his adult people among us, the grantsmen has lined up multimillion -dollar funding new program. Seventeen seasons ago, he who pay for most public -television se- for 13 weeks of a daily series. chose the kinetic format of TV commer- ries, and they are now mobilizing: For The series, as yet unnamed, will mar- cials to hook preschool kids on Sesame example, the National Endowment for shal new video technology to illustrate Street. Now, to hook their older siblings, the Arts and the Getty Trust (perhaps mathematical concepts, says executive he plans to use entertaining sketches that along with another funder) plan to award producer David Connell. It won't attempt parody television itself-sportscasts, as much as $10 million next year for a new a comprehensive survey of its territory game shows, soap operas. PBS series meant to help kids appreciate from addition to geometry, nor will it Connell's approach should delight the best of the fine arts. The endowment teach kids how to do arithmetic. "Math grownups who remember math as labori- dangled its plan in front of ravening pro- experts tell us: Face it, long division is ous computations that were ultimately ir- ducers months ago. Forty-eight sent in tedious, boring, not any fun at all," says relevant. He contends that, on the con- proposals, and two now have funds to Connell. (Fifth graders could have told trary, math can actually provide the make pilots in competition for the grant. him that.) Now that pocket calculators easiest solutions to many everyday prob- Work is further along on another se- have been admitted to many classrooms, lems kids will face as adults. "It's impor- ries, which is supposed to help 8- to 12 - the producers say, the emphasis can be tant to emphasize," he says, "that math year -olds develop "positive attitudes" shifted away from pencilwork to reason- is for lazy people." STEVE BEHRENS Hits and Missing The most watched and the most wanted at the Museum of Broadcasting.

SwCE ITS opening in 1976, more than interview with Richard Nixon, Octo- All in the Family pilots, 1968-71. 70,000 people a year have visited ber 8, 1968. Super Bowl I, January 15, 1967. The New York City's Museum of game was recorded by two networks Broadcasting, which maintains a Even though the museum now owns and subsequently erased. library of notable television and radio some 25,000 tapes, there are still many Complete coverage of the Army - programs, and allows individuals to gaps in its collection. These are some of McCarthy hearings (1953). watch and listen to tapes on the premises. the curator's "most -wanted" programs, Caesar's Hour (episode 35), October Following is a list of the shows most rein no particular order of preference. 31, 1955. The only missing episode. quested over the years. "Address from the White House," Sep- "The Opening of the World's Fair," tember 30, 1947. The first Presidential 1. The Ed Sullivan Show introducing the April 20, 1939. The first commercial television address, given by Harry S. Beatles, February 9, 1964. broadcast. Truman. 2. Amos 'n' Andy, the network premiere, June 28, 1951. 3. Amos 'n' Andy, the first non -network broadcast, September 21, 1949. 4. "Classic TV Commercials 1948-58, Part I." 5. My Name Is Barbra, Barbra Strei- sand's special, April 28, 1965. 6. The Ed Sullivan Show featuring Elvis Presley, September 9, 1956. 7. "Classic TV Commercials 1948-58, Part II." "BUT SOMEBODY HAD To 8. Peter Pan, starring Mary Martin, De- WRITE THE BANTER cember 8, 1960. FoR ED MsMA-ON AND 9. The Twilight Zone episode entitled DICK CLARK." "The Invaders," January 27, 1961. 10. 60 Minutes, featuring a Mike Wallace

12 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '$5

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Communication shaped by excellence.

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www.americanradiohistory.com A HUNDRED MILLION VIDEO RECORDERS

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www.americanradiohistory.com Broadcasting's Vanishing Species

by Les Brown

OHN EGER, one of America's more worldly broadcast dread, knowing how unpopular it would be today in that eco- executives, travels about predicting that noncommer- nomically troubled country. cial broadcast systems everywhere are destined to go There are many in the tradition -bound United Kingdom who commercial. He warns that countries trying to resist support a breaking of the Beeb's noncommercial tradition and the "twin forces of consumer demand and technology couldn't care less that the BBC has been the world's beacon for run the risk [of being] left far behind by the changes now sweep- public service broadcasting and the role model for many an- ing the globe." other television system. Some who are free-market enthusiasts His message is that all television systems will eventually deem the BBC a sentimental anachronism in these times of accept advertising because the medium is becoming too expen- prospectively plentiful television-what with satellites, cable, sive to subsidize any other way-and their countries will be the and home video-and have recommended that the corporation better for it, because advertising contributes to a nation's gross be disbanded and its frequencies turned over to private international product and is vital to the ests. The debate is lively in the U.K. freedom of its people. these days. Eger's vision is colored a bit by his These advocates of radical change, own interests. As senior vice presi- The advocates of who would turn all television over to dent of CBS Worldwide Enterprises the beneficence of commerce, are elit- he is charged with opening new for- radical change ists who think of television merely as eign markets for his company, and as snack -food for the lowly mob and chairman of the International Adver- regard television have no patience with anyone who tising Association's Global Media might argue otherwise. Their counter- Commission he is the point man for as snack food parts in America are typified by the spreading the advertising gospel tele- light-headed chairman of the Federal visionwise. But despite Eger's bias, for the lowly mob Communications Commission, Mark his forecast may well be right on the Fowler, who once declared that TV is money. A number of foreign broadcast and won't listen just a household appliance, mattering systems that have always been sup- no more than a toaster. They are the ported either by the national treasury to anyone who champions of the let -'em -eat -cake pol- or by license fees levied on the con- icy for broadcasting, and, alas, they sumer appear to be on the verge of argues otherwise. are the ruling powers today in both conversion. the United States and the United France is moving toward privatizing Kingdom. television, and Sweden is considering the drastic change of My own sympathies-it must be obvious-are with those at selling commercial time on its state -run networks. Canada's the opposite extreme who would keep the BBC entirely free of CBC Radio, arguably the best radio service in the world, has commercials under any circumstance. I say this as one who begun flirting with the idea of accepting some corporate under- admires what commercial broadcasting has achieved in many writing, in the manner of PBS, to help meet costs. countries and who is profoundly grateful to advertising for But the most ominous news of all is that Great Britain's Tory making possible the vast range of media that nourish us. More- government has appointed a commission (called the Peacock over, I believe advertising is itself a form of information that Commission for the professor who heads it, Alan Peacock) to people need and that should not be denied in a free society. study the feasibility of supporting the British Broadcasting Still, I'm alarmed at the movement to kill off the world's non- Corporation at least partly with commercial advertising. This commercial broadcast systems. Like the nearly extinct species is viewed as the alternative to hiking the license fees paid by of the natural environment, once they vanish from the broad- households with television sets-a prospect all politicians cast environment they cannot come back again.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'S5 Channels 15 www.americanradiohistory.com Noncommercial television is not just ordinary television Advertisers spend their huge amounts of money to make without advertisements; it is a separate species of the medium, friends, not enemies, and so there is a studious avoidance of different in spirit from the commercial and pay forms of televi- controversy in PBS programs with corporate underwriting. Be- sion, different in aspiration, different in its regard for the cause the established arts are seldom seriously controversial, viewer, and different in motivation. Commercial television ex- the corporate money tends to flow toward cultural fare in ists to make money one way or another, but noncommercial American public television rather than to public affairs. This is television exists to make television. Because it is outside the one lesson to be learned from the American experience. scramble for advertising revenues, it has the latitude to take The BBC never learned the more important lesson, which is artistic risks and experiment with new program forms. not to get drawn into the commercial television value system, The commercial and noncommercial species of television and so it has itself to blame for being no longer pristine. To differ as professional athletes differ from Olympians: The pro- justify the license fees that support it, the BBC had to prove fessionals strive to turn their statistics into riches; the Olympic itself popular and took the shortcut by bidding aggressively for amateurs are propelled by a desire for personal achievement the American hits. It is the BBC, and not the commercial ITV, and a drive for perfection. We on the sidelines may love profes- that carries Dallas and Dynasty in prime time, along with a slew sional sports, but take inspiration from the Olympics. of American movies. No wonder the BBC is perceived by some I've never been to West of its countrymen as having al- Germany, but I've often heard ready crossed the line; they its television praised for mak- see no reason why it shouldn't ing imaginative programming The problem with letting go the next step in accepting a without regard for ratings. The limited number of commer- system is noncommercial. public television take cials in a few time periods. Twice, by chance, I've sat in But the problem with taking on meetings with top BBC offi- advertising is that it gets any advertising is that it gets to cials, and each time the chief be habit-forming; the fastest topic was, Are we good to be habit-forming. way to solve a new financial enough? In 30 years of cover- crisis is to expand the coming commercial television in mercial time. The way to get America, I've never heard any executive ask that question. bigger dollars (or pounds sterling) for the existing spots is to More likely they would ask, Are we popular enough? I would surround them with more popular programs that will attract be the first to testify that some truly wonderful programs spring larger audiences than last year's shows. So begins the commer- from that kind of crassness. Noncommercial television would cial spiral. It has no end. never have brought forth such marvels as M*A*S*H or Hill Were the BBC to begin selling commercials on a limited Street Blues; on the other hand, commercial television scale, it would only be a matter of time before the whole sched- wouldn't have developed Monty Python's Flying Circus, Ses- ule went up for sale. And if the BBC made the conversion, ame Street, or The Forsyte Saga, father of the mini-series. other foreign systems that have emulated it would surely follow But the issue is not whether noncommercial television is its lead once again. better in some way than commercial television. (A powerful John Eger may be right about commercial television putting case could in fact be made for the latter's superiority, based on zip into a country's economy, but that might only be for the the lasting value of its programs: We will still be watching short term. Ultimately the country with the most to gain will be Hawkeye, Lucy, Archie Bunker, and Ralph Kramden in the his-that is, ours-the leading exporter of commercial shows 21st century but probably not Alistair Cooke.) The issue is with the largest gross national advertising budget. This gives whether there ought to be one kind of broadcast television, or Eger's message a certain imperialistic nuance. two. Clearly, two are preferable, if not actually required, both If in a foreign country it came down to a choice between one for realization of the medium's full potential and for the well- broadcast species or the other, rather than having both in coex- being of a free society. The friction and interchange between istence, I would advise hanging in with the noncommercial and two systems operating under wholly different professional take the chance that getting "left far behind by the changes now standards can only benefit the causes of diversity and free sweeping the globe" is only so much sales rhetoric. Despite its expression. lack of energy in creating popular hits, noncommercial televi- Regrettably, the only guidance America can provide the Pea- sion has the virtue of preserving nonmaterialistic values-cul- cock Commission is by negative example. Our public televi- tural, philosophical, and social-which are the ones that mat- sion system, for all its merits, is only nominally noncommer- ter to most countries in the long run. cial, having long since lost its virginity to commerce. Almost nothing can get on the Public Broadcasting Service without There must be other ways to save the financially stretched commercial underwriting, the euphemism for corporate spon- BBC than with the easy expedient of advertising. One way that sorship. Such companies as Mobil, Exxon, Chubb, AT&T, and comes to the American mind would be to raise funds through a McDonnell -Douglas effectively pick the shows that will play continuing national lottery. I'm told by English friends that on PBS, just as sponsoring companies dictated the program- lotteries are not looked upon with favor by the British govern- ming in the early days of commercial television. This goes to ment. But if that idea is offensive, is it more offensive than the essence of the difference: A truly noncommercial service letting noncommercial television die? In our part of the civi- makes its own decisions about what will be broadcast, while lized world, out of a moral sense and a practical concern for commercial television answers to the wishes and needs of the maintaining the ecological balance, we swallow hard and do advertising community. The American networks may protest what we must to prevent the extinction of a species, even if it that they make their own program choices, but why, except in means stopping construction of a dam that imperils the snail the response to the advertising consensus, are virtually all pro- darter. To our credit, we would do no less than have a lottery- grams aimed at the young adult market? if it would help-for the bison or the whooping crane.

16 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 www.americanradiohistory.com cally, the court reasoned, cable systems are not monopolies UNLEASHING THE because they will have competition-not only from direct - broadcast satellites (DBS) and Multichannel Multipoint CABLE MONOPOLY Distribution Services (MMDS) but also from other cable companies that are free to come in and build competing systems in towns where cable exists. The reality, however, is that MMDS has yet to prove itself as an alternative to F\cING THE WORLD of commerce, cable TV has spent cable, and DBS has had so many early setbacks that it's the last five years trying its utmost to be exactly almost a dead issue in America today. As for competition like broadcast television in order to attract the from other cable systems, in most situations it just isn't same kinds of viewers and advertisers. Facing economically feasible-and probably never will be-to Washington and the world of policy, however, ca- construct a second cable operation in a community. So the ble has represented itself as being nothing at all like televi- court effectively has turned every cable system into a de sion but rather as the electronic equivalent of a newspaper, facto monopoly with the power to carry or bury any local and therefore entitled to the same freedom from govern- television station, and it did so in the name of the First ment dictates accorded the print media under the First Amendment. Amendment. But where the court was especially misguided was in Can any industry really hope to get away with such fla- trusting claims that cable is moving inexorably toward ful- grant hypocrisy? Evidently yes. The U.S. Court of Appeals filling its technological promise. The court assumed that for the District of Columbia has held that cable is more because cable has the potential for 200 channels, in time all analogous to newspapers than to television, because its systems will expand to 200. Nothing of the sort is likely. technological capability of providing up to 200 channels Large -capacity systems were pledged wildly a few years means there is no scarcity of opportunity for many voices to ago by companies so avid to win an urban franchise that be heard. The court determined that cable should be freed they promised anything. A number of those ultra -large sys- specifically from federal regulation concerning content, the tems were actually built, and in business terms they turned main effect of which was to knock out the so -termed "must out to make no sense at all. Of the 40 -odd cable networks carry" rule. that existed in 1982, fewer than half have survived. You Instead of flinching, the current deregulation -driven Fed- don't build a skyscraper for a handful of tenants. No one eral Communications Commission, which didn't invent the talks about building king-sized systems anymore; if any- rule but inherited it, congratulated the court and declared thing, cable has reason to contract, not expand. But the itself happy to be rid of must -carry. court, in its fantasy, envisions a cable industry striving day The rule had required cable systems to retransmit to their by day to add to its channel capacity. subscribers the signals of all local television stations nor- What the court has given cable operators, in fact, is the mally received over the air in their communities. In some license for a shakedown. If the ruling is upheld by the Su- areas this meant that cable systems with as few as 12 chan- preme Court, every operator will have the option of charg- nels sometimes had to carry two or more stations from ing every local broadcast station a fee for being carried on nearby cities even if they were broadcasting the same net- his system. The station that doesn't pay up would get work programming. Often this caused a shortage of chan- bumped. If the local ABC affiliate got bumped, for instance, nels, which effectively excluded satellite networks created the cable system could still bring in ABC programs from an expressly for cable. affiliate in a nearby city. Cable and the must -carry rule had been a boon to UHF Five or so years from now, cable operators may have a broadcasters, making their weaker signals as easy to receive more compelling reason for keeping the local broadcast sta- as those of any VHF station. But now that the court has tions off their systems. By then, local cable operations will made local cable operators free to fill their channels with have gotten serious about selling advertising, and it would anything that will help them attract the largest television be lunacy for them to provide outlets for the broadcast sta- audiences, the consequences may be to put a number of tions that compete for the advertising dollar. UHF stations out of business and consign some of the lesser When cable starts caring about advertising, and starts public television stations to dank obscurity. getting it, the cable operator will discover he's better off The court's ruling invests the cable operator with extraor- with fewer channels than with more. This is because more dinary power over television, and this is likely to bring on channels disperse and dilute his audience. It will be to his seismic changes in the marketplace. One of the ruling's im- advantage to concentrate viewing on as few channels as mediate effects could be a sharp curtailment of trading ac- possible-making a mockery of the court's arguments to tivity in the booming market for TV stations, since the protect cable's First Amendment rights. broadcast licenses will lose value if stations become help- The court was "had" by its own knee-jerk response to the lessly dependent on cable for much of their exposure. And First Amendment question raised by the cable industry, the death of must-carry-unless the ruling is reversed in the which was never about the First Amendment in the first Supreme Court-may also put a crimp in the flourishing place but only about making money. The public does not program-syndication market if significant numbers of UHF stand to benefit in any way from the court's decision; the stations should lose their ability to reach viewers via cable. First Amendment gets turned on its head as the special priv- The decision to scuttle must -carry came from a court that ilege of those who run the wire to the home, and the broad- was strong on theory and First Amendment case law and cast industry has one devil of a problem in its future. woefully naive about the workings of business, Theoreti- LEES BROWN

SEPTEMBER iOCTOBF.I; ,.; Cl7QIn2elS 17

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www.americanradiohistory.com CHA NN E I. S All the Presidents

ela by Michael David and Pat Aufderheide

DURING two October weekends in lem of immense proportions-the difference today is that the message can 1981, hundreds of thousands of international backlash against the Ameri- be delivered more swiftly and to a wider demonstrators filled the streets can invasion of Grenada. Its response public than was possible then and even a of Western Europe's major cities protest- was to arrange a global satellite videocon- decade ago. Moreover, to heighten credi- ing the planned deployment of medium - ference with 40 press questioners at five bility, it can be delivered in person, elec- range missiles in five European coun- American embassies in Western Europe. tronically. tries. Newspapers carried reams of Also on the hookup were then-United Of course, it's not just to pursue foreign commentary that the United States and Nations Ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick policy goals that the Administration its allies were facing the worst political in New York, two deputy assistant secre- keeps up with every new turn in technol- crisis of NATO's history. taries of state in Washington and, in Bar- ogy; for domestic controversies as well, Less than a month later, at the National bados, the leaders of two Caribbean gov- the White House takes advantage of tech- Press Club, President Reagan presented a ernments that endorsed American policy. nological opportunities to convey its line new European arms-control proposal to A single global press conference did not directly to the public. So does every can- an audience of 200 journalists and a bat- by itself stop the public-relations batter- didate for national office today. tery of television cameras that would ing that the United States was absorbing During the 1984 Presidential primaries, carry his speech live to Europe and other over Grenada, but combined with the for the first time since television entered parts of the world. For the first time in quick withdrawal of most American into the process, the candidates' media history, the Chief Executive was making troops, the electronic ploy helped lower advisers did not set their plans primarily a live telecast from Washington that was the heat considerably. to meet the needs of the networks. In- timed for foreign broadcast systems Through shrewd use of the new com- stead they gave priority to the brief noon rather than the U.S. networks. munications technologies, the Reagan and 6 P.M. airport stops that guaranteed The specifics of the proposal have been Administration's foreign policy tacticians the candidates direct live interviews with forgotten by everyone other than the spe- have been able to expand in quantum the anchors of the local television sta- cialists. What remains notable is that with jumps the public-relations component of tions. Minicams and ENG microwave one targeted speech to the European modern diplomacy. They can reach the technology had made this possible. 'For opinion -molders, the President seized the media and opinion leaders of virtually all the candidates, the setup was beautiful, public-relations initiative in Western Eu- friendly and neutral countries more easily giving them access to big local news audi- rope. He has never lost it. In the months than ever before-without going through ences through a dialogue with the star an- and years since, the missiles have been such filtering agents as Washington cor- chors-often people of limited journalis- deployed. The vast armies of anti-nuclear respondents and diplomats. (Not surpris- tic skills, who tended to serve up softball demonstrators in Western Europe have ingly, the broadcast systems of the Soviet questions. dwindled to platoons, their influence Union, its Eastern European allies, much muted, if not entirely silenced. China, Syria, Libya, and Iran are closed Indeed, the ratings races in local news Nearly two years after that interna- to these USIA television initiatives. The everywhere in the country, which tional coup de theatre, the Administra- Soviet bloc is reached by radio through prompt heavy expenditures to pro- tion faced another public-relations prob - the separately controlled Radio Liberty mote the anchors, have benefited politi- and Radio Free Europe.) cians as much as anyone. The anchor ap- Michael David is a New York writer who In an earlier time, with similar propa- pears to be important, and a true covers politics and the media. Pat Auf- gandistic objectives, Metternich and Bis- journalist, if he gets to talk one-on-one derheide is cultural editor of In These marck frequently wrote or planted edito- with the candidates. The importance of Times newspaper in Washington, D.C. rials in foreign newspapers. The raising the stature of the local anchor has

20 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85

www.americanradiohistory.com in fact led to the formation of two Wash- ington -based organizations, one called the Local Program Network and the other, Conus. They exist principally to set up satellite interviews with key government officials and other newsmakers for the local anchors of member stations. The concept and format serve the interests of both the interviewer and inter- viewee. Politicians can reach several major markets with a single trip to a television studio, and the anchors are ag- grandized by talking to the same big shots the famous network correspondents once had all to themselves. New technologies have helped create new audiences and potentially new political forces beyond the conventional stations and networks. When the U.S. House of Representatives opened itself up to live broadcasts six years ago, the main concern was what the networks would do with the material. No one could or did predict the emergence of a devoted cable television audience for the 435 House members, via C -SPAN. And in the past few years, a group of young conservative Republicans, impatient with their leadership being so accommodating to the Democratic majority, launched a form of parliamentary warfare to push their agenda of such issues as prayer in schools. Thanks in large part to their ca- communications revolution. The technology more determinedly for govern- ble exposure, these congressmen, who in nology holds the promise of being highly ment purposes than the United States In- earlier times would have been relegated democratic in giving more people an op- formation Agency-the government's to obscurity, have become an important portunity to communicate to diverse au- overseas propaganda arm. Because the force in congressional politics. diences. But the reality is that govern- agency's material can by law be distrib- These examples of government offi- ment has the money and the uted only abroad, few Americans are cials and politicians employing techno- sophistication to mobilize the technology aware how quickly the USIA has trans- logical innovations to spread their mes- for its purposes. formed communications technology into sages point up a paradox of the No group has mobilized modern tech- an important adjunct of diplomacy.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85 Channels 21 www.americanradiohistory.com The TV President is using satellites to pitch his policies directly to the masses here and abroad, sidestepping the Washington press corps.

The transformation has not been with- syndication. Murrow was the kind of Adelman's predictions of propaganda out controversy, in part because the journalist to whom Winston Churchill growth were certainly on the mark. As Reagan Administration has not been sub- would give his time. Wick came into of- domestic programs were being cut and tle about its anti-Soviet objectives. As fice announcing, "I don't know anything curbed, the budget for USIA expanded USIA director Charles Z. Wick recently about foreign affairs, and I don't know from $457 million in 1981 to $796 million put it in a speech to some university stu- anything about journalism." for the current budget year. The agency's dents, " ... this country's ability to ar- Throughout his time in office, Wick film and television division, once a poor ticulate foreign policy issues-and its has continued to be controversial and relation of the Voice of America and very survival-may well depend on the flamboyant, and given to such gaffes as other USIA offshoots, enjoyed an even extent to which you can use and master illegally recording his phone calls. But as more dramatic increase, from $15 million the tools of mass communications." Wick said in justifying his appointment, last year to $28 million. President For the Administration, the object is to "I do know how to make things happen." Reagan's belief in the USIA mission, beat the Soviets at the propaganda game. And to make things happen, Wick & much akin to his belief in the Pentagon's For Wick, the mission is to use every Company have taken advantage of the mission, certainly helped. So too did the modern tool available to achieve that whole panoply of powerful television longtime personal friendship of Charles goal, especially since the United States, technology to beam the Administration's and Mary Jane Wick with the President by his account, is coming from behind. propaganda message to the masses in al- and First Lady. This USIA chief once confided to his tape lied and neutral nations. recorder, "My own view is that ... the Since its first days in office the Admin- Fven before the President's reelec- Communists know how to use our media istration has been driven by a Cold War tion, his foreign policy team better than we do." view of the propaganda battle. The for- agreed to continue its programs eign policy transition team back in 1980- to spread the American message. Na- he Reagan -Wick objective of 81 emphasized how the Russians were tional Security Council Directive 130 as- Tbeating the Soviets in the propa- outspending the Americans in propa- serted that "strategically targeted infor- ganda contest is not unlike that of ganda by at least five to one. Instrumen- mation and communications assistance Edward R. Murrow when he ran the tal in the team's thinking were advertising to other countries" should be "an integral part of U.S. national security policy and strategy." Broadcasting and especially television, it mandated, should have the highest priority, "as the most effective means of communicating truth directly to the peoples of the world." The results of that directive can be seen every weekday morning in a modern but already seedy office building in downtown Washington, where USIA's television operations are headquartered. In- side, the studio setting and atmosphere resemble those of TV stations around the country. From 8 to 10 A.M. every Monday through Friday, USIA transmits by satel- In a single visit to the LPN studio, Vice President George Bush can get premium air- lite to U.S. embassies in Europe a pro- time in several major markets, while the anchors back home enjoy the prestige of gram service called Worldnet. chatting with a national figure. A dozen diplomatic posts now pick up the transmission; by the end of the year USIA for President Kennedy in the Cold executive Peter Daly, later named ambas- the number is expected to reach 60. The War days. The difference is in the style sador to Ireland, and Kenneth Adelman, programming is also available, free of and method of execution. Murrow and who became director of the Arms Control charge, to anyone in Europe with a dish most of his successors thought the Amer- and Disarmament Agency. Both advo- capable of receiving satellite transmis- ican message was best transmitted in cated a more combative approach in sions-mainly broadcast stations and ca- straight factual reporting; Wick and his countering Soviet propaganda and selling ble systems. With cable expanding in Eu- ideological colleagues in the present Ad- the message of the Administration. In an rope, the potential audience will soon ministration say they too favor balanced article in Foreign Affairs, Adelman pre- reach 20 million. As one European cable reporting but want it coupled with anti- dicted that disseminating the American executive remarked, "Those cable sys- communist and anti-Soviet editorial com- message abroad would become Washing- tems are hungry for programming and mentary. Murrow, of course, came from ton's "major growth industry" in the probably will be quite happy to use it." a television news tradition that he had coming years, and added, "For better or One of those is Greenwich Cable Sys- largely created. Wick is a product of the worse, the masses are the subjects and no tems outside London, a service autho- business and entertainment worlds-the longer merely the objects of historic rized decades ago to serve 3,000 sub- William Morris Agency and television change." scribers in an area with poor TV

22 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 www.americanradiohistory.com reception. Carried live, the USIA programming reaches a small lunchtime audience and so far has drawn little response, said sales and marketing director Alan Hill. But Worldnet is likely to gain a bigger British audience when the United Kingdom goes full tilt for cable and/or direct broadcast satellite service (DBS). The daily Worldnet schedule opens with America Today, a half-hour TV talk show. After delivering a straight newscast, two anchors bring on guests for interviews. On one typical morning a White House aide discussed Nicaragua, and then a congressional budget committee staffer tried to describe the budget -making process to the foreign audience. No one would mistake the intensity of the questioning as being Ted Koppel -like. And there was, of course, no element of confrontation or debate on Nicaragua. The President's National Press Club speech on arms control was historic in being the Next comes a five-minute lesson in first ever timed expressly for telecast to Europe rather than to his own electorate. American -style English, and then a film, usually about space or science. After that, for exclusive use in embassies, is a taped rebroadcast of the ABC news. This is the routine fare. The real block- busters of the USIA productions are the interactive press conferences-satellite linkups of Washington with the foreign news media. These follow no fixed schedule but are being mounted with in- creasing frequency; there have been more than 100 since the first in November 1983. Vice President George Bush and just about every top foreign policy official in the Administration have appeared. "Imagine what John Kennedy could have done during the Cuban missile crisis," remarked Alvin Snyder, director of the USIA's film and television service. America's survival may depend on its use ofmass communications to articulate foreign "Or if we had had this during the Korean policy issues abroad, says USIA director Charles Z. Wick (shown standing, at left, with Air Lines incident. We could have piped aide Alvin Snyder). our message all over the world." President Reagan made his first live ap- tration people." microphones controlled by the embassy pearance on a hookup with the Spacelab Most of the programs are aimed at staff; moreover, he deplored the lack of shuttle astronauts (one of whom was a Western Europe, but they have been at eye contact between questioners and of- West German) and Chancellor Helmut times directed to other continents. On ficials. This was after a satellite session Kohl, who was in Athens on an official one occasion there was the simultaneous with Assistant Secretary of State visit. ("This is one heck of a conference hookup of five continents. This was a Langhorne Motley, which Steele said call," the President joked.) The program program that preceded the United Na- provided little more than "the U.S. prop- was aired live in the Federal Republic, tions Women's Conference, and on it the aganda line on Central America." and the American Embassy in Bonn esti- chief U.S. delegate, Maureen Reagan, Worldnet, he concluded, "serves the mated some 20 million Germans either the President's daughter, took questions cause of an overwhelmingly powerful tuned in or read about it. Worldnet has from such culturally distinct places as propaganda machine. It does little for the since carried two of the President's State Nairobi, New Delhi, and Bogotá. truth." of the Union addresses and last fall's The conferences are done with two- Presidential debates. way audio and one-way video, which is ohn Snow, the Washington cor - The debates provided one of the rare standard for the form today, even in its LIrespondent for Britain's Indepen- appearances for the Democrats. Except commercial use. This means that the par- dent Television News (ITN), of- for those, as of mid -1985 only three con- ticipating foreign journalists who gather fers a criticism that even the USIA's gressional Democrats had taken part in at the U.S. embassies can see and hear television professionals would not dis- the international press conferences. the Washington official, but the official pute: "The technique is hardly new, and USIA's Snyder gave the reason: can only hear the questioners. Some for- the format would never make it on Amer- "Worldnet has been the vehicle to ex- eign reporters are not pleased with the ican TV." plain foreign policy abroad, and that's arrangement. British correspondent Jon- As television programs, the satellite who's been on-the people who can ex- athan Steele complained in The Guardian conferences are primitive stuff -but the plain it. They are, most often, Adminis- that the questions were rationed and the point is not to get the whole broadcast

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 Channels 23

www.americanradiohistory.com presented live in Western Europe, it's to Through advanced communications around the country. Too many New York have it excerpted for the various national technology, the Reagan team has found and Washington journalists think people news shows. Rarely are the excerpts new ways of reaching the people without on the other side of the Hudson or Poto- identified as USIA -originated. "I subjecting its message -of-the -moment to mac don't know anything." wouldn't have thought it necessary," an critical analysis. The genius of the new But NBC News White House corres- ITN spokesman huffily told a London media is that they eliminate the middle- pondent Andrea Mitchell points out that Observer columnist who raised the ques- man, and in the case of the White House the increase in local interviews via satel- tion. the middleman has always been the lite has already been accompanied by di- Virtually all the news conferences are Washington press corps. Both with minished access to top officials for na- conducted entirely in English. This does Worldnet and the satellite feeds to local tional reporters and by fewer Presidential not deter the non -English-speaking American stations, the Administration news conferences. broadcasters, who add translations for has been able either to remove com- "My main concern," she says, "is that the news clips. Sometimes the non-politi- pletely a journalistic filter or to replace Ronald Reagan is not accessible to the cal programs turn out to be the most con- one filter with another. public through the media. The one-on- troversial. The foreign press was openly This transgresses journalistic politics, one interviews with local anchors do not resentful at the session with Donna Tut- which may be a matter of minor concern fulfill that obligation. It's valid to ask a tle, Undersecretary of Commerce for where it involves foreign reporters, but local question, but you wouldn't expect a local anchor to spend the time I do study- ing the intricacies of, say, strategic defense." `If we had this during the Korean Air While technology has taken the Presi- dent personally into the provinces, it also Lines incident,' contends one USIA has taken the provinces to Washington. There are now more than 50 local televi- official, 'we could have piped our sion news bureaus in the capital, or about triple the number that existed at the start message all over the world.' of the Reagan Administration. With local news programs becoming big money- makers and expanding their air time, hav- Tourism, because the conference turned gets a bit more dangerous with the doing a Washington correspondent has been out to be blatantly promotional. But two mestic breed. both a status symbol for the stations and a of the bigger hits with the overseas press Last January, the White House an- way to get new stories. But ever con- were medical programs-one on hyper- nounced it would set up its own television scious of pacing, local news still demands tension, addressed particularly to the studios to facilitate interviews between very short stories and brief sound bites Middle East, the other with artificial local stations and top Administration of- (excerpts from taped interviews), which heart experts Robert Jarvik and William ficials, including the President. Protests usually leaves little room for analysis or DeVries. from professional journalistic organiza- skepticism. These bureaus have been a USIA officials believe the single most tions stopped that plan cold, but even joy to congressmen, who use TV's mania effective conference was the one held just without studio facilities on the premises for brevity to produce what amount to after the Soviets announced they were the White House is able to use the new video press releases. As politicians, what dropping out of the Los Angeles Olym- outside services-Local Program Net- they want mainly is visibility with their pics. A satellite session with Los Angeles work (LPN), Conus, or Viscom's V.I.P. constituents, especially visibility as re- Mayor Tom Bradley and Olympics com- satellite -interview network. sponsible public servants. mittee president Peter Ueberroth was An Administration official can go to Because they too have much to gain carried live throughout Asia and much of the Washington studios of LPN, for in- from harnessing the new technologies, Africa; the USIA credits this conference stance, and do serial interviews-run- congressmen of either party are not likely with convincing some wavering neutral ning five to 10 minutes each-with the to fret over the fact that, from now on, nations to stay in the games. anchors of key stations in many of the Presidents will have such new tools at But Worldnet's successes on behalf of largest cities, thus handling a batch of in- their disposal that they will be able to the Administration could well be offset terview requests in a single sitting. Mem- sidestep the press at will and conduct di- by the growing irritation of foreign cor- bers of the station consortium pay sev- plomacy without diplomats. respondents who are based in Washing- eral hundred dollars a week for the Reagan now has the ability to control ton. "Maybe they [in the Administration] service, which allows them to lay claim to the kinds of media that can put him in think it's easier to speak to people who a news exclusive even though it's a multi - direct touch with the people, and con- don't know what's going on here," said city exclusive and may smack of propa- gressmen who are enjoying similar ad- Le Monde Washington correspondent ganda. vantages are likely to say, "More power Bernard Guetta. "And maybe it's good This development heats up the rivalry to him." More power to the President is fora small news outlet. But I should think between network and local -station televi- an issue to ponder. The new technologies their target would be the most influential sion news. give the Chief Executive a sales appa- media." Says Lou Adler, president of the Ra- ratus for his policies that no previous Exacerbating their disgruntlement are dio -Television News Directors Associa- President has ever had. If that should comments like the one by an Italian jour- tion: "The Administration has no less a prove to upset the American system of nalist who, after a satellite session with right to use facilities to get its message checks and balances or in some other way arms-control director Adelman, wrote: across than any trade association. We all alter our form of government, then we "One doesn't have to go to Washington to want to present ourselves in the best pos- may all wonder one day, in another Ad- enter into contact with the principal rep- sible light. It's a good thing if Mr. Reagan ministration, why we didn't keep it from resentatives of the Administration." becomes more available to journalists happening back when we could.

24 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 www.americanradiohistory.com 9 8 5

Ie1ebrating those who set the highest standards in the electronic media.

This special section is sponsored by the Mobil Corporation, which participated solely as sponsor and did not influence the editorial decisions.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85 Channels 25

www.americanradiohistory.com MOBIL MASTERPIECE THEATRE

TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON 1985-86 CONTINUOUS SUPPORT OF PUBLIC TELEVISION MADE POSSIBLE BYA GRANT FROV Mobil

1985 Mob., Corporator

www.americanradiohistory.com A YBODY AMED BRANDO

Working for different networks, the namesakes share a reputation among Hollywood producers as the best programmers to work with.

BY LEE MARGULIES

hen television Brandon gives more latitude to writers and producers talk about the creator to execute his vision. excellence among network pro- Of all the network executives I've gram executives, two names pop ever worked with, he has been the up with unflagging regularity. Ac- most contributive and the most tually, one name. supportive." It happened earlier this year at Tartikoff, 36, president of a Harper's forum concerning pro- NBC Entertainment for the last gram quality. Producer Norman five years, is very much in the Lear and the other panelists were thick of the network wars, having talking about what some of them engineered NBC's rise to second perceived as a disheartening lack place in the prime -time ratings of passion among network per- last season for the first time in a sonnel. ABC's Stoddard NBC's Tartikoff decade. What speaks even more Recalling that CBS founder to his programming prowess is William Paley and former presi- The two Brandons, Stoddard still approves ABC's TV movies the fact that he did it with shows dent Frank Stanton had infused and Tartikoff. Along with their and mini-series, and his infec- that have pleased both the audi- the network with a degree of first name and their Yale degrees tious enthusiasm and willingness ence and the critics-series such "showmanship and consummate ('58 and '70, respectively), they to take risks (with such acclaimed as Hill Street Blues, The Cosby theatrical intelligence" that still share a reputation in Hollywood projects as Roots, Masada, Show, Cheers, St. Elsewhere, persisted when he was working creative ranks as being among the Friendly Fire, The Day After, and Family Ties, Remington Steele, there in the 1970s, Lear said, best of their breed-the execu- Something About Amelia) remain and Miami Vice, along with such "The closest to that at the net- tives who oversee the develop- much appreciated by writers and provocative movies as The Burn- works now, in terms of passion, is ment, production, and scheduling producers. ing Bed and Fatal Vision. Brandon Tartikoff of NBC." of the entertainment programs "He's open to the creative "Brandon is a real risk -taker," "And I think," said Esther that are broadcast on the com- process more than a lot of other observes Stephen J. Cannell, co - Shapiro, executive producer of mercial television networks. [network] people who come in creator and executive producer of Dynasty, "that we had it when I Stoddard, 48, president of with a firm, prejudged point of two other NBC hits, The A -Team was working at ABC with Bran- ABC Motion Pictures since 1979, view as to what they want," says and Riptide. "He has real strong don Stoddard." doesn't have the day-to-day veteran producer George Eck- opinions about what he likes, but "Oh, yes," Lear interjected, involvement he once did in the stein (Masada, Tail Gunner Joe). he's not stubborn. He doesn't "and Brandon Stoddard! Any- supervision of the network's "They expect the producers to have a need to prove he's right. body named Brandon!" prime -time dramatic fare, but he execute that vision, whereas His only interest is in getting the

Lee Margulies writes about television for the Los Angeles Times.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 Channels 27

www.americanradiohistory.com ANYBODY NAMED BRANDON

best show on the air." cameraman, and the composer; "And he does get excited," were different perceptions about Of course, asking television and even on hairstyles, costumes, notes Steven Bochco, co -creator what that failure meant, but I producers and writers to name and the way the film is edited. of Hill Street Blues. "He jumps never got a sense of after- the best network programming Like it or not-and, clearly, up and says, 'Holy cow!' and he shocks-that I was being pun- executives is like asking convicts most producers don't-these sounds like another writer or pro- ished or judged. That not only to name their favorite prisons: program executives are part of ducer in the room. I mean, he makes you feel good, it makes They can do it, but relative to the television landscape and must catches fire!" you feel cared about. It also what? be dealt with. "When the expen- Steve Cannell recalls working makes you feel more comfortable "A better question is whether ditures are so high, and when with Stoddard on a police series as you pursue your next project." network program executives are profit is the need, then the people called Stone: "He had a terrific "The telling point about any needed at all," suggests Gary who put up the money are going sense of humor about the work; network executive is the amount David Goldberg, executive pro- to have a say," reasons Paul his attitude was, 'We're going to of freedom you perceive you have ducer and co -creator of the NBC Junger Witt, one of the executive have some fun and make a great to pitch unconventional ideas," comedy series Family Ties. "I producers of ABC's Benson and show.' That gets you excited as a says Stan Margulies. "Where it is think it's fair to ask, 'Would tele- NBC's Golden Girls. "I don't writer. You say to yourself, 'I can truly open-where they listen vision be any different without think anyone who thinks clearly hardly wait to get started putting and, more importantly, encour- them? Would it be any worse?' " would deny they have a right to the words on paper.' " age you to bring in off-the-wall "If there were heaven on have their say." Stoddard's attitude is no acci- notions-then there's some ex- earth," says Stan Margulies, pro- It's what they say and, very of- dent. "Most successful pro- citement to it." ducer of Roots (with David L. ten, how they say it, that creates grams, whether in daytime or That's why Stoddard and ABC Wolper) and The Thorn Birds, most of the animosity between children's programming or prime wound up with Roots in 1977, he "you'd agree on the concept and producers and writers. And that's time or anywhere, happen be- says. Margulies and Wolper had the budget, and then the network where they draw the line between cause they're fun," he has said. been trying to come up with a would say, 'OK, go do the pro- good network executives and "I really believe that ... if there multi -part, multi -generational ject.' You'd go off and do it, and if bad. has been enthusiasm throughout, story for several years; ABC had it worked out well they'd give you "Many of them are inclined to it carries onto the screen." provided encouragement in the another one to do. They wouldn't bravado before reflection," com- Tartikoff "will laugh when you form of development money for need 73 people following you ev- plains Len Hill, a former TV tell him something funny; he'll two earlier, aborted efforts. "The ery step of the way." movie executive under Stoddard commit to a position," says Gary network realized we were on to at ABC and now executive pro- Goldberg. "A lot of guys will give something," he explains. "The ducer of ABC's The Insiders. everything they have to sitting on other things hadn't worked, but "The power is so massive that the fence. They'll try to psych it by the time we came in with they confuse their individual out 15 different ways. Brandon Roots, we knew it was right and strength with the strength of the will say, 'That's funny. I like they knew it was right." institution. They think they are that.' " Three years later came Ma- Olympians, when they are just on Goldberg recalls that when the sada, the mini-series about the Olympus." initial ratings for Family Ties ancient band of Jews who held off What is it, then, that the good were mediocre, Tartikoff called a Roman siege for two years, then here was Tsuch a ones do? To be successful, a net- him regularly to assure him that killed themselves rather than sub- time. Eckstein recalls that when work program executive obvi- NBC still believed in the series mit to capture. "It was a tremen- ABC first got into the "Movie of ously must have a strong sense of and wanted him to continue doing dous gamble," producer Eckstein the Week" business in the late what the massive television audi- just what he was doing. "That recalls. "It was not a soap opera; 1960s, Barry Diller was the only ence will respond to, of how to kind of support is very positive," it did not have any sex, and the network executive involved. schedule programs effectively, he says. "It keeps your energy fo- violence was minimal. But Bran- "Somehow the pictures got and of how to promote them. But cused on making the show better don was interested because of the made, and I don't think the qual- in developing commercially suc- without worrying about other quality of the writing and the im- ity was any different," he says cessful programs that are also sat- things." portance of the subject. It was a pointedly. isfying and even possibly enrich- Tartikoff is not just a fair- gutsy decision." But times have changed, and ing, the best of the network weather friend, either, says "You have to know all the rules ABC, CBS, and NBC are not eas- programmers exhibit a variety of Bochco. It's easy to maintain a and regulations, and then you ily confused with heaven on more subtle qualities. good network/supplier relation- have to be able to break them earth. As costs have risen and Stoddard is "one of the few ship when the show is a hit; the all," Stoddard has said. "Rules competition has intensified, the guys who, when you walk into his true measure of support comes and regulations equal a 28 share. networks have introduced prac- office, actually listens to you," after there's been a bomb, as You're never going to do better tices usually associated with says Leonard Goldberg, execu- NBC and Bochco experienced in than a 28 share. Only when you manufacturing, assigning pro- tive producer of Something 1983 with the short-lived dra- have the courage to try something gram executives to monitor every About Amelia and numerous matic series Bay City Blues, new, something that hasn't been phase of the production process ABC action series. "And he lis- about a minor league baseball seen or done before, then you are for "quality control." They "con- tens to you with a positive look on team. going to do well." sult" with the producers on the his face that says, 'Maybe he's "I felt Brandon understood Tartikoff is "very direct about writing of the script; on the hiring brought me something great that I that we all shared that failure," what he likes and doesn't like," of the director, the actors, the can get excited about.' " Bochco maintains. "Maybe there Bochco says. "He jumps in and

28 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85

www.americanradiohistory.com Apart from the

has a million suggestions, but he enthusiasm embarrassing pilots that came doesn't labor under the assump- from the same loins." tion that just having had an idea "Network executives," Mar- entitles him to impose it. He sees even passion they gulies observes, "are in the posi- himself as a participant in a proc- tion of first having to satisfy the ess, as opposed to the architect of corporate need for a certain num- the process." ber of series, movies, and mini- Cannel! credits Tartikoff with display for new projects, series that deliver a certain share. coming up with the idea for The The problem with a lot of them is A -Team. Gary Goldberg credits that there is nothing beyond that; him with "making the success of it is their raison d'être. The good Family Ties possible" by encour- the Brandon are respected ones realize what a terrific po- aging him during the first season dium they are speaking from and to shift the focus from the rela- that substance must be allowed to tionship of the parents to the infor their willingness creep in from time to time." teraction among all the family He and many other producers members. believe a certain amount of passion is necessary to achieve this to take risks. goal, but Barney Rosenzweig, executive producer of CBS's Cag- nev & Lacey, disagrees. "It's almost antithetical to say 'network executive' and 'passion,' " Rosenzweig argues. "If you had passion. you'd go off and do it yourself! If you had passion,

s with Stoddard. why would you sit behind a desk Tartikoff's supporters say he will and allow other people to put fight for the points he believes in, their names on your ideas'? but at the same time is willing to What's needed," he feels. "is change his mind if the producer or good taste and the good judgment writer advances a persuasive ar- to hire people who know what gument for another idea. Cannell they're doing-and to leave them recalls that Tartikoff overruled alone to do it." him on a casting decision for the Stoddard and Tartikoff don't pilot of The A -Team, opting for an have perfect records in this re- actor whom Cannell thought was gard but, more than most of their too young for the character of peers, have avoided the common Face. When he saw the finished pitfall of believing that The Net- film, Cannell says, Tartikoff ad- work Always Knows Best. mitted his mistake and ordered Instead they seem to approach the part recast with an older actor their work in much the way that (Dirk Benedict). Gary Goldberg wishes all net- "Brandon has infused his work work program executives would: and his relationships with a very as coaches and cheerleaders positive attitude." Paul Junger whose job it is to recruit the right Witt says. "You walk away from players and then to offer the guid- needed a meeting with him, whether your ance and encouragement idea has been accepted or re- to get them to do their best. jected. feeling that you are re- "I credit Brandon Tartikoff spected. It's a very welcoming at- with turning Family Ties around. titude. instead of one of 'show But," Goldberg notes, not a little sardonically, "if he hadn't had us Although he once wanted to be doing the show, what would he around?" a writer and producer, Tartikoff have had to turn clearly recognizes that he isn't. "R's very easy to have an idea," A Brandon sampler (clockwise he has said. "It's another thing to ABC's Friendly spend the next five years writing from the top): Day After; NBC's episode after episode. For every Fire, and The and The good idea I've had, there is a Fatal Vision Burning morgue of horrible scripts and Bed.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85 Channels 29

www.americanradiohistory.com O\ TOP OF THE SEWS I\ PRIME TIME

A nightly program that provides context for world events has in four years become an important journalistic institution.

BY MARTIN KNELMAN

an reruns of Dallas third of all English-speaking adult and Three's Company do what Canadians watch the program. the War of 1812 failed to do-de- Already The Journal's influ- stroy Canada's will for national ence extends beyond Canada be- survival and deliver it into the cause it has become the world's hands of the Americans? That's largest producer of television only a slight simplification of the documentaries, exporting many view of nationalists north of the to foreign broadcasters. "The border when they argue that En- Journal's international reporting glish-speaking Canada is being is superior to anything I've ever colonized by cable television. seen on any North American net- The state-owned Canadian work," says Les Crystal, execu- Broadcasting Corporation has al- tive producer of PBS's MacNeill ways had the mandate of holding Members of The Journal's senior editorial staff in conference. Lehrer NewsHour, which uses the country together, reflecting more than 20 Journal documenta- its scattered regions to one an- the CBC's audience in the crucial the network moved its flagship ries a year from such places as other, but CBC television, tar- 10 -to-I1 -P.M. time slot, creating a newscast, The National, back Lebanon, Pakistan, Chile, and nished by commercials and im- formidable journalistic institution one hour from 11 P.M. to 10 P.M. Ethiopia. Crystal, a former presi- ported American entertainment in less than four years and giving and coupled it with the all -new dent of NBC News, ranks The series, hasn't enjoyed the same the CBC a strong new identity Journal. The tandem not only Journal "among the best in the respect as its higher -minded sib- and sense of purpose just when it took viewers away from the U.S.- world." ling rival, CBC radio. was most sorely needed. It also produced series on other chan- In a way, the program is the Now, however, CBC-TV has gives Canada the first hopeful nels, but also drew some 500,000 CBC's attempt to revive its great something to crow about. Its five- sign in more than a decade that it Canadians who previously hadn't days of current affairs program- nights -a-week, prime-time infor- has a fighting chance to resist been watching any television at ming. In the 1950s, when Cana- mation hour-a 22 -minute news- American domination of its air- that hour. dian viewers had fewer choices cast called The National, waves. Mark Starowicz, The The Journal wins 22 to 25 per- on the dial, CBC television had a followed by a daring 38 -minute Journal's executive producer, cent of viewers, remarkably large huge audience. Current affairs current affairs program, The talks only half-jokingly of his mis- shares for Canada, where much programs were the CBC's great- Journal-has turned out to be a sion to "stop the Americans at the of the urban population can est achievements between 1952, surprising hit. Going head -to - border." choose among a dozen or more when the network went on the air, head with popular entertainment It was a rare stroke of boldness Canadian and U.S. channels. and 1966, when the abrasive This shows, the package has doubled for the CBC in early 1982 when Over the course of a week, one Hour Has Seven Days (a precur-

Martin Knelman writes on film, theater, and the media for Toronto Life, Saturday Night, and other publications.

30 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com sor of 60 Minutes) was killed off would get The Journal on the air. on a screen in the studio. by CBC management. That the He assembled a staff of 136, most The Journal's dominant on -air CBC took the risk, 16 years later, of whom work in the program's figure is host Barbara Frum, who of launching The Journal was crowded Toronto headquarters, is backed up by a co -host (Mary largely due to the policies of CBC and was allocated an annual Lou Finlay, Keith Morrison, or vice president Peter Herrndorf, budget of $14 million (Canadian), Bill Cameron). Frum is a deter- who later left the network. or slightly more than $10 million mined interviewer who, as host of Behind the CBC's decision to (U.S.). As It Happens on CBC radio in launch The Journal lay the notion What's most striking about the the 1970s, became probably the that if it could create one prime - Journal unit is its collective most successful personality in the time hour that revealed the coun- youth. Starowicz needed people history of Canadian broadcast- try to itself-and saw the rest of the with limitless energy who would ing. On The Journal, she con- world from a uniquely Canadian be prepared to give up their pri- tinues to go after information as if viewpoint, the network would be vate lives for the show-and The Journal it were a moral crusade. She plots on the way to justifying its exis- brought along a number of bright the strategy of each interview and tence and continued tax support. colleagues from CBC radio. "It has achieved often keeps questioning a guest But even before the show got on really was the Children's Cru- after the taping has ended. Unlike the air, jealousy toward the pro- sade," says one observer. "They Ted Koppel of ABC's Nightline, gram was rampant among CBC saw themselves as amateurs a global she doesn't often have the luxury employees, partly because those learning on the job. To an out- of long conversations; a typical working on other programs knew sider they seemed arrogant, but influence Journal interview lasts only four it was eating up big chunks of the they needed the arrogance to or five minutes. CBC budget, and partly because keep themselves from being over- through its it was getting so much attention. come by self-doubt. Without that The Journal's cocky style pre- they couldn't get their show on sented an irresistible target, and the air. The first year of anything documentaries. the people who ran it were re- Mark does is always a disaster, garded as brash upstarts. because he's inventing as he goes along. This creates a special elec- tricity; everyone is running scared. They're terrified somebody is going to find them out." illions of Ca- From the start the producers nadians feel they have a personal decided to shoot with electronic relationship with her-that she newsgathering (ENG) equipment represents them and asks the rather than film cameras. ENG is questions they'd ask. They write highly mobile and there's no wait- her, phone her, approach her in xecutive producer ing for film to be processed. The shops and restaurants. "People Starowicz, for one, with his driv- ENG image looks crisper and talk to me because they feel they ing energy and brusque charm, more modern than a film image know me," Frum says. "It's like a comes across like the protagonist and has the look of live coverage. fast friendship system or meeting in an updated electronic version The Journal also turned to a lot of cousins you didn't know of The Front Page. He came to technology to get interviews you had." Montreal as a boy with his immi- without bringing guests to studios Yet others regard Frum as grant Polish parents and devel- or resorting to expensive, ex- abrasive, maybe because they oped the temperament of a muck- tremely cumbersome live televi- don't yet feel comfortable with raker. By the age of 25 he had sion relays. Starowicz and his any woman who makes no apol- been fired by two major newspa- team solved the problem by re- ogy for sounding aggressively in- pers and investigated by the viving the flexible and economic telligent in public. Barbara Frum Royal Canadian Mounted Police. "double -ender" interview tech- is not "nice," if the personifica- He became the whiz kid of CBC nique developed in television's tion of niceness is those fluffy radio in the 1970s by producing creatively explosive early days young blondes, with their veneers two phenomenally popular pro- by CBS's See It Now. In a Jour- of hominess, who flourish on grams-As It Happens, a nightly nal double-ender, interviewer show featuring long-distance and guest can't see one another. phone interviews, and Sunday They converse by audio lines Morning, a three-hour magazine while a crew videotapes the (From top) Feisty executive pro- featuring audio documentaries. guest. Later the pictures go by ducer Mark Starowicz oversees a Moving into television, Staro- satellite to Toronto, where, young and vigorous staff of 136; wicz had to put together the peo- through the magic of electronic host Barbara Frum; and backup ple, format, and technology that editing. the guest's face appears host Mary Lou Finlay.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 Channels 31

www.americanradiohistory.com ON TOP OF THE NEWS IN PRIME TIME The Journal offers a

U.S. morning shows. more dispassionate pastime at upscale dinner parties. But The Journal is more than a Most Canadians, in fact, have a good beyond -the -headlines inter- special love/hate relationship view show in the Nightline mode, slant on world events with the CBC based on the feeling thanks to its documentary unit, that they own it, and even people known for the excellence of its who don't like The Journal can't foreign reportage (about 30 per- stop talking about it. cent of its interview and docu- than American TV. In less than four years the twin mentary pieces have non -Cana- weeknightly programs have be- dian topics). Indeed, a few stars come Canada's most important have been born in the unit. One journalistic institution, as influ- was Peter Kent, whose reports ential and authoritative as the from Africa were the high point of country's newspaper of record, the program's first season (after Toronto's Globe and Mail. The spending the next year as one of Journal is already regarded as the Toronto -based hosts, Kent setting a standard of excellence. moved to NBC News). Another It's where college kids thinking of star is Ann Medina, whose re- a journalistic career want to ports from the Middle East are so work. riveting and memorable that peo- The program has given the ple who have seen them tend to CBC a nightly national platform look at all developments in that and a chance to cover world region through her eyes. In her re- events without the pressures ports from Lebanon, she ex- faced by American networks. Its plained the background and vari- cool, detached tone and air of ous factions more vividly than calm neutrality seem definitively even the most sophisticated Canadian. It has become so much newspaper accounts. She gives a part of Canada's psychic land- viewers not just another forgetta- scape, it's hard to remember that ble item from the far side of the only four years ago it didn't exist. world, but a self-contained drama When you check into a hotel, with special impact. switch on the TV, and catch that theme music, fol- The Journal is at its best when boom -boom it takes dramatic risks, often with lowed by the let's -get -down -to - long documentaries on subjects business facial expression of Bar- bara you know that are not topical, such as Vichy Frum-that's how France and questionable cancer you're in Canada. treatments. Buoyed by this success, Mark Starowicz harbors fantasies of even greater triumphs. Journal documentaries, already shown in 20 countries outside of Canada, are already offering an alternative, more dispassionate slant on world affairs than the one offered by the American news media. So why couldn't The Journal be ven the biggest beamed by satellite to every cor- Journal boosters know the pro- ner of the planet where there is an gram has problems. Its arts cov- English -language audience ready erage, once disgraceful, is still un- for information without any even. It has never succeeded in American bias? Starowicz may covering business as effectively no longer be content with stop- as it covers sports. And The Jour- ping the Americans from crossing nal's lead item at 10:22 too often the border-he may turn out to be seems like a rehash of news pre- a closet imperialist. sented at 10:00 on The National. But the initially venomous press Star reporter Ann Medina (ut top) response to the program has sub- ducking bullets in Lebanon; inter- sided, although complaints about viewing a Saskatchewan farmer; The Journal are still a favorite and at a mosque near Cairo.

32 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com The Mobil Television Season on PBS 1985-86 Masterpieces Masterpiece Theatre 9pm Sundays, Begins October 13 The Good Soldier The Last Place on Earth The Irish R.M. II Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy The Tale of Beatrix Potter Bleak House The Jewel in the Crown By the Sword Divided I

MYSTE lEAS!

Mystery! 9pm Thursdays, Begins October 24 Death of an Expert Witness Agatha Christie's Miss Marple The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes II Charters & Caldicott Partners in Crime I & II My Cousin Rachel Praying Mantis Agatha Christie Mysteries & Specials Pride of Place: Building the American Dream The Compleat Gilbert & Sullivan The TV Businessman The Living Planet King Lear from Mobil

1985 Mobil Corporation

www.americanradiohistory.com Mobil Masterpiece Theatre presents Charles Dickens' BLEAK HOUS Starring Diana Rigg & Denholm Elliott An eight -part series begins

Sunday, December 1 at 9 PM on PBS Check local listings Host: Alistair Cooke

Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce No man alive could understand it- or settle it.

C:1 closed captioned for hearing impaired viewers Bleak House is available in paperback from Bantam Books.

Mobil

www.americanradiohistory.com THE I\CREDIBLE THINKING HEADS

Fred Friendly and Stuart Sucherman have invented a new form of informational television-nonfiction drama.

BY MICHAEL I. MEYEKSON

hen critics pants in a semicircle and ask them praise television programs for to respond to questions posed by their effective drama, they're a moderator, as well as to each usually talking about script- other's remarks. This may sound writers' fictional creations. But a like a recipe for utter boredom, small production unit at Colum- but the results have been any- bia University, working with "hy- thing but lifeless. The partici- potheticals"-a hybrid of fiction pants, including preeminent jour- and nonfiction-has given us nalists, attorneys, judges, some of the most dramatic mo- military and religious leaders, ments seen recently on televi- and physicians, are required to sion. Dealing with potentially confront not only the most diffi- stultifying legal and political top- cult issues of their professions, ics, the productions of Media and Fred W. Friendly briefs The Military and the News Media group. but also the very people who rep- Society Seminars have created resent opinions diametrically op- what might be called, borrowing a regrettably." the press. Besides its best-known posed to their own. "Our job," phrase, a genuine "theater of in- "I think that's terrible," Chan- product, the I3-part 1984 PBS se- says Friendly, "is to make the ag- formation." cellor shot back, his voice full of ries The Constitution: That Deli- ony of the decision -making pro- Some of the programs' most emotion. "I think you ought to cate Balance, the group has process so intense that it can only be moving scenes occur when well- talk about all the brave reporters duced the two-part Anatomy of a escaped by thinking." known figures step out of their who have covered all these Libel Case, aired by PBS last The programs grew out of a calm public personas and reveal a things. ...The press has differ- summer, this year's three-part series of Ford Foundation- passion usually kept well in hand. ent responsibilities in this world, PBS series The Military and the sponsored private seminars in- NBC correspondent John Chan- and we're trying to do it as best News Media, and three Eye on tended to improve understanding cellor, for example, could barely we can. But to imply that Ernie the Media programs for CBS. The between journalists and jurists. contain his anger when former Pyle was a patriot and the rest of producers have plans to expand Friendly and Stuart Sucherman Defense Secretary James R. Sch- us are not-I won't accept that." into new subject territory with an started the seminars in 1974 with lesinger asserted that the press Media and Society Seminars, eight -part series on health care, funding from the foundation and could not be trusted to keep se- headed by the noted former CBS for broadcast a year from now, various newspapers. To focus the cret a surprise military action. News producer Fred W. and a broad 13 -part series on discussion, moderators Arthur Referring to a legendary war cor- Friendly, has specialized so far in ethics. Miller and Charles R. Nesson, respondent, Schlesinger said, explicating legal and political is- For each program, the pro- both Harvard Law School profes- "The age of Ernie Pyle is dead, sues, particularly those involving ducers assemble 15 to 25 partici- sors, put forth a hypothetical

Michael I. Meyerson teaches at the University of Baltimore Law School.

SEPTEMBER 'OCTOBER ('h(t7f71elS 35

www.americanradiohistory.com THE INCREDIBLE THINKING HEADS

problem and asked participants to make the final program more get. And I think the profession is how they would deal with it in real credible and incisive. obligated to give it to him." life. The exchange apparently Media and Society casts each It is testimony to the panelists' helped improve understanding program with exceptional thor- concise speech and, perhaps even between the two groups of profes- oughness. Friendly has long indi- more, to the moderators' effec- sionals, according to Friendly. vidual talks with the panelists to tiveness, that the programs' crisp "We were able to keep the judges make sure they understand how dialogues have undergone only and journalists talking. No shout- the program will work and to minimal videotape editing. In two ing and no speeches." guarantee a proper mix of opin- respects, that editing differs from When Friendly moved from ions. Panelists have included usual television practice: First, the Ford Foundation to. Colum- Morley Safer of 60 Minutes and the dialogue is kept in original se- bia's Graduate School of Journal- William P. Tavoulareas, presi- quence. Second, in cutting down ism in 1981, the seminars went dent of Mobil Oil; Alexander a three-hour seminar to fit a one - with him, and their format was Haig and columnist Sydney hour broadcast, only "macro ed- adapted for television. Professors Schanberg; Right To Life leader The Seminars' iting" is done. For example, the Miller and Nelson were cast again Mildred Jefferson and Phil Dona- editors will use a 28 -minute chunk as moderators, along with Benno hue. The panelists must be sharp. `hypotheticals' of dialogue that "works," and C. Schmidt Jr., dean of Colum- When they arrive for the actual then reject the next 23 minutes. bia's Law School. Using a kind of taping, they don't know what They do no "micro editing," such dialogue that Friendly calls "a questions to expect. frequently as deleting part of a panelist's mix of Socrates and Phil Dona- While the big names receive statement. hue," they use piercing questions most of the attention, lesser - parallel These practices were chosen to to stimulate responses that go known panelists have contributed preserve the seminars' integrity, deeper than the usual pat strong comments based on their according to Friendly. And, in- answers. experience. For a program on real events. deed, a viewer watching the free- The basis for discussion may criminal justice, Friendly sought wheeling discussion gets the im- be hypothetical situations, but a judge who deals daily with diffi- pression that it really happened they aren't pulled from thin air. cult constitutional issues, such as that way. The producers can One question was whether re- the defendant's right to a fair jury choose among pictures from six porters should accompany troops trial. The panelist he selected, on or seven television cameras on a surprise invasion of the fic- the recommendation of another trained on different panelists and tional country Sierra Madre-an judge, was R. Eugene Pincham of on the moderator, and never need issue familiar because of the the Circuit Court of Cook to fake a reaction shot. Grenada invasion. In another County, Illinois. The end products are compel- program, the proposition was that ling and informative, as well as word had leaked to the press that credible. The viewer not only the military was planning to learns some facts (what kinds of launch a secret spy satellite. Two evidence can be excluded in a weeks after the seminar was trial), but also becomes privy to videotaped, the Washington Post professional decision -making broke the story of a secret mili- processes (how a reporter checks tary cargo on the space shuttle, out a questionable source). and the program was hurriedly While the programs of the Me- prepared for broadcast the day af- he case before the dia and Society Seminars always ter the shuttle launch in January. judge and the other panelists in- deal with complex and controver- Once they've selected the ba- volved a man accused of raping a sial topics, they never insult the sic hypothetical case, Friendly, nun and slashing 27 crosses on viewer with facile solutions. The Sucherman, and the moderator her body with a knife. (According seminars are not meant to change prepare a "script" of questions- to Friendly, an especially gro- minds but to open them, Friendly essentially a road map of topics tesque crime was selected to says. They have indeed opened they want to cover. Friendly says "test the limits of the system.") minds, not only about the impor- he tries to maintain an "agony When defense lawyers joked that tant issues they address, but also quotient"-every five to seven they wouldn't want to take the about the ability of television to minutes, at least one question case without being guaranteed a inform, enlighten, and entertain should cause a panelist to un- large fee, Judge Pincham shook by treating viewers with dergo the discomfort of forced his head almost sorrowfully. respect. introspection. Someone asked whether he him- Using the script's questions, self would have represented "the the moderator does dry runs with scum of the earth." The judge's (Top) Moderator Benno Schmidt; well -versed stand-ins for the real reply was eloquent: "He needs (middle) Judge Patricia M. Wald panelists. Their objectives: to representation more so than the and Edmund S. Muskie; (bottom) shoot holes in the original script; elite ... He needs the best he can Dan Rather.

36 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85

www.americanradiohistory.com MYSTE' PRESENTS

BASED ON F.D. JAMES' r EATH OF XPERT WITNES LACE SUSPECT WAS A MASTER AT FINDING CLUES - AND HIDING THEM

Starring: Roy Marsden A 6 -part series begins Thurs. Oct. 24, 9PM on IBS Check local lutin Host: Vincent Price

Closet -captioned for hcstr nu impaired c H werS ,,atfi Of In Eefirrt t['ït,rekc puh ishrd h} Warne! Ho >ks, available in local ha16stores. Mobil

www.americanradiohistory.com THE HEART OF COU\TRY

Oprii

A single radio program on a small -city station has spawned an enormous industry and turned Nashville into one of the world's cultural capitals.

BY BOB ALLEN

iddle in hand, venera- of the Nashville Network, which ble country star Roy Acuff strides Opryland USA, the Opry's par- onto the Grand Ole Opry stage ent company, owns jointly with and launches into his gospel - Group W Satellite Communica- flavored classic, "The Great tions. "The Opey has quickly be- Speckled Bird"-the same song come the most popular half hour he performed nearly 50 years ago on the network," says Lloyd in his Opry debut. The crowd, Werner of Group W. "Nielsen 4,400 strong on this typical Satur- told us it reached an average of day night, responds with hearty 486,000 households in June." applause and an almost blinding This flirtation with a big cable spray of flashbulbs as Acuff kicks audience has not tempted the off yet another evening of the The "Queen" of country comedy, Minnie Pearl, and the "King" o/ Opry to change its formula of world's longest continuously run- country music, Roy Acuff, hold court on the Opry stage. music, dance, vaudeville -type ning live radio show. humor, and old-time religion. The crowd loves Acuff and the tear up the place with some show. Listeners in more than 30 "We have no control over the other singers and pickers milling "kickass country." states hear the Opry's five -hour Opry," says Werner. "We're sim- around on the stage behind him. Whatever their preference, the broadcasts Friday and Saturday ply putting a television camera in Many of these fans once huddled Opry, for them, is the Mother nights on the powerful 50,000 - the Opry House and televising a around old Philco radios-in Church of Country Music. It has watt WSM. Even the station does radio show." backwoods cabins, Depression- nurtured an indigenous American not pretend to know exactly how Not that the Opry would allow era camps, stateside Army bar- music and, in an era obsessed many people listen. Multi -state any such intrusions. It has en- racks, cold Northern cities, even with newness, has kept it remark- rating surveys aren't ordinarily dured by resisting change, by cul- prison cells-to hear the comfortably true to its rural origins. This done for such clear -channel tivating an audience that prefers ing sounds of hillbilly radio on has kept hundreds of thousands stations as WSM that, at night, country music the way it used to Nashville's WSM. These old- of the faithful coming to the Opry reach far beyond radio's normal be. "The Opry is almost like a time Opry fans wouldn't mind House every year. And recently range. Anyway, the station says it beacon in a troubled and rather hearing some of the string -band it has been drawing hundreds of doesn't need to know or brag confused world," says Grant music that was so popular in the thousands more to the new half- about its Opry ratings; it claims to Turner, the gentle 73 -year-old early barn -dance radio days. hour Opry show on cable televi- have more advertisers than time who has been the show's on -air Others, younger and a little row- sion's Nashville Network. to sell. announcer since 1944. dier, would just as soon hear But the Opry is still, after 60 The half-hour cable segment While most country radio sta- Hank Williams Jr. and his band years, first and foremost a radio was added last April to the lineup tions have drifted toward pop -

Bob Allen is a writer who specializes in country music.

38 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com influenced "crossover" music, when his popularity rivaled Frank pack the three to eight shows the Grand Ole Opry remains one Sinatra's. Two middle-aged staged every week by the Opry, of the few national showcases for women ask if he'll pose for pic- paying from $6 to $10 a ticket. On genuinely rural entertainment. tures with them. "This is the high Friday night and again on Satur- Superstars Dolly Parton, Barbara point of my life," one whispers as day, WSM broadcasts two Mandrell, and Loretta Lynn are she stands with her arm around shows, each two -and -a -half- among the Opry's 60 official Acuff. "I come from North Caro- hours long. members, but they appear infre- lina, so far back in the hills they "Roughly a million people a quently compared to the main- had to pump in the sunlight. But year come to the theme park, and stay members, several dozen gen- on Saturday nights we always got After 60 years, a large percentage of them also go erally older and lesser known the Grand Ole Opry on the radio, to the Opry. Most come to do artists whose work has the rustic and we always heard Roy Acuff." and despite both," says Tom Griscom, an values of earlier decades. There "You're mighty young to be Opryland USA vice president. is, for example, the broad com- sayin' that!" Acuff teases the being televised Some 900,000 visitors a year edy of Minnie Pearl, the "high, woman, who is at least 50. make the pilgrimage, traveling an lonesome" bluegrass sound of The Opry itself, like the artists' average of 940 miles, round trip. Bill Monroe, the cowboy songs of and the fans' enthusiasm for it, is on cable, the This nostalgic appeal to the Riders in the Sky, Acuff's moun- spontaneous. The only scripts faithful has kept the Opry largely tain ballads, and the intricate used are for the live commercials Opry is still immune to music industry booms dancing of the Stoney Mountain delivered on behalf of longtime and busts-including the current Cloggers. advertisers such as Martha White downturn that, according to The show's warmth has kept it Foods, Coca-Cola, and Beechnut mostly a Variety, has seen country music's on the air, says Minnie Pearl, who Chewing Tobacco. Each of the share of record sales slip from 16 has been regaling Opry audiences roughly 25 performers who ap- radio show. to 9 percent since the early 1980s. with her guileless humor since pear on a given show performs Since the 1950s, the program 1940. "The people on the Opry two or three songs. The overall has become less and less a na- have tried to make those people feeling is something of a cross tional showcase for the week's listening believe that they are between a Saturday night hoe- country hit parade and increas- singing and talking directly to down and a Sunday -morning ingly something more akin to a them." church service. shrine for the preservation of the It testifies to the institution's The Opry's mystique was cap- country music of yesteryear. powerful appeal that Richard tured in the early 1970s by a New The Grand Ole Opry was the Nixon journeyed to the Opry in Yorker writer named Garrison brainchild of George D. Hay 1974, just five months before his Keillor. (His visits later inspired ("the Solemn Old Judge"), a resignation. Joking and playing him to start his own live national former newspaperman who had with Acuff's yo-yo on the Opry variety show, A Prairie Home gained national prominence as stage, the President made a last- Companion, on public radio.) announcer of the widely popular ditch bid for support from "You listen to the Opry, and National Barn Dance on Chicago grassroots America. pretty soon you have a place in radio station WLS. Hay decided mind-a stage where Uncle Dave to head south when the National [Macon] sang and told jokes and Life and Accident Insurance swung the banjo, where the Great Company of Nashville offered Acuff wept and sang 'The Great him a job as director of its new Speckled Bird,' where Hank Wil- station, WSM. Soon after his ar- liams made his Opry debut with rival in 1925, Hay put an 80-year - 'Lovesick Blues' ... where old fiddler named Uncle Jimmy Cousin Minnie Pearl calls out Thompson on the air for an hour. 'How -dee! l'm just so proud to be The response was powerful and, Bckstage at the Opry here!'-and eventually, you have within a month, Hay announced on a Saturday night there is al- to go and be there, too." the addition of a Saturday night most a family atmosphere. Musi- Go there they do. For three barn -dance show to WSM's cians and fans mingle as the clog- decades, fans went to sit on hard schedule, with "the Judge" him- gers' wooden heels echo sharply pews in a converted tabernacle, self as emcee. The Opry was in crowded hallways, and the the Ryman Auditorium in down- born, but it didn't get its playful spirited music of the Crook town Nashville. And they kept name until several years later Brothers' mountain string band going 11 years ago when the Opry when Hay coined it as a parody of spills out through the open door moved its home to the acousti- of a dressing room. cally perfect but somewhat sterile Ole Standbys: Bill Monroe (top) In his room, Roy Acuff holds $13.5 million Opry House, cen- called his band "The Bluegrass court for a stream of well- terpiece of a huge entertainment Boys" and thus named a musical wishers. Some can remember his complex, including a hotel and genre; Hank Snow; Loretta Lynn; commercial heyday in the '40s the Opryland theme park. They Grandpa Jones.

SEPTEMBER uCTUREI;S:3 Channels 39

www.americanradiohistory.com On the air, the Opry

THE I It'.AR'l' OF COI,'NTRI' has remained true to the "grand opera" broadcasts curtailed somewhat in 1980 when WSM was receiving from NBC. the Federal Communications At first the station's 1,000 -watt its origins but today is Commission gave permission for signal did not reach far beyond other broadcasters (750 miles or the hilly mid -Tennessee region. more from Nashville) to use the But National Life soon discov- same frequencies at night. (So far ered that free Opry tickets and far from a humble only one has done so.) But last other souvenirs were natural year the Opry expanded its range door -openers for its traveling when an Oklahoma City station salesmen. The station moved its began carrying the broadcast as a prize show to bigger and bigger enterprise. sort of network with WSM. halls and, in 1932, boosted its AM Long-term success in televi- signal to 50,000 watts. During the sion has eluded the Opry. Al- Depression the station reached The Opry's first home, the Ryman Auditorium (nearest), built in 1892, had though it had a brief run on ABC into some of mid -America's most wooden pews. The 11 -year-old Opry House is the center of a theme park television in the mid -'50s and oc- isolated farmlands, where no and houses a 300-seat TV studio. casional shows on PBS, the Opry other stations could be heard. hasn't had a large or affluent The Opry owed a lot to other enough audience to interest net- live radio shows that had pre- work television. ceded it, including WLS's Before joining the partnership National Barn Dance and the to put the Nashville Network on Louisiana Hayride on KWKH in cable television, Group W did Shreveport. Its musical direction some research and found that was strongly influenced by one of television was failing to serve the its first real stars, Uncle Dave country music audience. The sur- Macon, who joined the Opry in vey showed that a full 25 percent 1926. An extraordinary banjo - of American adults would watch player and comedian, Macon had country music on television or lis- a huge repertoire of folk songs, ten on the radio, and another 25 most of which he'd learned from percent would tune in for a Willie laborers, many of them black, in Nelson or Johnny Cash special, the late 1800s. But he was also a Lloyd Werner says. "The other seasoned vaudeville and minstrel 50 percent has never listened to or entertainer, and he gave the show watched a country music show, a new professional polish. Within and is not prone to do so," he a few years its singers' records adds. "So country music shows were competing in the national on the networks do not do well on Top 10 with those of popular ur- a regular basis." ban artists. "But 25 percent of the U.S. In 1939 the NBC radio network population is 50 million people," began carrying a 30 -minute live Werner emphasizes. Seven mil- segment of the Opry that featured lion are watching the Nashville its headlining acts. The Opry be- Network today, and the number came a magnet for numerous ris- is bound to expand as cable does. ing stars as well as millions of listeners. It attracted to Nashville With the support of that grow- the core of a music industry- ing audience, the Opry seems agents, publishers, technicians, destined to continue on its mean- and promoters-that would dering way, delightfully out of transform a quiet, undistin- step with changing times and mu- guished Southeastern city into sical trends. It remains an integral the mecca of country music that part of many Americans' Satur- has taken the appellation, "Music day nights, a symbol of stability City, U.S.A." as potent as the Statue of Liberty. The program outlived National As the late George D. Hay Life, which was swallowed up by once explained: "The principal American General Corporation in appeal of the Opry is a homey 1982. A year later, American one. It sends forth the aroma of General sold the Opry and related bacon and eggs frying on a properties to its present owner, kitchen stove on a bright spring Gaylord Broadcasting of Dallas. morning." Some things don't WSM's geographic reach was change. And that ain't all bad.

40 Chan riels SEPTEMBER OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com Mobil Masterpiece Theatre The presents: Last Place on Earth

Scott and Amundsen Starring Sverre Anker Ousdal, both wanted to be first Martin Shaw, Max Von Sydow, to the Pole. Susan Wooldridge One of them won. A six -part series begins Sunday The other became a hero. October 20 at 9PM on PBS Check local listings Host: Alistair Cooke

Based on The Last Place on Earth by Roland Huntford, published by Atheneum and Mobil® available in bookstores. IN Closed captioned for hearing impaired viewers 16ANNIVERSARY

www.americanradiohistory.com TV THEATER OF THE SUP ;RB

2 Ällt714« aiiitous

After more than a dozen years of trying, public television at last has a world -class showcase for drama.

131 JOI IN J. O'CONNOIZ

early a score of Theater in America, a once -vital years ago, in the seminal Carne- series that now has been ab- gie Commission report, E.B. sorbed and considerably cut back White envisioned noncommercial under the umbrella of Great Per- television as "our Lyceum, our formances. In the '70s, Barbara Chautauqua, our Minsky's, and Schultz launched Visions, an ad- our Camelot"-as an alternative mirable venture that ruffled too to the crass commercialism, the many bureaucratic feathers with sex -and -violence pabulum of tra- what was perceived as an overa- ditional TV. bundance of "ethnic" scripts. It hasn't exactly turned out that In 1970, Norman Lloyd, now a way because of unceasing pres- familiar face as the hospital ad- sures, some political, most finan- ministrator on St. Elsewhere, cial. In the area of significant David M. Davis founded American Playhouse in 1980. produced the modest Hollywood drama, certainly, many of us con- Television Theatre. Robert Gel- tinue to look to the British and American Playhouse, which will a haunting docudrama -like por- ler, an independent producer, had other foreign sources for tower- begin its fifth season in January. trait of New York's Chinatown, a brief but feisty run with Ameri- ing accomplishment. A Jewel in This year alone, for instance, and Three Sovereigns for Sarah, can Short Story. And occasion- the Crown or a Berlin Alexander- PBS viewers were given fine-in a three-part examination of the ally public broadcasting would platz still walks off, deservedly, some cases, superb-adaptations Salem witch trials. Some offer- huff and puff and bring forth with most of the world's presti- of James Baldwin's Go Tell /t on ings have flopped, but the peaks something on the order of The Ad- gious awards. the Mountain, Katherine Anne have been numerous enough to ams Chronicles. White yearned for public tele- Porter's "Noon Wine," Philip make the American Playhouse Enter American Playhouse. vision that would "arouse our Roth's Banff Award-winning The record mightily impressive. Announced late in 1980, it was dreams, satisfy our hunger for Ghost Writer (a rebroadcast from Public television has not had an rushed to air in January 1982-

beauty, take us on journeys . . two seasons ago), F. Scott easy time finding a dependable with speed and broad support un- restate and clarify the social di- Fitzgerald's "Under the Biltmore way of bringing quality drama to characteristic in the case of a new lemma and the political pickle." Clock," and Kurt Vonnegut's the screen. Over the past 15 public television series. David M. He added: "Once in a while it "Displaced Person." years, several "showcases" have Davis, who formerly dispensed does, and you get a quick glimpse And the roster of Playhouse been devised and, for assorted millions of Ford Foundation of its potential." presentations has not been lim- reasons, discarded or severely al- grants to public television, began Those occasions now come fre- ited to literary adaptations. The tered. Jac Venza, a veteran pro- developing the project two years quently on the weekly series season also included Nightsongs, ducer at WNET, put together before its debut and is still its ex -

John J. O'Connor is a television critic for The New York Times.

42 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85

www.americanradiohistory.com ecutive director; Lindsay Law is house were released in theaters perience-growing up in Harlem the executive producer, and by their producers before airing in the 1930s-that television too Miranda Barry the director of on PBS. They came to PBS with rarely touches, evidently because program development. the advantage of more pre -broad- stories about blacks are not sup- An organizational innovation cast publicity than public televi- posed to be popular, despite gave Playhouse its support within sion can usually afford. The ar- mounds of evidence to the the balkanized public television rangement worked neatly with contrary. system. Davis was first hired for such films as Lynne Littman's Going through the long list of the project jointly by WNET and Testament, the portrait of a fam- Big -time presentations in American Play- KCET, the big public television ily after nuclear war; Gregory house's first four seasons, one stations in New York and Los Nava's El Norte, about two Gua- can occasionally be puzzled. Angeles, but that arrangement temalan teenagers fleeing to the production Among them, for instance, is The was soon changed. "Given the United States; and producer Rob- Europeans, a misguided interpre- politics of public broadcasting, ert Young's Ballad of Gregorio budgets are tation of the Henry James novel. neither CPB nor PBS could go Cortez, the story of a historic But these are easily eclipsed by with just a New York -Los Texas manhunt. gained splendid performances-Vanessa Angeles partnership," recalls If such arrangements enable Redgrave in Three Sovereigns for Davis. "It had to be opened Playhouse to get on with the busi- Sarah, Claire Bloom in The Ghost wider." CPB gave the first big ness of turning out quality televi- through Writer, and Constance Cum- grant, not to one or two producing sion, more power to it. But the mings in Wings-and such ad- stations, but to a nonprofit con- basic approach is troubling. Al- innovative venturesome efforts as The Kill- sortium overseen by four: Los though there is some overlap being Floor, which pictures the Angeles's KCET, South Carolina tween what goes over in a movie early days of the labor movement ETV, Boston's WGBH, and New house and on television, there are deals. in the Chicago stockyards. York's WNET. distinct differences. Several top television writers Funding was also consolidated. Television over the years has arrived at a recent public forum in For next season, a total of $8.75 been developing and refining its New York with videotaped exam- million has been squeezed out of own forms, and they should be ples of their work. One was several sources: public television pursued further with care and Ernest Kinoy, a veteran whose stations ($4.25 million), the Cor- imagination. For that reason, it's credits stretch from major Her- poration for Public Broadcasting unsettling to learn that Playhouse bert Brodkin productions (Sko- ($3 million), the Chubb Group of is now co -producing IO films kie) to the forthcoming Gore Vi- Insurance Companies ($1 mil- aimed for release to movie houses dal's 'Lincoln' and a Home Box lion), and the National Endow- before being broadcast. Lindsay Office biography of Edward R. ment for the Arts ($500,000). But, Law emphasizes that these will Murrow. Revealingly, the tape as Davis quickly observes, there not be "watered-down made -for - Kinoy brought along was The is no way that a season of 22 pro- TV movies." But if Playhouse Cafeteria, an adaptation of an grams can be made for that sum. does not maintain a balance be- Isaac Bashevis Singer short story Remember that the cost of pro- tween its small -screen and big- that he had done for American duction for commercial television screen activities, public televi- Playhouse. Clearly, the project is now above $1 million an hour. sion will find itself with a series had been special for him, as the that might more aptly be named 1984 broadcast was special for American Movie House. some five million viewers who When the series has excelled it regularly tune in to the series. has been with projects that are The Cafeteria is not just an- quintessential television. Its mini- other TV movie, nor just an exer- series have been outstanding-not cise concocted by executives only the seven -part Oppenheimer, with their eyes on audience re- with Sam Waterston as the trou- search findings. It is a sensitive bled nuclear scientist, but also The adaptation, a careful distilling of o, in order to put to- File on Jill Hatch, a portrait of an the spirit of a serious writer. That gether a $20 million season, Davis American black woman with a is what American Playhouse is has entered into "commercial white British mother, and the about at its best. That is what partnerships" with outside inter- Emmy-winning Concealed Ene- public television should be about ests. Playhouse has shared pro- mies, a docudrama about the Alger all of the time. Perhaps, despite duction costs with foreign broad- Hiss -Whittaker Chambers espio- the money problems and formida- casters, studios, cable networks, nage trials. All three projects, as it ble pitfalls for a dramatic anthol- independent producers, and pri- happens, involved heavy British ogy, it still can be done. vate investors. In exchange, the participation. On another level, PBS series keeps only partial Go Tell It on the Mountain, pro- Among Playhouse's best: The rights to the programs. Several duced by Robert Geller, was the Ghost Writer (top), A Flash of films partially financed by Play- kind of thoroughly American ex - Green, El Norte, and Noon Wine.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85 Channels 43 www.americanradiohistory.com o

C:,

Closed captioned for hearing impaired viewers. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, published by Dell books, available in local bookstores.

www.americanradiohistory.com THE PRIDE OF DOROTHY S. BULLITT

The owner of Seattle's first television station has kept it creative and committed to public service.

ING-TV has oc- on public service, and KING over cupied a special place in its city's the years has devoted more than communal consciousness since its share of staff, budget, and air- 1949 when it began broadcasting time to traditional kinds of televi- to Seattle and the Puget Sound re- sion public service: documenta- gion. It's damnably difficult to ries, election coverage, public say just why, even for Seattleites service announcements, and who've been watching Channel 5, news. sometimes with affection, some- "In my opinion they adhere times exasperation, for well-nigh more than any other station to the 30 years. real reason a station has a li- What seems to set KING apart cense," says a New York adver- from its local competitors, and tising man who has dealt with from stations in many other cit- Dorothy Bullitt's character has defined KING -TV since 1949. KING for decades (but doesn't ies, is that it doesn't rely on con- want to be quoted by name). trived on -air personalities to win four Western states.. Mrs. Bullitt of cornering General David "And they put their public-ser- audiences. It relies on people just is now 92, and has not taken an Sarnoff in his private railway vice programs on in prime time, as they are. official role in station manage- compartment after a broadcast not at 2 A.M." Since 1949 the most important ment for a decade and a half, but it convention and making her case KING's newscasts come in of those people has been a lady is a rare day when she is not seen to him one-on-one. first in Seattle ratings at I I P.M., a named Dorothy S. Bullitt. In that in KING's corporate offices. Her But business seems never to close second at 5 P.M., but at 6:30 year, Mrs. Bullitt, daughter of a character defines KING as thor- have been Mrs. Bullitt's primary the station consciously risks com- lumber baron, was already in oughly now as it did 36 years ago. interest. She must have articu- ing in third. Rather than airing middle age and long widowed Mrs. Bullitt never acted the lated her basic attitude to her staff standard 6:30 newscasts like the when she acquired the license of role of public figure, nor that of many times over the years, be- competition's, KING devotes the Seattle's fast television station, tough businesswoman, though cause several present employees half hour to in-depth coverage of then designated KRSC. The sta- she was clearly capable of playing recall it in very much the same a maximum of three topics. tion is now called KING, and the corporate hardball when the need words: "There is no way I can As Mrs. Bullitt saw it, it was company she and her daughters arose: Station hagiography re- lose money in this business with a important for the news operation control, King Broadcasting, also cords that she "stole" network network affiliation in a growing to be well funded, strongly owns three other television sta- affiliation with NBC from the net- city, so this station is going to be staffed, and, above all, indepen- tions, seven radio stations, and work's longtime radio affiliate something 1 can be proud of." dent. "Independent," at KING, several small cable systems in KOMO by the simple expedient Pride, for Mrs. Bullitt, is based meant several different things,

Roger Downey is a Seattleite, an Obie-winning translator for the theater, and a contributing editor of the city paper The Weekly.

SEP'áEMBERIOCTOBERB5 Channels 45 www.americanradiohistory.com THE PRIDE OF DOROTHY S. IlI1LI,I'rr

among them independence from of Seattle's city paper, The Live, a Lettermanesque chat - the opinions of ownership. It also Weekly. But others stayed afloat, variety show with tinges of Mery meant independence from the and their idiosyncrasies, as much Griffin and Monty Python. prevailing winds of public opin- as their broadcasting skills or in- Greg Palmer is one of KING's ion. In 1964, Mrs. Bullitt's son, telligence, colored the station's people who embodies what's spe- Stimson, then station manager, image ineradicably. Even back in cial and valuable about the sta- took to the airwaves in person to black -and -white days, news an- tion. Physically ponderous, defi- state opposition to United States chor Charles Herring would un- antly balding, more dangerous - involvement in Vietnam. The ef- predictably depart from his sage, looking with a smile on his face fect-not just on the public or in no-nonsense Cronkite-style news - than most people would be armed local broadcast circles-was reading to interject flickers of an- with a club, Palmer is uncategori- enormous. Bullitt's lonely edito- gry -Jehovah judgment or Russell zable. For a number of years, he rial was probably largely respon- Baker irony. Editorialist Herb KING -TV lets served as the news department's sible for the notion that still lin- Altshull might as easily devote all -'round culture vulture and hu- gers in some circles that KING is one of his five-minute commen- its on -air morist, without ever stoop- "a left-wing operation." taries to a night at the opera as to ing to undignified clowning or From a detached point of view, goings-on at city hall. Investiga- Shalit-like fulsomeness. KING looks about as left wing as tive reporter Charles Royer (now people be During the same period, the American Bar Association, running for his third term as Seat- Palmer wrote, directed, and pro- but to some minds unpredictabil- tle's mayor) brought a trenchant duced (entirely within the news ity of any kind is a sign of unsound (and sometimes near -libelous) themselves. department and on a shoestring opinions: and KING, for better or personal edge to his exposés of budget) the very odd and charm- worse, has rarely been predicta- questionable economic and politi- ing satiric program The Year (So ble. In large part, that's due to the cal practices. Far) in Review. But he is also ca- kind of people KING has hired Giving individuals fairly free pable of feature reporting as good over the years. rein hasn't always been good for as any done today. Standing out ac- the station as a whole. Over the among the many reports that last nine years, there have been companied the celebration of the (including interim appointments) 40th anniversary of D -Day are eight news directors. Some seem Palmer's daily reports from Nor- to have suffered burnout from mandy-in particular a few ut- trying to ride herd on a staff of terly tactful but heart -wrenching argumentative individualists. The minutes spent with a veteran en- instability has shown up on the countered on the beaches looking air, and in the ratings: In recent for the place where his own life- line crossed the path of world his- n its early days, KING, like years, KING's Evening News has tory. all other television stations, had swung froni the top to a poor third to draw its news staff from the and back again, and a visible lack There are other people who've KING its distinctive on -air other media; but it continued to of clear news focus has contrib- given the do so long after communications uted to the swings. (At the mo- character over years-news as cool and capable degrees had become the common ment, under news director Don anchors such Mike first step to a broadcasting ca- Varyu, the trend seems to be up- Jean Enersen and James, host Bea reer. In the stormy 1970s, during ward, and the overall look and motherly morning -show the managership of Stimson Bul- pace of the Evening News is Donovan, sardonic reporter -edi- litt, the net was cast even wider. cleaner and tighter than it's been torialist Don McGaffin, all the "The theory was: Television was in a decade-with, so far, no loss way back to kiddie -show host of Boreson something that could be learned; in depth.) Individualism goes fur- the 1950s and '60s Stan his dog No - so look for people with good edu- ther at KING than allowing talk- and imperturbable Palmer who exhibits cations and interesting ideas and ing heads sometimes to talk like Mo. But it's most concen- throw them into the pot," says people. So far as outsiders can that character at its the sense of breathing, David Brewster, who was a junior judge, KING management seems trated: individual humanity English professor at the Univer- designed to allow room for vary- thinking, glimpsed through the peephole of sity of Washington when tapped ing opinions to be heard and for screen and extending to be an assignment editor for fresh ideas to surface. Instead of the small well beyond it. KING News. "If they sank, too filling every time slot with reli- bad; you gave someone else a able syndicated audience draws, chance." KING gives time to the young people (from Brewster himself was one of program wizard Bob Jones and Some of KING's Culture -reporter Greg Pal- the sinkers-though, after a stint his production department, top): mer; Pat Finley and Cliff Lenz; lo- on another KING venture, Seat- which usually has some experi- cal kids who host Flash; Stan tle magazine, he bounced back mental project on the air or in the Boreson and his dogs. nicely to become editor -publisher works. This season it was Almost

46 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 www.americanradiohistory.com Chaplin Geraldine Starring el-of death -was s most men she four-partan ang serieson e To -PBS Decemljerhecklocal listings ThThursday, G Price Vincent viewers imp°1-lost:fired for hearing captioned ® closed

www.americanradiohistory.com Mobil Masterpiece Theatre presents

J.. ORD MOUNTBATTEN THE LAST VICEROY

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Some called A six-part series Begins Sunday 9PM it betrayal - starring January 26 on PBS Others, his Nicol Williamson Check local listings finest hour Janet Sunman Host: Alistair Cooke MOBIL MASTERPIECE THEATRE

Closed captioned for Lord Mountbatten: The Lut Viceroy, published by Pocket Books, is availaie i-. local bookstores H hearing impaired viewers Mobil ,6AGINERSARY SEAONt9056 c.1995 Mobs Corporation

www.americanradiohistory.com r VHAT'S IRVING KAHN Irving Kahn has believed in new media stroke of eyebrow, and Sidney Green - for half a century. In 1938, at age 20, he street's mighty jowls. Kahn lives to eat, made himself a handsome little income UP TO though not, apparently, with his former promoting big bands on the radio. By the abandon. At the Four Seasons, the world time he was 30, Kahn was running Twen- capital of the power lunch, he gets the sort tieth Century Fox's new radio and televi- NOW? of treatment that David Rockefeller must sion division. At 40 Kahn had given the receive when he drops in at the bank. world the TelePrompTer and pioneered Kahn has always had an extremely the pay -TV event. Ten years later he was by James Traub sharp mind and infinite faith in his own the biggest cable operator on earth. By 60 conclusions. He committed his first en- he had sold his cable empire, built up an- trepreneurial act upon graduation from other cable operation, and was preparing college when he accepted an offer from to sell that for about $100 million. Today, the Larry Clinton big band, which was at 67, when most of his chums have re- desperate to promote an upcoming con- tired to Palm Beach, Irving Kahn is cert in New York's prestigious Para- preaching the newest new medium- mount Theater. In the telling, Kahn con- fiber optics. At a time when wise heads verts this event, as he does everything have concluded that the future has been else, into an endlessly wandering anec- oversold, old Irving Kahn passionately dote. The gist, however, is that he had the touts technology's limitless powers. apparently novel idea of buying advertis- Kahn believes in the remorseless laws ing time on the radio. "We got such a of technological evolution; he has made a plug," he recalls, "that there were lines personal fortune acting as their agent. of people at the Paramount. And I said, Those who haven't adapted to the fiber- 'Hey, this radio business is pretty optic revolution, he believes, are speed- good.' " Kahn and a partner quickly being toward extinction wearing a silly grin. came publicists for the big bands of Artie His old colleagues in the cable industry, Shaw and Guy Lombardo, among others. sworn to coaxial cable, are, he'll have Now he had his first medium to cham- you know, "courting suicide." "It's like pion, and he found his first complacent knowing you got a jet in the barn," Kahn audience to sell it to. "Right about this says contemptuously, "and instead of time Zanuck [Darryl F. Zanuck, head of building a system to handle a jet, you Twentieth Century Fox] had made up his build one for a horse and buggy." Kahn mind that radio was the big enemy of the loved those old horse -and -buggy days, movies. I made the rounds of all the stu- but he believes in jets. dios, explaining what a great thing radio was. I got turned down by all of them. Irving Kahn looks something like a Strictly to cover my percentages, I crude cartoon of a plutocrat, or perhaps walked right in cold to the head guy at the reigning king of Hawaii. His weight of Fox. He was such a conservative guy, almost 300 pounds is concentrated on a and I was maybe 19,000 times more of an very short frame, so that he appears all aggressive, outgoing -type character torso, with neither neck nor shoulders. then." By the time Kahn left he had been He has Leonid Brezhnev's thick black hired to promote an upcoming Fox film-

he indomitable promoter invests in the future with the passion of a believer and the agility of an entrepreneur. Today he's onto something tiny that could be very big.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '86 Channels 49

www.americanradiohistory.com a feat he considers to be one of his first dred households, yet the idea fired great oratorical victories. The film did Kahn's ambition. He bought his first sys- well, and 21 -year -old Irving Kahn be- tem, which consisted of 750 households

came a Fox publicist. in Silver City, New Mexico, in 1959 . Kahn spent the next decade learning When that one turned out to be a money- about movies, about radio, and then maker without anyone lifting a finger, about television-the entire world, that Kahn bought another system, then an- is, of entertainment media. He met ev- other, and by the late 1960s TelePromp- eryone. He watched a new media begin to Ter owned 130 cable systems, including eclipse an older one, and speculated one in Manhattan. Kahn estimates that about how in the world television would the company was larger than the next five be used. He learned a management style or six competitors. from the imperious, whimsical, but fanat- Kahn is immensely proud of the status ically attentive head of Fox, Spyros he attained. "When I got into cable it was Skouras. And toward the end of his Fox a Mom and Pop deal out in the sticks. And days in Manhattan, he lived the life that after we got the feel of it not only were we other men only knew from Cole Porter the first to recognize what the possibili- songs. As a Fox executive he had to keep ties were, but we were the leaders of the the studio's stars in the gossip columns. industry for 10 years." Kahn lectured the "Every night," he says, his napkin cable industry on its future, arguing that spread across his shirtfront as he huddles systems should deliver information ser- over a sensible salad at the Four Seasons, vices and not just entertainment. Along "I would put in an appearance at the with the other founding members of the Stork Club, El Morocco, the '21' Club. It ahn preached to National Cable Television Association he was a terrific life for a year. But after a his cable colleagues the fought successfully to keep Ma Bell out of year, there was nothing new." the cable business, and warned that the People who look hard enough for importance of offering telephone company, its own protests not- something new generally find it, and information delivery as withstanding, constituted cable's great- Kahn didn't have to wait long. One day in well as entertainment. est enemy. As early as the mid -'70s he 1950 a new idea came walking through the No one listened. prophesied the swift arrival of fiber-optic door. "This unemployed actor walks into cable. Nobody listened, of course. the office with a roll of butcher paper un- Suddenly, at the height of his powers, der his arm and says, 'I got a way to make Kahn was caught in a compromising posi- actors remember their lines.' " What this new medium, television, and it was there tion. In 1971 he was hauled before a grand nameless Edison had dreamt up was a in its live -broadcast studios that he mar- jury to explain why he had paid $15,000 to crude version of the TelePrompTer. keted the TelePrompTer. First he hooked several town commissioners in Johns- Kahn thought it was a pretty good idea, Arthur Godfrey, then Milton Berle-Mr. town, Pennsylvania while he was negotiat- so he brought it upstairs to Skouras. The Television-and the TelePrompTer being to keep the city's cable franchise. Kahn boss was unimpressed-in Irving Kahn's came standard issue. A few years later, retells this story in excruciating detail, as if stories everybody resists the future until Kahn, or someone else-the distinction still fighting for his reputation before a jury. he whacks them over the head with it-so tends to get blurred-had the bright idea He was convicted of perjury. Kahn be- Kahn, with Skouras's blessing and some of going into pay television. Kahn's new came notorious as the cable operator who cash, found a partner and formed the organization used an infant technology, got sent to prison. In 1973 and 1974 he TelePrompTer Corporation to market the large -screen projection, to show sports served out 20 months of a five-year sen- new device. events in theaters. The company bought tence, a bitterly humiliating experience Kahn had come to believe in another the pay rights for so many championship that was compounded by his loss of control fights that guys with busted noses re- over TelePrompTer, Kahn's own flesh and placed Linda Darnell and Tyrone Power blood, to rival Jack Kent Cooke. Kahn sold at the Irving Kahn table at "21." his shares for $17 million, escaping, with One good idea always leads to another, typical timing, just before TelePrompTer's as Kahn tells his story. In the late '50s, mighty crash. Kahn was looking for a new way to When he emerged from prison, Kahn present pay television when he began to gave his first thought to retirement. "I hear about cable. At that time the cable thought I would just go fishing," he says, industry consisted largely of TV repair- sitting at his desk behind a sculpture of a men running 12 -channel coaxial wire marlin poised on the tip of its tail, like a along telephone poles and into a few hun- ballet dancer on point. (Kahn loves to

e rumbled into fiber optics with the delicacy of a tank crashing into a sleepy village. And now what sets his mind racing is the power of lasers.

50 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 www.americanradiohistory.com fight marlin from his 65 -foot boat, the one axial cable (see box, next page). It was sistance, and entrepreneurial ambition luxurious indulgence in his life-besides also completely experimental and un- eventually triumphed over mere reason. lunch.) "For 10 days I had a great time tested, but Irving Kahn, agent for the fu- For the first few years Kahn seemed to but by the 11th day I started walking up ture, was ready. be too far out in front. The new laser com- the walls." Kahn decided to put his brain Kahn rumbled into fiber optics with the pany, General Optronics, had so few em- back in gear. delicacy of a tank crashing into a sleepy ployees and lost them so often that, This time he pulled off a real coup. He village. "I started to look around," he re- Hwang says, "I used to come into the began to race through southern New calls, `and I got two young Ph.D.'s at Bell parking lot every morning and count the Jersey buying up cable systems, or bid- Labs who had been responsible for the cars." Then in 1978 a customer listed on ding to build new ones, in adjacent development of that fiber." To these General Optronics's books as "Apex" towns. He then used a short -haul micro- young men he promised a piece of the bought 100 lasers, the largest order until wave relay system to link the towns into company that he was about to create. then. In fact the company was Bell, a single system with a single transmission Then he created the company. He con- which wanted to conceal the fact that it center. "We literally played checkers," vinced Insilco, a conglomerate that man- had gone elsewhere to purchase the fruits says a gleeful Kahn, pointing out his con- ufactured cable, among other things, that of the very technology it had developed. quests on a series of maps. "We got a "if fiber optics came along they would be Telephone companies worldwide began little town here, a little town there," and in the buggy -whip business." Insilco ex- replacing copper wire with fiber optics. by the time the competition caught on, ecutives were so impressed that they So far, according to Kahn, the phone Kahn had them blocked out. Within a few spun off a new company, Times Fiber, companies have laid a million miles of years he had 55 contiguous systems. capitalized it to the tune of $12 million, glass cable, and Kahn's hazardous plunge Still, it's not like Kahn to double back on and gave Kahn 49 percent. In other into the wild blue yonder of technology familiar territory. Already his mind, and words, Kahn, whose own investment to- looks like another inspired choice. Gen- a small chunk of his money, were else- taled $200,000, got $6 million before earn- eral Optronics now ranks as one of the where, and Kahn decided to look around ing a nickel. world's largest laser firms, though the for a buyer. He found one, strangely enough, in the New York Times Company. To Kahn, still smarting from his recent humiliation, selling off his coup to this arbiter of truth and propriety represented a supreme opportunity for vindication. The Times, on the other hand, must have had its doubts about this endlessly digressive, roly-poly ex -felon. The negotiations dragged on for a year, establishing a high-water mark nce it's digital for patience in Kahn's career. Finally, in I 0 can transmit the March 1981, the Times bought the systems for an amount somewhere between picture to any spot in $80 million and $126 million, depending the world at the rate of on whom you believe. Kahn received approximately 40 pages about three quarters of the total, which a minute.' It's a was not bad for five years' work. Over the years, Irving Kahn's ap- fabulous idea, right? proach has been remarkably progressive. It's got to happen. If he could use radio to advertise the big bands, he figured he could use it even more profitably for the movies. He stum- What Kahn didn't realize at first-this Japanese outproduce everyone else. bled onto TelePrompTer accidentally, is the problem with plunging audaciously Kahn, as ever, claims to be an industry but it was a way into television. Kahn's into the future-was that no one had yet leader, but one analyst comments that belief in television led to his experiments developed a dependable, long-lasting "Irving Kahn has an inflated view of his in pay -TV, which in turn led to his curios- light source to power the new glass cable. company." ity about cable. Corporate managers typi- The semiconductor laser, a device no But Kahn wants to talk about ideas, cally seek stability in a business; Kahn, larger than a grain of salt, had long since mind -boggling ideas. Lasers have a the textbook entrepreneur, always been developed, but no one had managed power and versatility that set the mind looked for change. In the mid -'70s Kahn to mass-produce it. So while Times Fiber racing. "You take an infrared laser scan- was convinced that fiber-optic technol- continued to produce fiber-optic cable, ner," he begins excitedly, "and the scan- ogy would soon change cable television Kahn decided to plunge into the laser ner becomes a digitizer. A digitizer takes beyond recognition. Kahn didn't know business. He found one of the world's an analog picture and makes it into digi- much about fiber optics, but he knew that leading laser specialists, C.J. Hwang, and tal, okay? Once it's digital I can transmit researchers at Bell Labs and elsewhere more or less demanded that Hwang pay it to any spot in the world at the rate of had developed a hair -thin glass thread him a visit. The scientist recalls that when approximately 40 pages a minute." It's a that could conduct light generated by a he arrived in New York from San Fran- fabulous idea, right? It's got to happen. laser. Because light has a far higher fre- cisco, "Irving talked all kinds of big Fortunately, General Optronics has de- quency than sound-that is, a far smaller things. He didn't impress me at all." It veloped a laser printer that can do the job wavelength-the new glass technology was one of the rare moments when for only $25,000. "You're going to have could carry thousands of times more in- Kahn's ingenious hype ran into scientific printers hooked up all around the god- formation than either copper wire or co- rigor. But Kahn wore down Hwang's re - damn world that way, and that's the end

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85 Channels 51 www.americanradiohistory.com of Fax [the reigning electronic document - Kahn positively gloats over this pros- transmission system]." So far, General pect, though most of the victims would be Optronics has taken a complete bath on his old cronies. After all, didn't he warn its printer line. them? Dispassionate observers, how- A few forward -thinking companies ever, tend to think that Kahn is still talk- have already bought a piece of the future. ing a lot of big things. Certainly fiber op- One of them, J.C. Penney, occupies two tics will "eventually" replace copper and skyscrapers several blocks apart in mid- coaxial wire in the household, but when? town Manhattan. Company officials Jack Kessler, a fiber -optics industry ana- wanted to connect them for videocon- lyst, predicts that little of the new tech- ferencing, but underground cable was nology will find its way into homes before prohibitively expensive, and Manhattan the year 2000. Fiber optics are now cost- has no more frequencies available for mi- effective over long distances because the crowave transmission. So General Op- light signal, unlike the radio -wave signal tronics built a line -of-sight laser transmis- in a coaxial cable, need not be reampli- sion system, installing a transmitter in fled, at substantial cost, every few thou- one 39th -floor window, and a receiver, sand feet. Fiber optics' immense carrying continuously adjusted to account for the capacity also justifies its use in high -vol- slight sway of the buildings, in another. ume telephone trunk systems. But nei- Kahn envisions Manhattan crisscrossed ther of these advantages apply to use in by beams of infrared light. individual homes. It now costs between At present, General Optronics con- $70 and $150 to wire a subscriber's home ducts almost all its business with the tele- with conventional cable, according to an phone companies, which use lasers with official at one of General Optronics' ma- fiber optics. The companies are laying fi- jor customers. Doing the same with fiber, ber-optic networks with the kind of en- he says, would run in the neighborhood of ergy that created the railway system in THE LIGHT AT $250, though the technology is changing the 19th century. So far they have largely so rapidly that any figure is conjectural. restricted their use of the glass wire to the THE END OF THE A second objection is that cable has al- trunk systems between switchboards, ready tried to bring information services but Kahn is one of the very few who be- FIBER into the home, and encountered resound- lieve that they will soon be bringing fiber ing indifference. Kahn ticks off all the Lasers can be used to destroy space- optics directly into the home. He recites services that consumers will want-high- ships (or so the Defense Department quality shopping, utility -meter reading, one of his basic tenets: "Whoever gets believes), to perform microsurgery, that first fiber into the household runs the and to transmit information. "Star banking-but he seems to believe that ballgame." That is, fiber's enormous Wars" researchers have created lasers consumers will clamor for them simply bandwidth, especially with new laser that emit light frequencies at the far- because they're available. But a brief technology, which may transmit as many thest explored edge of the spectrum- look at, say, the home -computer business as 500 million bits of information a sec- X-rays. For the slightly more mun- shows this to be a dubious proposition. ond (about 10,000 times the rate possible dane purposes of telecommuni- Possibly Kahn is both right and wrong. with copper wire), will make current cations, there are lasers that generate He believes so deeply in new technology means of distribution, such as coaxial ca- light in the infrared part of the spec- that he blurs the difference between what ble, archaic. A few telephone companies trum. These lasers switch on and off as might happen in an ideal world, and what have already begun bidding to construct rapidly as 565 million times per sec- in fact will happen. In the long run cable cable systems just as Kahn predicted, ond-each pulse conveys one bit of will surely be dead; but so, as Keynes and very few cable firms have the capital, information-and emit light within a said, will we all. And yet Kahn's passion- let alone the will, to make their own in- very small frequency range to pre- ate faith in the future has been the driving vestments in fiber. serve the signal's clarity. force behind his success. The progress of Kahn has a favorite scenario for the ex- A laser is a light -emitting crystal technology is by no means blind or un - tinction of cable as we know it. He argues grown, like any other crystal, from a willed. It is pressed forward by devotees, that with advances in satellite technology chemical solution. The crystals are even by salesmen. Cable television itself, a genuinely dish -sized dish will replace grown on a solid, wafer -shaped sub- as Kahn likes to recall, was spread by and then today's antennas. "You put one of those strate diced into tiny chips no believers who possessed an almost reli- larger than a grain of salt-each one a on top of an apartment house, and instead gious faith. The future catches the skep- semiconductor laser. If the laser is to of wiring that house, fiber it, and let the tics napping. Kahn himself dwells lov- be used for telecommunications, it entrepreneur, who does not need a city will then be coupled to a small strand ingly, endlessly, on the past; and yet he license, offer you a choice of two or three of fiber-optic wire, which the user will can dismiss it with equanimity: "Take a pay services, a news service, and a bur- then splice into his telephone or cable walk up Broadway from 72nd Street to glar alarm," as well as home banking and network. With the application of a tiny 110th, and look carefully and see how shopping. With its immense bandwidth, electrical current, the laser shoots into many Art Deco garages and supermar- fiber would also bring into the home such the fiber a beam of light that carries kets you see. Every one of them used to new technologies as high -definition tele- encoded electrical signals. At the re- be a theater. Big palaces. MGM had the vision. Kahn concedes that "this is not ceiving end, the signals are decoded Capitol. Fox had the Roxy." He faithfully going to happen overnight," but theo- into electrical impulses carrying recites the roll call of vanished glory. He rizes that the change is so imminent that sound, pictures, or data. remembers a thousand names from the big -city systems now being built will suf- J.T. golden days. "But," he says "that's out fer from competition with fiber optics. of the past."

52 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 www.americanradiohistory.com THE AMERICAN CHILDREN'S TELEVISION FESTIVAL

TO PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN TELEVISION PROGRAMMING FOR AMERICA'S CHILDREN October 20-23, 1985 The Drake Hotel Chicago, Illinois

EARLY REGISTRATION DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 13, 1985 For more information and a Festival brochure, please contact: Valentine Kass, Festival Director at (312) 545-7500. American Children's Television Festival 4300 West Peterson Avenue, Chicago, IL 60646

FOUNDED BY THE CENTRAL EDUCATIONAL NETWORK AND WTTW/CHICAGO.

www.americanradiohistory.com OOKING AT HISTORY, we can parents worried about children spending prevents them from watching over and hardly be surprised that so much time in the dark movie palaces- over again what is essentially the same parents, educators, and castles where we lost ourselves in dreams program. They are neither bored nor stul- our other moral overseers as often as our meager finances permit- tified; all of us need to dream the same are greatly worried about ted. At least television does not require daydream until we have had our fill of it. the damage television is the child to leave home or spend most of In the public debate on the effects of tele- doing to all of us, and par- his allowance on tickets. vision on children, the fact that TV pro- ticularly to our children. Moralists, by One of the movies' attractions, though grams provide material for daydreams is nature, have a tendency to worry about we were unaware of it, was that they so much taken for granted that it is hardly and decry the newest dominant form of helped us escape from our parents' discussed. There seems little doubt that popular entertainment. In Plato's ideal watchful eyes at home, and from other most of us need to engage in day - state, all imaginative literature was to be banned because of the bad influence it supposedly exercised, although this same literature has been admired ever since its creation as one of the proudest achievements of man. Smoking, congregating in coffee- houses, dancing-each in its turn was A Child's thought to corrupt the young. Neither operas nor music halls escaped severe cen- sure. Even such masterpieces as Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther were blamed for having caused a wave of Garden suicides (although in 18th -century Ger- many no records were kept from which one could have ascertained whether suicides had indeed increased). Any new form of mass entertainment is of viewed with considerable suspicion until it has been around for some time. It usually becomes accepted once people realize that life goes on in the same haphazard way as before. Then a newer entertain- Fantasy ment medium becomes the focus of the same concerns. When I was a child, all kinds of evil influences were ascribed to the movies; today these influences are ascribed to television. When I was a BY BRUNO BETTELHEIM young man, the comics were denounced because they supposedly incited the in- nocents to violence. Even then, however, it was acknowl- Children have a greater need for day- edged that children were not all that innocent. It was known that they harbor an- dreams than adults do, and TV provides gry, violent, destructive, and even sexual fantasies that are far from innocent. To- them abundantly. But the child's healthy day as well, those who evaluate the impact of television on children ought to un- escape from reality could be hazardous derstand truly what children are all about, and not maintain Victorian images without a parent's guidance. of how perfect children would be if only they were not exposed to bad influences, or condemn as evil anything that children greatly enjoy. Despite all the concern and the innu- children's competition at play. Watching dreams-the more frustrating reality is merable articles about what television a film, we daydreamed of being as suc- for us, the greater is our need. does to our children, hard facts are few cessful in life and love as its hero or hero- Although we wish to see young chil- and difficult to come by. We know as little ine. We participated in exciting fantasies dren's lives free of troubles, they are in about the topic as my parents' generation that made our humdrum (if not outright fact filled with disappointment and frus- knew about what movies did to us. My unpleasant) existence that much more tration. Children wish for so much but bearable. We returned to everyday life can arrange so little of their own lives, Bruno Bettelheim is a professor of child restored by having seen the movie-of- which are so often dominated by adults psychology and the author of The Uses ten not just once, but a second or even unsympathetic to their priorities. That is of Enchantment. His next book, Child - third time, when ushers permitted it. why children have a much greater need rearing, will be published next year by Our children manage to do the same for daydreams than adults do. And be- Knopf. thing, right in their homes, and no usher cause their lives have been relatively lim-

54 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com ited they have a greater need for material they restrained their desire to exploit it. ful animals. from which to form daydreams. But I cannot deny that as long as it is not For a 1976 study on television vio- In the past, children saturated their vicious or cruel-which it very often is- lence, violent cartoons were shown to imaginations with folk tales, myths, and it holds a certain fascination. both normal and emotionally impaired Bible stories. There was plenty of vio- Many children not only enjoy aggres- children. The latter, being unstable, were lence and crime in Old Testament stories sive fantasies, but also need them. They expected to be more vulnerable to the and fairy tales. There is a lot of cruelty, need material for aggressive and retalia- cartoons' influence. But after watching enmity within the family, homicide, even tory daydreams in which they can vicari- the violent scenes, most children in both patricide and incest in Greek drama and ously act out their hostile feelings without groups were less chaotic and expressed Shakespeare's plays. This suggests that hurting close relatives. While the very their aggression, if at all, in a less random people have always needed a fare of vio - young child may beat up a doll (thinking fashion than they had displayed before the viewing. Having acted out aggressive feelings vicariously, in fantasy, as they watched, most of these children had less need to act aggressively in reality. On the other hand, some of the seriously disturbed children became more violent after watching the cartoons. Some youngsters do get ideas about how to act aggressively from what they see on the screen, which they then may attempt in reality. The decisive factors are not the types of events shown on the screen but the child's own personality (which is formed in the home under the parents' influence), and to a much smaller degree the child's present situation. For normal children as well, television offers a wide variety of models to fantasize about and try out, as if for size. Chil- dren tend to dress, walk, and talk like the TV characters they admire. Whether this helps or hurts a particular youngster seems to depend on which television figure he emulates. And this is determined much more by his personality and the problems he faces at the moment than by what is shown on the screen. As Wilbur Schramm and other researchers recognized more than two decades ago, "The chief part television plays in the lives of children depends at least as much on what the child brings to television as on what television brings to the child." And the younger the child is, the more this is so. In an experiment reported in 1978 in Child Development magazine, second graders viewed a program and then were asked to retell its story so that "someone who has not seen it would know what happened." In response the children strung together random occurrences, showing no recall of relationships among the events they had observed. But chil- lent fantasies as an integral part of popu- all the while of the new baby who stands dren several years older were able to re- lar entertainment. in his way), or lash out at a parent, the call fairly well what they had seen. Thus, slightly older child can no longer afford to the younger the child, the less responsive AMONG THE CONCERNS about express his aggression so directly. In he is to the actual content of the program; television's effects on healthy development, the child soon he responds to it in terms of his inner life. our children, none is moves to daydreams in which not he, but Only the child whose emotional life is greater than that it may some imaginary stand-in, discharges his barren, or whose conditions of life are ex- induce them to violence. anger against another distant and imagi- tremely destructive, will "live" in the Probably none has been more thoroughly nary figure. That is why it is so gratifying world of TV programs. Doing so may be investigated. I personally dislike watch- to children when a cartoon shows a help- preferable to facing his actual life, which ing violence on the screen, and would be less little animal, such as a mouse, mak- could lead him to give up all hope, or to favorably impressed with broadcasters if ing a fool of much bigger and more power- explode into violence against those who

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85 Channels 55

www.americanradiohistory.com make his life miserable. remain predictably the same. knowledge. Some programs do tell how In fact, most children seek refuge at Even such an exceptional program as slow and difficult progress is, but hear- times in television -fed fantasy, although All in the Family was centered around ing that said makes little impression on they do not permit it to engulf more than a main characters who never changed and the child when characters on the same very limited part of their lives. Television never learned, no matter how obvious the program can usually solve the greatest is truly an ideal medium for the purpose lessons of past episodes. In this, as in difficulties in 30 or 60 minutes. of fantasizing because it permits the child many other programs of less merit, the Television is, after all, a medium best to return immediately from the fantasy good guys learn as little from their experi- suited for entertainment; it does not read- world to real life, and also to escape as ences as do the bad guys. Even after the ily lend itself to the balanced judgment, to quickly into the television world when re- most incredible events, characters re- the consideration of all the pros and cons ality becomes too much to handle. All it main the same as before. But growth and of an issue. We should not expect of this takes is turning a switch. development, and images of such growth, medium what is contrary to its nature. We ought to remember how restricted are what the child needs if he is to believe The information received from television children's lives have become. It used to that he himself can grow. He needs to programs will always tend to be one- be possible to let children roam all by fantasize about how he will change, sided, slanted, and simplified. This is why themselves for much of the day, or in the learn, and become a better person be- a young child will not truly learn by watch- chance company of other children. They cause of what life has taught him. ing even the best programs-even those used to play somewhere in the neighbor- Not only do television characters fail to designed for his age. His life experience is hood, in an empty shack, or wander the learn from their experiences, but no mat- too limited. Adults or older adolescents woods and fields. There they could ter how severe their difficulties, their cre- can bring their accumulated life experi- dream their own daydreams, without par- ators always provide them with simple, ence to watching television, which per- ents nearby demanding that they use their easy, instantaneous solutions, as simple mits them to adopt the proper perspec- tive. The child needs adult help to do so. There is hardly a program from which a child could not learn a great deal, provided some responsible adult does the necessary teaching. Even violent pro- It is very important for children to grams are no exception, provided the child is not so anxious or angry that he is develop the right attitudes toward completely overwhelmed by what he watches. It is very important for children violence and closing one's eyes to to develop the right attitudes toward violence, and closing one's eyes to its exist- its existence can hardly be consid- ence can hardly be considered the most constructive attitude. Every child needs ered the most constructive attitude. to learn what is wrong with violence, why violence occurs, and how he ought to deal with it in himself and others. What is necessary is for parents to ex- plore with the child what he, all on his time more constructively. as those promised by commercials. Using own, made of what he saw and heard. We Today, for our children's security, we a particular brand of hair spray guaran- must let the child tell us what he got from cannot permit them to fend for them- tees success in life and love; ingesting a the program, and start from there in help- selves in that way. Yet, to grow up well, pill does away with all our worries. Pro- ing him sort out which impressions came every child needs time and space to be grams and commercials alike mislead the from within himself and which from the himself. Watching television gives him child by making it appear there is, or program, which were good and which this chance. Being able to choose the pro- ought to be, an easy solution to every were not, and why. gram that will spark and feed his dream problem he encounters, and that there This requires, of course, that the adult has become a way for the modern child to must be something wrong with him, his watch along with the child. Doing so, the exercise his self-determination, an im- parents, and society, if these so readily parent can no longer use television as an portant experience in growing up. available answers are withheld from him. excuse for not spending time with his In this respect even public television's child. That, I believe, is the real danger of DDLY ENOUGH, in the dizzy- educational programs are misleading. television-a human limitation, not one ingly active world of TV Whether Sesame Street or Nova, they inherent in the medium. We should blame fiction, one kind of move- create the illusion that one will easily and neither our children nor television if the ment is in short supply: immediately become well educated. And reason they watch it is that we, their par- personal growth. The child whether the child is promised popularity ents, are not very interested in spending needs to learn from his experiences and by toothpaste commercials or knowledge time with them. We ought to consider that to0 grow because of them. This is why the by PBS, he is encouraged to believe that the more time we spend with them, the child is best served by programs that he will succeed effortlessly. He doesn't, less time they will be watching. The more show how characters' experiences of course, and becomes dissatisfied with time we devote to talking with them about change them-in personality, in outlook himself and society. what they have watched, the more intelli- on life, in relationships with others, in the A large part of the problem is inherent gent and discriminating viewers our chil- ability to cope better with future events. in the medium. To hold viewers' atten- dren will become. The fact remains that Not only children's programs but also tion, television programs have to sim- our personalities and values will have adult programs watched by children plify matters and cannot follow the ardu- much more effect than television in shap- should avoid using stock characters who ous process required for a person to gain ing our children and their outlook on life.

56 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com We're True To Our Country. And true to our original promise to deliver the finest country entertainment available on television. October is Country Music Month. Willie, Ray, and a host of country's brightest stars are coming home to The Nashville Network. Join us for "Homecoming;' a celebration of stars, music, sports, and Grand Ole Opry specials. We're the country standard.

11-IE NASHVILLE NETWORK AMERICAS COUNTRY HOME CONTACT YOUR TNN ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE OR CA_L 212-557-6550 GROUP W SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS 1985 RAY CHARLES WITH WILLIE NELSON CN "THE WILLIE NELSCN SPECIAL"

www.americanradiohistory.com the forefront of the battle. Their social - issues agenda calls for stronger specific regulation of the mass media while, paradoxically, the Administration and many SMUTBUSTERS of its friends on the Right argue for general deregulation. Jesse Helms, the senator who sought to invade CBS with right-wing investors, has turned his guns on cable, and on public -access channels in particular, for air- TAKE AIM ing "the vilest type of pornography." Helms has introduced a bill that would extend existing federal obscenity laws for rated movie, and they're trying to ban broadcast television to cable and pay - them for everyone. I know a lot of dealers TV, as well as to "dial -it" telephone ser- AT who feel like I do -1 wouldn't sell them if vices. nobody bought them." The Justice Department has alsoledis- Not all video retailers and cable opera- covered the pornography issue and has tors opt to have their day in court when formed the Attorney General's Commis- threatened with obscenity charges. In sion on Pornography. The 11 -member Buffalo, a chain of Rite Aide drug stores panel is hearing testimony in six cities VIDEO withdrew its advertised "Swedish Erot- and will submit its recommendations next ica" cassettes in March following pres- May. Already the commission has been sure from the Morality in Media group. the subject of complaints from video The same month, Cox Cable Tidewater in dealers, cable operators, magazine pub- Virginia dropped the Playboy Channel af- lishers, and civil libertarians who say that ter seven obscenity counts were handed it's little more than a rubber stamp for the F YOU HAPPEN TO BE in the market down by a Virginia Beach grand jury. Cox Administration's tougher stance on en- for an "adult" videocassette, offered its 12,500 orphaned subscribers a forcement of local obscenity standards. and you wander into one of Jack chance to replace the Playboy Channel When President Reagan announced plans Messer's Video Store outlets with a movie service, Cinemax-not ex- to establish the commission in May 1984, (eight convenient locations in actly an even swap. And in Phoenix, ob- he made it clear that one of its tasks greater Cincinnati), you'll have scenity charges against two video retail- would be to overturn the findings of a to be a little discreet about your ers have led local dealers to set up a 1970 Presidential commission on pornog- intentions. After all, four fifths defense fund for future cases. raphy, which concluded that pornogra- of Messer's customers have The adult films under attack aren't phy has no significant effect on social become in to pick up a mainstream much different in content from the thinly havior. (It appears to be axiomatic in Hollywood film, and he doesn't want you plotted X-rated films that have been Washington that the findings of one fed- bumping into them while they're making available on 8mm film for decades. eral commission can only be undone by their selections. So, one of Messer's em- What's new is where they're being sold. another.) Reagan took direct issue with ployees will lead you to "the binder"- Once banished to the mail-order ghetto or the 1970 findings. "It's time to take a new the under-the-counter list of what's hot in sleazy downtown movie outlets, adult look at these conclusions," he said. "And adult video, Beta or VHS. In June 1984, films are now available on cassette in it's time to stop pretending that extreme as a matter of fact, two Fairfield, Ohio squeaky -clean video stores comfortably pornography is a victimless crime." police officers did just that-pored nestled in suburban shopping malls. The Although the new commission is look- through the binder and selected five spread of sexually explicit material into ing into sexually explicit material in all promising titles, including Tapestry of America's middle-class mainstream media, Attorney General Edwin Meese Passion, French Classmates, and Pene- through video and cable has led many has singled out cable and cassettes for tration. The sale wound up costing Mes- towns to reexamine their "contemporary making "pornography ... available at ser money: The local district attorney community standards" (as the 1973 Su- home to almost anyone, regardless of brought obscenity charges against him preme Court ruling in Miller v. California age, at the mere touch of a button." and put him on trial last January. put it). This year juries in Florida, Ohio, Meese's choice to head the commission The trial, which featured an eight -hour Arizona, and Virginia have been asked to was Henry Hudson, a smutbuster of screening of all five cassettes, ended in a watch and apply their own standards of some renown in the Washington suburbs. hung jury. But for Messer, other retail- obscenity to X-rated videocassettes. As the prosecutor in Arlington County, ers, and some cable operators as well, the "There's nothing sacred about an ob- Virginia, he supervised repeated "sting" experience has them glancing over their scene videotape, just because it's a new operations several years ago in which po- shoulders at what looks like a galloping medium," says Bill Swindell, national di- lice telephoned expensive call girls in posse of conservative church and "de- rector of Citizens for Decency Through Washington and then arrested them when cency" groups intent on driving video - Law, which provides legal assistance to they arrived at staked -out hotel rooms on porn out of town. prosecutors cracking down on adult the Virginia side of the Potomac. "It's scary," says Messer. "Most of video. "It's the same old obscenity with a During the first two days of commis- these people have never even seen an X - brand new set of clothes." Swindell and sion hearings this summer in Washington, representatives of other anti -porn groups Hudson led the panel (which includes a Tom McNichol is a Washington, D.C. are seeking support from Washington, priest, a psychologist, a former assistant writer who often covers the media and where the Reagan Administration and attorney general, and a child -abuse ex- business. conservative congressmen are rushing to pert) through a grisly sampling of the

58 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com worst the pornography industry has to offer. FBI agent Ken Lanning presented a graphic slide show, beginning with selections from over-the-counter adult maga- zines and video i and quickly segueing into scenes of fetishism, pedophilia, bestial- There's nothing It's scary," ity, sadomasochism, and dismember- sacred about says video dealer ment. Later, a vice squad detective from obscene video, Jack Messer. Fairfax County, which adjoins Hudson's just because it's these home county, treated the commission to "Most of another slide show. To the noticeable dis- a new medium," people have never comfort of several on the panel and most says opponent even seen an in the gallery, he described in detail the Bill Swindell. X-rated movie, and sights, sounds, and even smells of a sub- "It's the same they're trying to urban adult bookstore featuring 25 -cent peep -shows. old obscenity ban them for The same day, the commission heard in new clothes. Critics suspect that, everyone. testimony from Surgeon General C. Ev- 99 under chairman 99 erett Koop that made adult films sound at Henry Hudson, a least as dangerous as cigarette smoking: Pornography poses a "clear and present smutbuster of some danger" to American public health, he renown in Virginia, said. While not going so far as to suggest the new Commission that adult videocassettes must bear warn- on Pornography ing labels, Koop made it clear that, in his view, the 1970 pornography commis- has already sion's conclusions were based on insuffi- come to its cient evidence. By the time journalist conclusions. Kandy Stroud's testimony laid bare the sexual excesses of rock music lyrics, even the most impartial panel would have found it hard not to recommend tougher anti -porn measures across the board, which many civil libertarians believe the commission is predisposed to do. "The more you hear Hudson talk, the scenity trial this fall on charges suburban and increase the maximum fine for ob- more it's clear that the commission has Maricopa County lodged last March. In scenity from $10,000 to $50,000. already reached its conclusions," says response, 123 local retailers established Though few think Helms's bill in its Barry Lynn, legislative counsel for the the Arizona Video Tape Rights Coalition, present form is likely to clear the Senate, ACLU, who also testified before the which will provide funds for defendants even its defeat would give local critics of commission, "To them, it's all smut. The in this and other obscenity cases, and will nudity and profanity on cable a rallying writing is going to be on the wall for any- also meet with lawmakers to argue for point. Similarly, the Commission on Por- one who wants to sell or buy sexually ex- less severe penalties. nography, while limited to recommend- plicit material." "It's going to cost us about $300,000 to ing changes in federal law, is likely to put Throughout the country, video retail- defend the obscenity cases we're dealing the issue squarely in the public eye. ers say that adult videocassettes account with now," says Art Lauer, a local video "If the commission does nothing else, for 15 to 25 percent of their total sales, retailer and one of the coalition's found- it will increase public awareness aboùt with one dealer in four not carrying any ers. "With that kind of money, even if you how much has changed since the last X-rated selections at all. Paul Sweeting, win, you lose. There are a lot of county commission," says Swindell of Citizens associate editor of Video Market News- attorneys out there who see prosecuting for Public Decency Through Law. "A lot letter, estimates that adult videos brirg in obscenity cases as a good way to fulfill of prosecutors aren't aware of the threat more than $100 million annually. But their commitments to certain segments of that pornography poses to their commu- Sweeting points out that adult videos the community." nity." have in recent years become a smaller Some communities have moved Video dealers and cable operators, of part of the retailer's business. against adult films on cable television, course, warn of a greater threat in erosion "There are more feature films to sell but so far have had little success getting of the community's First Amendment now, so there's more incentive for a re- the measures enacted. A cable -porn bill rights. The argument over what is porno- tailer to drop his adult line if he's under in Illinois died in committee in July, and a graphic is nearly as old as sex itself, but pressure from a prosecutor," says Sweet- similar ordinance in Miami was ruled un- not for a decade have the two sides ing. "1f adult tapes only make up 15 per- constitutional last spring. But local ef- seemed so clearly poised for confronta- cent of a retailer's business, he's got to be forts may be helped along by Senator tion. In the larger cities, the video retail- thinking, Is this worth the headache?' " Helms's Cable -Porn and Dial -Porn Con- ers and cable operators will likely pre- But other video dealers under pressure trol Act. The bill contains provisions that vail, urban community standards being have decided to continue selling adult would establish penalities of up to two what they are. But in some conservative films, in deference to either the First years in prison for cable and dial -porn op- towns, the only place to see an X-rated Amendment or their balance sheets. In erators convicted of transmitting "ob- movie may soon be at the county court- Phoenix, two video dealers face an obscene, indecent, or profane language" house during an obscenity trial.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER'85 Channels 59 www.americanradiohistory.com DISTANT SIGNALS France: A REVOLUTION I\ TI IE MAKI\G

Free -market Paradoxically, the Socialist government has begun socialist: airwaves to enterprise, loosening French President opening the private François Mitterand. its hold on the state -run BY ROGER M. WILLIAMS channels. arty this year, when the Mitterand govern- held that tradition, complete with the slogan, ment commissioned a study of the pros- "French television is the Voice of France." Presi- pects for introducing privately run television in dent Valéry Giscard d'Estaing loosened the reins, France, an adviser to the prime minister con- appointing some independent thinkers to influen- fessed, "The problem is that we do not know how tial positions with the networks and eliminating the to bring it all together." most blatant forms of governmental interference in The confusion is hardly surprising. In contem- programming. Still, to some officials it seemed im- porary France, both "all" and "together" are diffi- proper for the Voice of France to criticize the cult concepts. Start with the fact that, for a reso- country. Associates of environmentalist Jacques - lute democracy, France has allowed its Yves Cousteau recall how his film series on indus- government an extraordinary degree of control trial wastes in France was kept off the air for years. over television; since the medium's first appear- When Mitterand and the socialists took over in ance, all channels (originally two, now four) have 1981, they argued that modern mass communica- been state dominated. Then add the politically cu- tions requires less governmental direction and a rious fact that socialists (the regime of François degree of decentralization. They therefore pledged Mitterand), not conservatives, are pushing for a to end the state monopolies over radio and tele- degree of privatization, and then the complexities vision. While that contravenes orthodox leftist brought on by President Mitterand's simultaneous thinking, it fits with Mitterand's perception of the push for other video innovations-a nationwide nation's current needs. cable operation and Europe's first direct -broad- Mitterand's biggest change to date has been the cast satellite. introduction of France's first pay channel, Canal All these changes need to be brought into line Plus. It took the air last November with a rather with the long -prevailing governmental conviction tired assortment of old cop and comedy series- that mass communications should enhance the most of them American-and even older movies. quality of French life. However noble that ideal, in Subscriptions to the new channel soared initially, practice it has meant limiting programming-in but dropped sharply when the prospect of free pri- both the number of channels available and the vate television appeared on the horizon. amount of foreign (read "American") material Preoccupied with financial problems, the man- they can show. agement of Canal Plus has thus far escaped signifi- French television has always been something of cant political interference. Not so the three estab- a government lapdog. Pre -Gaullist ministers rou- lished channels: TF -1, Antenne -2, and the re- tinely whipped the channels and their staffers into gionally oriented FR -3. Deep down, Mitterand line. DeGaulle himself went several steps further. seems to share the conservatives' belief that TV is His administration placed loyal followers in key a spoil that belongs to the victors and a medium too Roger M. Williams, broadcasting jobs, and his ministers censored any important to be left to broadcasters. an American jour- programs that reflected unfavorably on the gov- Although he established an ostensibly indepen- nalist working in ernment. Explained the great man with disarming dent High Authority to oversee television, that Paris, has written frankness: "My opponents have much of the press body has been a good deal less than fully indepen- extensively on media on their side, so I keep television." dent. Last fall, it rubber-stamped the appointment and political topics. DeGaulle's successor, Georges Pompidou, up - of Jean-Claude Héberlé, a Mitterand supporter

60 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 www.americanradiohistory.com and friend, to head Antenne -2, the best of the na- advertisers hungering for other TV outlets, and it tional networks. Last April, amid the shock waves is virtually certain that the new private channels from that appointment, Antenne -2 lost through will run lots of commercials. But the admen worry resignation two of its most respected people: news that, as on the state channels, they will not be al- chief Albert Du Roy, and anchorwoman Christine lowed to interrupt programs. Ockrent, whose nonpartisan, professional presen- Surprisingly little opposition has been voiced to tations had brought her deserved celebrity. Mitterand's general plan to privatize. Canal Plus is The chief difference between the Mitterand era understandably concerned, however, because pri- and those of his predecessors, says a longtime ob- vate broadcast channels will be able to give away server of the French media, is that "nowadays po- what it is trying to sell. Some leftists are worried litical power over them is wielded much more also, lest too much propagandizing power land in through personal influence than outright manipu- the hands of Hersant and other conservatives. lation of the news." The wielding can be naively To test the track, the government resorted to the clumsy-the blatant efforts, for example, to se- familiar expedient of appointing a high-level com- Shock waves were cure regular, free, and "unanswered" TV time for mission charged with making recommendations. Prime Minister Laurent Fabius. The director of The commission, headed by attorney Jean -Denis created by the TF -1 obligingly offered the smooth Fabius a Bredin, has called for the creation of two private appointment of weekly prime -time spot for the purpose of "ex- networks and an unspecified number of local sta- plaining" government policies. After protest, that tions. All would be licensed by the government Mitterand crony was reduced to 15 minutes a month. Only then was and financed largely or entirely by advertising. Jean-Claude the opposition granted a right of reply. The report envisions no change with regard to Ca- Meanwhile, Mitterand's cronies in high TV posi- nal Plus but recommends the establishment of Héberlé to head tions have done little to improve the quality of pro- other pay channels. France's best gramming on the state -operated channels. Cultural In July, Prime Minister Fabius submitted his programs tend to be done well; since the French own plan to Mitterand. Fabius wants four net- network. talk as well as they cook, talk shows are particu- works. Three would be run by large radio stations, larly good, most notably the Friday night offering, all of them considerably under the influence of So- Apostrophe. But public affairs programs, includ- firad, a Havas -like government organization. The ing serious documentaries, are often ponderous. fourth would be a non -pay version of Canal Plus. On the entertainment side, creativity is so lacking In addition, Fabius would split the third state- that the smash success of recent years was the owned channel, designating half of it as the founda- series called Chateauvallon, a knock -off of Dallas, which remains equally popular. Chateauvallon's characters were much less brassy but much more sexually active than those in Dallas-a difference that suits French viewers just fine. And Cha- teauvallon's native origins appealed to intellectu- als who fret over what they call the "cultural impe- rialism" of American imports. (Tragically, a serious auto -accident injury to one of the female stars caused cancellation of the series.) Foreign programming is a relatively minor problem in the effort to set up France's private television system. Far thornier are such issues as how many channels to authorize, who will operate them, and how much advertising to allow on them. While Mitterand has revealed no firm decisions in these areas, he has indicated that he wants a private system in operation by the end of next year. The French president is known to favor the establishment of a handful of private networks that will branch into a nationwide grid of 80 to 100 local stations. Applicants are aswarm. Among them are tion fora Europe -wide, satellite -based cultural sta- Apostrophe, one of numerous media heavyweights, including Robert tion. the premier talk Hersant, the nation's most prominent press baron No one seems to know whether Mitterand will shows. The French (Le Figaro), who wants to establish his own net- lean toward the Bredin or Fabius plans or his own care as much about work; Hachette, the largest French publisher; and variation on them. But everybody believes that talk as about food. Compagnie Télévision Luxembourgoise, which he'll decide shortly-with a keen eye on the 1986 broadcasts from across the border and has consid- legislative elections. Faced with strong attacks erable influence in France. from the Right and ideological divisions on the They are drawn not only by opportunities to ma- Left, he badly needs an issue with broad public nipulate public opinion but also by the prospect of appeal-such as expanding the television system. raking in advertising revenues. The government Almost any policy he announces is likely to please restricts the ad sales of the state channels, and the French viewer/voter, who will be able to push commercials account for little more than one quar- those other buttons and see something appear- ter of their income. That leaves many potential even if it's only another version of Dallas.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 Channels 61

www.americanradiohistory.com We've declared total war...

Bacteria in lab dish (1) elongate after addition of piperacillin, a new antibiotic (2); the cell wall of the microorganism weakens (3), then ruptures and dies (4). ...on infectious diseases. Infectious diseases are the enemy-ranking fifth among the leading causes of death in the United States. More than two million people require hospital treatment each year for a wide variety of infections, adding an extra $1.5 billion in hospitalization costs alone to our country's already staggering health-care bill. Not only do these disease -causing invaders strike swiftly and severely when the body's defenses are weak, but over the years new strains of many bacteria have appeared-strains that are resistant to many existing medications. Fortunately, research scientists have developed a new generation of antibiotics, including a semi -synthetic penicillin (whose bacterial action is pictured above), to battle against a broad spectrum of life -threatening microorganisms. These rapid - acting antibiotics provide physicians with powerful new weapons for their medical arsenals. But the war against infectious diseases continues and our search for even newer, more effective medications goes on.

,ederle

For more information about Lederle's antibiotics research and general background material, call or write: Public Affairs Department, Lederle Laboratories, Wayne New Jersey 07470, 201/8314684. www.americanradiohistory.com SROG0.ANNAM G I8 GOLDEN AGE. A Season to Remember TWIUGNT ZONE H Sc - Coc < o Television By SP I E L. EbEiiiG COMEDY WEEK G Y by William A. Henry IIl

ALTHOUGH it often seems that nothing much ever variants of Bill Cosby's wholesome family sitcom, which is all changes in programming-that, as Fred Allen put but indistinguishable from Father Knows Best. One might look it, "Imitation is the sincerest form of televi- for attempts to ape the slick, rock-videolike look and pace of sion"-in fact each decade of the medium's life Miami Vice. In each case, one would be right. There are also a has been dominated by a characteristic form of few offbeat shows, some venturesome, some downright weird. show. The beginning in the 1940s was, not surprisingly, an age The most hyped by critics (an embrace that is, alas, almost of vaudeville. Milton Berle's Texaco Star Theater and its imita- surely a kiss of death) is NBC's The Golden Girls, a sweet little tors tossed together a hodgepodge of skits, songs, dances, and glimpse of four sixtyish women who are roommates in Florida standup comedy, ignoring the concept of artistic unity in favor (wags call it Miami Nice). The casting is good (Beatrice Arthur, of the kind of variety that audiences savored on radio and in Betty White, Rue McLanahan, Estelle Getty), and the pro- music halls. The 1950s are remembered nowadays primarily ducer, Susan Harris, has a track record of successes, including through reruns of I Love Lucy, The Hon- Soap. The show is well made, but its sig- eymooners, Burns and Allen, and the nificance lies in its willingness to be like, but the decade earned its familiar The return of about, and for, an older audience. As the Homeric epithet as the Golden Age of country gets older and as older citizens Television chiefly for its anthology Twilight Zone get richer, advertisers are beginning to shows, epitomized by Playhouse 90, recognize the shortcomings of their ob- which weekly offered such fare as the de- bets that Baby sessive demographic appeal to mothers buts of Requiem for a Heavyweight, The aged under 35. For sheer entertainment, Miracle Worker, The Days of Wine and ABC offers a macho private eye, Spen- Roses, and Judgment at Nuremberg. The Boomers crave the ser, based on Robert Parker's best-selling 1960s, a barren time for television as it novels and starring a serviceable leading vacillated between trying to ignore the TV of their man, Robert Urich, while CBS has a social change sweeping the nation and glittering Brit, Edward Woodward, as a trying to catch up with it, were redeemed youth. But will James Bond -like agent called The by the consciences of a few hour-long epi- Equalizer. sodic dramas, notably The Defenders, nostalgia support Far more noteworthy than all these re- Dr. Kildare, Ben Casey, Mr. Novak, and vivals of familiar genres, however, is the especially East Side, West Side. The a weekly series? one unmistakable trend of the season: 1970s were the heyday of the sitcom, four shows that collectively constitute ranging in tone from the emotionally raw the return of a characteristic Golden Age and earnest All in the Family, M*A*S*H, and The Mary Tyler genre that had been pronounced dead-the anthology. For a Moore Show to the even louder but not loutish Laverne & decade and more it has been the unchallenged conventional Shirley and Happy Days. Through its first half, the 1980s seems wisdom of the networks that anthologies cannot succeed with to be the decade of the nighttime soap opera, as Dallas, Dy- today's audiences. Such shows were never overwhelmingly nasty, Falcon Crest, Knots Landing, and their countless kin popular even in the 1950s, and were viable then only because reignite the votive flame of tawdry fantasy after a late -1970s television sets were expensive and thus for a while the audi- glut of "flawed, human" characters and gritty realism. ence was generally educated and well-to-do. For the mass audi- Given the copycat propensities of the networks, one might ence, the argument goes, anthologies do not offer dependable expect this year's fall schedule to add yet another nighttime enough satisfactions. soap or two, and it does. One might also expect to see a few The basic marketing problem, it seems, is that anthologies do not provide the week -after-week lure of family characters and William A. Henry III is a critic for Time magazine. His 1984 circumstances. Because each story is self-contained, each campaign book, Visions of America, was recently published. story must sell itself to viewers from scratch. Therefore, each

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story must have a "hook" that can be summarized in a 10 - footage. It turned out that his witticisms about the criminals second promotional ad or two lines of type in TV Guide. Com- and the sponsors (classes he tended to equate) applied with just pounding those problems is an artistic and logistical one: Cast- as much force to the new versions. In a spiteful counter -pro- ing a series and developing its basic ambiance and story line is gramming ploy (one that provides yet another argument for hard enough, even with months and millions to lavish, while buying a videocassette recorder), NBC plans to run Hitchcock assembling all the creative elements of a one-shot show every this fall in the same Sunday night time slot as the current favor- week is almost unimaginable. Finding and honing scripts seems ite of mystery lovers, CBS's Murder She Wrote. an almost insuperable task in itself-although in the Golden CBS has had its own revival of a bygone series under way for Age producers did it routinely. The effort and risk involved in more than a year, since an anthology of reworked Twilight running an anthology series is akin to that of delivering a made - Zone episodes proved to be a hit theatrical film. That success, for -TV movie every week, but on a much lower budget. like the enthusiasm for the three Star Trek movies, proved that To avoid these pitfalls, the networks have, predictably, the huge Baby Boom audience retained a passionate (and com- hedged their bets by scheduling shows that are in some way mercially exploitable) nostalgia for the television of its youth. presold, either on the strength of the producer -director, the It remains to be seen whether that affection is sufficient to build host, or the subject matter. Two of the four, moreover, solve a loyal following week after week. Still, Twilight Zone may the script problem by being in have seemed an especially attrac- essence faithful remakes, epi- tive risk because its writing re- sode by episode, of bygone an- mains among the best ever done for thologies that continue to Anthologies involve a risky television. Like the Hitchcock thrive in syndication. All four show, it had style and consistency, have been planned meticu- break with TV rules. Viewers but it was a far more earnestly lously to avoid any potential moral enterprise-and thus per- for artiness and esoterica. should welcome the fresh air, haps the more likely to clash with There is nothing remotely akin our cynical, rugged -individualist to Playhouse 90 among these even if it is circa 1958. times. Hitchcock liked to let crimi- entertainments. nals, even murderers, get away The least well defined is with things. He appealed to the Steven Spielberg's Amazing Stories. As Hollywood's foremost naughty side of human nature. In keeping with the pieties of his current movie producer -director, Spielberg is quite a catch for era, he would often reveal during his wrapup speech that the NBC. All three networks have been trying for years to make a wrongdoer had been "apprehended," but in a TV Guide inter- fantasy adventure series that captured the devil-may-care dar- view he dismissed that sort of talk as merely "a necessary ing, tongue-in-cheek peril, and nonstop action of Spielberg's gesture to morality." Twilight Zone's producer -author Rod Raiders of the Lost Ark, but with the arguable exception of The Serling, by contrast, believed in a just universe, and in what- A -Team, none of these attempts has succeeded. Now Spielberg ever corner of it a story took place, he made certain that the himself will seek to renew his magic, without the luxuries of right thing was done. money and time. He will also have to adjust to the narrative The fourth anthology series-produced by Steve Martin and structure of commercial television, which, unlike films, is not hosted by George Burns-showcases comedy. Unlike the cumulative but instead episodic. The best TV writing takes other anthologies, which offer very little potential for develop- advantage of, rather than fights, the necessity of an interrup- ing continuing shows, Comedy Week can serve as an audition tion for commercials every eight minutes or so. Spielberg's vehicle for would-be series stars and as a testing ground for films, which depend so much on pacing and on a delicate ballet pilot episodes. The problem, of course, is the difficulty of main- of tension and relief, are the antithesis of effective writing for taining quality week after week. television. Thus the prospect of making a series that retains his style seems daunting at best. Despite these pitfalls, and notwithstanding the unoriginality In contrast to ballyhooing Spielberg as Hollywood's most of most of what the anthology series will offer, audiences famous living director, NBC will rely on the sales value of an should welcome the networks' experiment. The wearying even more renowned filmmaker who is, inconveniently, dead, sameness of series after series, season after season, has re- to promote another anthology, Alfred Hitchcock Presents. The sulted from the reluctance of fearful executives to deviate from absence of Hitchcock should not be an obstacle, however. Al- the iron rules of programming. Sitcoms, it is said, must be though he introduced all of the episodes broadcast during the about work or home but not both; otherwise, they simply re- original series' decade -long run, he directed only about 20, yet mind viewers of the competition between those irreconcilably the show retained a consistently wry and sardonic tone. Mys- demanding forces in their own lives. Dramatic series must fo- tery buffs regard many of the episodes as classics, full of the cus on life or death issues and must feature characters who can frissons of animal horror that today's literary, self-conscious plausibly be thrust into crises week after week. Short of the genre fiction often sacrifices in favor of metaphysical rumina- supernatural, that has meant that doctor, criminal lawyer, pri- tion. My personal favorite is Lamb to the Slaughter, in which a vate detective, and policeman were virtually the only accept- woman clubs her husband to death with a frozen leg of lamb able professions for a star character. Variety shows have been and then feeds the roasted evidence to the investigating police. declared dead because of the fragmentation of the public's taste NBC tested the appeal of remakes of some other highly rein popular music-the virtual disappearance of the "middle of garded Hitchcock episodes in a two-hour special this spring, the road" artist. All of these rules make sense, but they all and scored a ratings coup. The plump director, dead since constrain thinking. The current dabbling with anthologies at 1980, still served as host: a new computer technology allowed least suggests that the networks may be opening their hearts the network to turn his black -and -white appearance into color and minds to fresh air, even if it is fresh air circa 1958.

64 Channels SEE'TEMBER/OCTOBER'85

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www.americanradiohistory.com PROGRAM NOTES

Bob Newhart: Prime Time's Bland Eminence

a foil for the oddballs in his company. an accountant (which in fact Newhart by Michael Pollan And, as in the old show, these are sharply once was). Balding, going a little slack in drawn by as fine a crew of character ac- the face (he looks more like Hubert Hum- AS BEFITS its unprepossessing tors as you will find on television. Among phrey every year), Newhart reminds you star, Newhart is the most in- the best of these are Tom Poston (who of one of those nonentities who are so conspicuous hit on television. played Newhart's college chum on the accustomed to being forgotten that they It wins no awards, and almost old show) as George Utley, the dim, mo- continually reintroduce themselves. And nobody writes about it. rose handyman who ambles through each the fact that he looks nothing like a celeb- That's probably because the show offers episode like an old yellow Labrador on an rity lends a certain credibility to his quiet, the journalist no easy angles. There's regular-guy sort of comedy. nothing innovative about it, and it's You might think that spawned no new stars or imitators. such gentle humor would Newhart is just there, week after week, get lost in prime time, but going about its quiet business, earning Newhart probably stands plenty of chuckles and smiles, if seldom a out precisely because it is guffaw. Yet the show is far more popular so quiet. On a dial crammed than programs that command many times with quick -cut action the attention and it consistently ranks shows, wacky comedies, among the top 20 programs in prime time. and over -plotted prime- Evidently Newhart is easier to watch time soaps, Newhart holds than to notice. out an island of calm. The Indeed, if you ask people if they've show must appeal to any- ever seen the Newhart show, they'll one who thinks television probably say sure, then go on to describe was better back in the '60s a program about a psychologist in Chi- and '70s. Indeed, Newhart cago whose neighbor is Roger from I Exurbanites Joanna (Mary Frann) and Dick Loudon. is a throwback to that CBS Dream of Jeannie. That's the old Like the man himself, the series, Newhart, goes almost tradition of hayseed com- Newhart show, the one that helped make unnoticed but consistently ranks in the Top 20. edy: Green Acres, Petti- up CBS's great Saturday night lineup in coat Junction, and The Bev- the '70s along with All in the Family and August afternoon, and Peter Scolari, who erly Hillbillies. Newhart may be slightly The Mary Tyler Moore Show. It's easy to plays Michael Harris, the local TV pro- more sophisticated than these shows, but confuse the two. Except for changes in ducer and tirelessly aspiring preppie. Mi- like them it derives its humor from the setting and costume, the new Newhart is chael's head has been turned by Stepha- age-old frictions produced when an urban really a rerun of the old. nie Vanderkellen (Julia Duffy), a sensibility is introduced into a rural set- Instead of playing a shrink, this time hyper -dramatic princess who distract- ting (or, in the case of The Beverly Hillbil- Newhart portrays a prosperous writer of edly waits on tables at the inn while lies, the reverse). how-to books who has moved from New dreaming about life in a faster lane. There's something nostalgic and com- York City to Vermont to operate a colo- What makes all these characters come forting about Newhart's television per- nial inn with his wife, Joanna (played by off as well as they do is Newhart, the per- sona and his show's desultory pace. Like Mary Frann). The change of venue has fect straight man. They get into fixes, and the inn, the show has the feel of a refuge, had virtually no effect on Newhart's per- say stupid things-and Newhart reacts, removed from time and bustle. (There are sona (he's a tad less excitable, if that can brilliantly. His reactions are among the virtually no topical references in the be imagined), and the ensemble of urban best on television; he's got the courage scripts.) Newhart has the calming rhythm eccentrics that surrounded him in Chi- Jack Benny had to ride out several long of a children's program-Mister Rogers' cago has been replaced, almost one for beats of silence and then get a laugh with Neighborhood, or Captain Kangaroo. In one, by rural counterparts. little more than a quiet, uninflected fact Newhart and the Captain have a lot The show's comedy works pretty much "oh." In fact, Newhart's comic vocabu- in common. Both are serene, well ad- the same way in the new show as it did in lary is pretty much limited to that "oh," justed to a fault, a little boring, but always the old. Like the bland hero at the center an "I see," a "hmmm," a quick stammer, dependable. Like the Captain, Newhart of a Dickens novel (Oliver Twist, say, or and a raised eyebrow, all of which he de- surrounds himself with characters who Little Dorrit), Newhart serves mainly as ploys with unerring timing. But his reac- are a little better off in the personality tions would not earn nearly as many department, but also a little ridiculous. Michael Pollan, a contributing editor of laughs if not for the face they play across. (George Utley, his handyman, with the Channels, is executive editor of Harper's This is television's premier nebbish, a plaid shirt, coveralls, and funny hats, is a Magazine. man who, by all rights, should have been dead ringer for Mr. Greenjeans.)

66 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com PROGRAM I, ; NOTES Per I// ,v d11 < a . '' ï11 ACE STANDARDS CONVERSION Also like Captain Kangaroo, Newhart can learn how to cope with the clowns in has mastered (or perhaps was born with) our owri lives. They make good tutors be- that certain characteristic stance that cause they are the most sane fellows on seems to unite all of television's most du- their respective blocks, which is, of rable personalities. Johnny Carson, Dick course, the way we see ourselves most of VIDEO DUPLICATION Clark, David Hartman, and almost all the the time: not too exciting, fairly bright, er network anchormen have it: that genial, and sane. Television's bland eminences 11 r unflappable, and self-effacing mien that teach us the art of playing life's straight SONY 1610 DIGITAL seems to offer an unthreatening bridge men-Eddie Alberts to the world's Eva AUDIO between ourselves and the larger world. Gabors, Tom Brokaws to its Nabih Ber - (Why is it that so many of TV's biggest ris. It may entail some sacrifice of per- personalities have so little personality?) sonality, they suggest, but we, too, can be These are people with whom we can the hosts and anchors of our own shows. comfortably identify and from whom we Pros like Newhart show us how it's done. VIDEO DUPLICATION

ACE TV's Celebration of Itself STANDARDS CONVERSION

come before. Thus, the sequence on the by Mark Edmundson Middle American who has made a Viet- VIDEO DUPLICATION nam War memorial of his front yard, or on 7-11 Lexington Street, NTERTAINMENT TONIGHT, the me- the young female scientist who has spent London W1 R 3HQ dia's nightly half-hour adver- 10 years teaching a gorilla sign language, Tel: +44(0)1 434 4461 tisement for themselves, has shifts the viewers' relationship with the just celebrated its 1,000th newscast. What had been a parade of ss 6)'q" dddL. : ;''/'7, broadcast, and is now one of events that transcend and perhaps the six top productions in syndication. threaten our individuality becomes a E.T.'s popularity is easy to account for manageable encounter with the memo- WHEN THE JOB IS when you see the subtle, if inadvertent, rial -builder or the scientist. The security WORTH DOING WELL duet it plays out with the evening news, the closing segment can engender often the show it follows on many stations' dulls the disquieting effect of the earlier THE- schedules. Watching E.T. is like ingesting headline stories. This is something we an efficient temporary bromide for the can understand. We're safe again. anxieties the news provokes. It is the eve- Entertainment Tonight is an entire CARLYLE ning news as we'd sometimes wish it to show based on the logic of the closing segment. Its ceaseless rhapsody about "what's coming up next" places us, imag- GROUP inatively, beyond future news -inspired LONDON anxieties, priming us perpetually for a OFFERS YOU THE HIGHEST QUALITY POST PRODUCTION sugary "something ever more about to SERVICE be." To watch the show is to be kept in a state of pleasing suspension, awaiting the Current Work includes next bit of electronic foreplay. Thus, not ARCTIC HEAT Film for The only an interview with Roger Moore (Feature Cinema Group) does FIVE BY FIVE plug his upcoming movie, but the anchors (Documentary Series due for Plastic -dipped: Co -hosts Rob Weller and hype this preview as the lead-in to an E.T. U.S. Screening) Mary Hart. "Ken and Barbie finally got special segment on the new rock -wres- Corporate work for their own show." tling connection, where Cyndi Lauper meets George (The Animal) Steele. IBM PHILLIPS GRUNDIG KODAK PEPSI COLA be, and as such it tells us some disturbing Another thing about the news's closing GENERAL MOTORS things about the news as it is. segment: It flatters its audience by bringing the broadcast down to a sentimental, call Entertainment Tonight takes up where IAN MORRISON the network news leaves off. The latter's subjective level. We're supposed to be for Post Production Attention by closing segment is usually a human inter- charmed and touched by the doings of the est story, a sentimental vignette that at- plain folk we see there, but we're invited tempts to soften the impact of what has to condescend to them a little, too. (This CARLYLE'S man salvages old American flags. This IN-HOUSE AWARD WINNING EDITORS woman plays all day with a monkey.) E.T. CARLYLE GROUP OF COMPANIES 27 Berwick Street, London W.1. Mark Edmundson teaches English at the takes this technique of audience flattery + 44 1 439 8967 University of Virginia. and pumps it up almost to its bursting

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www.americanradiohistory.com PROGRAM NOTES

point. The anchors address us as if we they'd been dipped lightly in plastic. "It's miracle of human achievement. A pep - were ranking media plutocrats, with vital like Ken and Barbie finally got their own rally euphoria permeates the show. E.T.'s investments in the studios and networks. show," someone has nastily remarked. tone expresses nothing more than TV's On Tuesday the weekend box office to- The anchors meld the disparate E.T. seg- own image of itself. TV is bright, optimis- tals come in: One of the anchors reads off tic, ingenuous, and self-assured. It is the Top 10 grossers, with relevant fig- "positive" in much the way many of its ures. A preview of Disney's Black Caul- E.T. is pure habitual viewers pride themselves on be- dron begins with a fact sheet-running ing "positive people." time, production expenses, data of re- The embarrassing excesses of E.T. lease, director, animator, and voices-all bromide-a merely draw out the tendencies of the superimposed on a drawing of a very evening news to the point of caricature. snug, very exclusive screening room. cure for the The newscast, too, celebrates TV, yet the Anything that can be reduced is reduced stakes there are higher. On the news, the to a statistic, a profit figure, a ratio. Thus "miracle of TV," its status as a human potentates and bottom -liners rule the unwanted anxiety achievement firmly under human con- world. ("Tell me what I need to know trol, acts implicitly to offset the anxieties about Bismarck," said John F. Kennedy caused by the that world events often produce. No to a visiting historian on a 10 -minute drive problem could be beyond solution by the to the airport.) evening news. technicians of TV, or so we as viewers Then there are the anchors. At the cen- may feel, as the newscast zooms from vi- ter of E.T., ministering to our command- olence in Philadelphia to famine in Ethio- ing need to stay current, are two attrac- ments into some coherence, using word- pia. The most tragic world -incident on tive young people of surpassing play, allusions, jokes, anything to give the evening news is qualified by televi- ingenuousness, Rob Weller and Mary this grab-bag production an illusion of sion's bright, optimistic, ingenuous, and Hart. Both wear an unearthly sheen, as if continuity. Which, of course, is precisely self-assured image of itself. Whatever the what the anchors on the newscasts do. ostensible message, the medium itself is The men on the anchor desk give an "positive." Whatever it puts across is ho- illusion of cohesiveness and control over mogenized, compromised, stripped of its events. The networks have a vast array of particularity and impact. It becomes just nerve endings "spanning the globe," all more TV, food for the National Combine, converging on the organizing intelli- the Great American Mixmaster. gence, the newscaster. No matter how But if TV as Mixmaster is nothing more A LARGE threatening news events may be, they can than a useful appliance for ridding the be processed, ordered, disciplined, and home of unwanted anxiety, then why made conhributing parts of a unity by the should we object? Freud, an expert on mediating presence of a single person, this matter, thought anxiety was the least much like ourselves, sitting at the center useful, if most inescapable, of the painful SCOTCH of things. Or so they would have us be- emotions. But the kind of anxiety that the lieve. E.T.'s ingenuity in connecting its news can generate is, from a political segments shows us that what may seem point of view, desirable. As the German EPM has a very substantial reputation in the to be a cohesiveness among reports or philosopher Martin Heidigger has Scottish Video business. Their productions have won a a numerous awards. events is no more than fabrication, pointed out, care and anxiety are insepa- production technique. Out there is rable. We might think of "care" as an au- Chaos, from which the networks must thentic sense that we share fate and re- Facilities are available to American clients for all nightly construct new worlds that seem to sponsibility with all others who dwell in production services covering script/treatments and hold together. the world. (It is the sense that the pop graphics, production/direction, camera/lighting and sound, special effects, editing and duplicating Watching E.T. can also teach us some- singers tried to fabricate by recording of Scottish based material, either ad -hoc or as a thing about how the news deploys the lat- "We Are the World.") The apotheosis of total package, for any format, low or high band. est technology to mediate events, soften television separates us from contact with their punch. The show commands a Star what both care and anxiety signify, which Wars arsenal of super-graphics, anima- we might call "worldliness." Karl Marx Newsreel, documentary, industrial, corporate, tion, spin -frames, split -screens, and in- once said that history occurs twice, first promotional and entertainment video. serts, along with every other state-of-the- as tragedy, then as farce. In our moment, art video effect. It's all color, light, and it occurs as tragedy in Philadelphia or Contact Ken Andrew MBKS, MRTS sound. The show also calls continual at- Ethiopia, and then, in our living rooms, The Electric Picture Machine tention to its technical mobility: "From as TV. On Entertainment Tonight we find The Production Office Hollywood we zoom to Cannes and then TV in its purest form, celebrating itself 8B St. Vincent Street Edinburgh, Scotland, EH3 6SH, UK. to the living room of Peter Falk to find out and its power to divide us from the bur- Telephone: Edinburgh (031-557) 4609 all about ..." E.T. doesn't promote The dens (and the dignities) of anxiety and Cosby Show or the latest CBS docudrama care, putting itself in the place of the so much as it advertises television as the world. TV is E.T. It is Extra -Terrestrial.

68 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com Hunters and Gatherers of an Information Age

No Sense of Place: share much the same information envi- "If Nixon was thesis, and Carter antithe- The Impact of ronment, we are becoming more alike. sis, then Reagan is synthesis.... He is Electronic Media Even the home no longer isolates a family part Nixon, part Carter, an `imperial' on Social Behavior from the outside world as it is "now a less President who chops his own wood." by Joshua bounded and unique environment be- Meyrowitz also theorizes that the elec- Meyrowitz, Oxford cause of family members' access ... to tronic media have brought about a ho- University Press, other places and other people through ra- mogenization of childhood and adulthood $22.50 dio, television, and telephone." (notable, for example, in the T-shirts Furthermore, before television we worn by parent and child alike) that re- were largely limited to seeing only the calls life hundreds of years ago, before by Robert Kubey "frontstage" performance of those many the spread of literacy. At that time, ac- groups of people different from our- cording to French historian Philippe MCLUHAN put his telescope to selves. But we have come to understand Aries, children were miniature adults; his ear. 'What a lovely through television that most of us are they drank, gambled, worked, and smell,' he said, 'we have pretty much alike "backstage," and that dressed in the same manner as their par- here.' " So goes A.J.M. the front region is merely performance. ents. Adulthood held few mysteries for Smith's witty attack on Mar- Meyrowitz uses his theory to argue ef- them because adult behavior was not hid- shall McLuhan's bewildering analysis of fectively that the widespread sharing of den, as it has been throughout much of the sensory properties of media. Indeed, information via the media helped bring the 20th century. it was once said that the "Prophet of Me- about the social revolution of the '60s- Meyrowitz takes Aries's work further dia" used his obscurity like a blackjack. the civil rights movements demanding by showing how the spread of literacy via In retrospect, McLuhan's legendary im- equality for blacks, women, the aged, and precision allowed many of his ingenious the disabled, and a host of other signifi- ideas to gain quick prominence and then, cant social changes. with the exception of an epigram or two, Our exposure to intimate views of our become largely forgotten. political leaders via television, for exam- Joshua Meyrowitz is acutely aware of ple, has made it increasingly difficult for McLuhan's shortcomings and has no in- them to preserve the kind of mystifica- tention of following in his footsteps. In tion that former great leaders enjoyed. RRSPB No Sense of Place: The Impact of Elec- Had television existed in earlier centu- tronic Media on Social Behavior, he care- ries, the public would have learned that fully melds McLuhanism with the work Lincoln had a high, reedy voice and that Wildlife of sociologist Erving Goffman. The result Jefferson spoke with a slight speech im- is an intricately articulated and workable pediment; it is unlikely that either would theory of how the electronic media are have been elected to high Films office. significantly changing people and their While Nixon tried to maintain the tradi- World Winners! relations with one another. 39 Titles tional separation between front and back English or International Tracks It was Goffman's aim to show how we regions, according to Meyrowitz, he was carefully display different facets of our- ultimately undone by the tape recordings selves in different places and social situa- of backstage conversations that even his To RSPB Films, The Lodge, Sandy, tions. For Goffman, the world is quite lit- most ardent supporters could not recon- Bedfordshire, England, SG19 2DL erally a stage upon which one performs cile with the "onstage" Nixon. different roles, depending on whether In an attempt to adapt to the new de- Please airmail me a free selection one is frontstage (in a "front region") or mands of television, Jimmy Carter of colour brochures on RSPB backstage (in a "back region"). Meyro- showed us too much of the back region product currently available. witz has extended Goffman's thinking to and not enough of the front. He wore Name consider how the media alter our tradi- jeans in public and carried his own lug- tional conceptions of social place and, as gage, but ultimately, failures, minor scan- Address a result, our roles and our behavior. dals, and a last-minute mean -spirited City Meyrowitz points out that social change in Presidential demeanor in the State Zip "groups" traditionally seemed to differ heat of the 1980 election could not be rec- from each other because their life experi- onciled with candidate Carter's early RSPB television representation in USA by were so ences different. But now that we image and promises of complete fidelity. Richard Price Television Associates, For Meyrowitz, the new middle region 444 Madison Ave, 26th Floor, Robert Kubey is an assistant professor of television politics demands a profes- New York 10022. Tel: (212) 980-6960. communications at Rutgers University. sional actor with decades of experience: r

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85 Channels 69

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The CBC's 50th anniversary in BANFF broadcasting will be celebrated at the 7th Banff Television Festival, May 25 - 31, 1986. FESTIVAL

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print media in the 16th and 17th centuries battering their children.... The result is most people share much the same infor- may well have been the primary force not only that they grow up fast, but that mation environment: "One way to char- shaping our modern conception of child- they grow up having an image of society acterize ourselves, then, is as `hunters hood as a separate stage of life. Print re- and roles that differs markedly from that and gatherers of an information age.' " quired that children learn to read to share held by children of earlier generations." In his effort to be thorough, Meyrowitz fully in the adult world, and learning to Meyrowitz then applies his theory to is occasionally long-winded in document- read required years of schooling and the blurring of distinctions between the ing recent trends (although some readers training. In turn, schooling separated the sexes and the rise of the women's move- will enjoy these sections). And like an child's world from the adult's. To comment. Whereas men always had access to overzealous psychoanalyst who under- prehend television, however, requires no the world outside the home, many stands all behavior in terms of impulses training: "Television undermines the hi- women until recently were relatively iso- and complexes, Meyrowitz tries on occa- erarchy of information supported by lated at home. These differing social sion to fit too much data to his theory. But stages of reading literacy and the age - worlds preserved the distinctions be- even here he covers himself in an intro- specific grades of the school system." tween men and women. But television ductory section by explaining that his fo- Just as TV reveals much about our po- has brought the same outside world to cus is the electronic media. He makes no litical leaders, so too does it inform chil- both sexes. And, by exposing backstage pretense of explicating all the other possi- dren about the not -so -adult behavior of behaviors that once lay hidden behind the ble sources of recent social change. adults. In the '50s, for example, such pro- traditional sex roles, television has eased With No Sense of Place, exciting pos- grams as Father Knows Best, Leave It to the pressure on both sexes to maintain sibilities are born in the field of mass - Beaver, and many others repeatedly restrictive front-region feminine and ma- communications research. Its sweeping showed adults struggling backstage to cho personas. coverage also offers insights for histo- manage their frontstage behavior for chil- Meyrowitz concludes his 416-page rians, sociologists, psychologists, and dren. As a result, children grew up pre- work with a compelling comparison of political scientists, and it will reward the pared to question adult authority. modern mass -mediated society and the serious lay reader as well. It is, in short, "Through electronic media," Meyro- primitive nomadic hunters and gatherers among the most important books on me- witz says, "young children see politicians who, like ourselves, "have no sense of dia yet written; a masterful piece of schol- disgraced, police officers and teachers place." He argues that the electronic me- arship. What interests me is what Joshua strike for higher pay, parents accused of dia have restored us to a state wherein Meyrowitz will do for an encore.

70 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com °Wifih the help of these 4 Tribune TV Log lines n

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www.americanradiohistory.com IDEAS & OBSERVATIONS

PALEY'S It is not stretching the facts to say taste and a capacity for growth. transaction, he would then find in- that audiences were able to hear Of course he was middle class. teresting things to do-like the New GRACES the New York Philharmonic on ra- And of course he loved to compete. York Philharmonic-that would dio and see Playhouse 90 on televi- He wanted to get better ratings than also mean prestige and some risky sion in the late 1950s because Wil- NBC, and he won those ratings over leadership of public taste. liam S. Paley, years before, had the years, in radio and television. Similarly, with the winnings from become bored with the cigar busi- This game -playing had a lot to do Jack Benny and other stars, he put ness. Thanks to his father's success with what he got on the air. But Pa- money in the purse for public af- ley also had a clear idea of priorities. fairs, news, and whatever else, like lb'illirnt S. and his own enterprise, he had some Paley money of his own, and he chose to When one of his executives pro- documentaries, Edward R. Murrow spend it on a new game. Like Citizen posed that CBS adopt the stance of might want to do.... Paley was un- From a paper presented by Kane, who thought it would be fun the "class network" and con- questionably the decision -maker Richard Dyer MacCann at to run a newspaper, Paley thought it sciously cut down its audience. Pa- who gave [his executives] room to the University of Iowa would be fun to run a radio network. ley rejected the idea at once. Broad- work, and we cannot be aware of Symposium and The Columbia Broadcasting System casting had to be a popular medium. this and at the same time deny that Conference on Television became the reflection of a hard- He was certain of that. With the Paley and CBS have made a differ- Criticism, held last April. working man with considerable profits from this kind of democratic ence in our lives.

PRESIDENTIAL ovember 3, 1992. The election electronic marketing in politics. The Marine expeditionary force, or TECHNOLOGY is finally over. After a full year President and his campaign commit- (3) take some otherwise unspecified of 18 -hour workdays, sheer habit tee ... had done the polling neces- "stronger action." Not surprisingly, From an article by David got me up before dawn even though sary to identify every census tract considering the manner in which the 55 Burnham in Election I had fallen asleep only an hour and a . whose majority of residents fa- question was framed, percent of Communications and the half earlier. There are, of course, no vored one or more aspects of the the viewers ticked off the second op- Campaign of 1992, a book more schedules to worry about, no President's program or were open to tion. This number was instantly recently published by the more speeches to write, no more discussion about these matters. flashed back to viewers. American Bar Association. polls to order, no more money to They, of course, had run dozens of From what we know, President A chapter entitled "Five raise, no more deals to cut. With different government and industrial Bronson's advisors were deliber- Scenarios of the 1992 nothing to do, but with a mind and data bases against each other and ately steering the country toward the Elections" included this body not yet able to slow down, I am developed a master list of the name, action the President already had or- piece by the author of The sitting in front of the terminal, trying address, telephone number, age, ed- dered the military to follow. The evi- Rise of the Computer to sort out some of the incredible ucation, car ownership, political af- dence supporting this assumption is State. events of the past year. filiation, and other information very simple: Exactly 15 minutes af- Looking back, it is clear that from about every individual living in each ter the computers informed the na- the very beginning we all secretly of the census tracts that had been tion that 55 percent of the viewers knew there was almost no chance identified as favorable or receptive favored option number two, a heli- that we could actually defeat Presi- to the President's cause... copter -borne team of Marines sur- dent Bronson and the fully mobi- The new technology also helped rounded the plane, killed 25 peas- lized federal government. the incumbent in another important ants, and escaped aboard two Air From the start of the campaign, and totally unexpected way. Just six Force transport planes. we understood that if we were to weeks ago, starving peasants living In addition to undermining the sys- have a chance of winning we would near Acapulco, Mexico, in a blind tem of checks and balances that has have to contact and motivate the rage, seized a charter airline con- distinguished our government since millions of Americans that were un- taining 153 American tourists just its founding, the Mexican plebiscite employed. This task, however, before it was scheduled to take off proved the end of what we by then proved to be far more difficult than for New York. Three of the tourists, clearly understood to be a hopeless we had anticipated. One surprising a Chicago businessman, his wife, campaign challenge... . problem was that a significant per- and their little girl, were killed when Now apathy is apparent. The de- centage of our natural constituents they panicked and tried to flee the feat of my candidate is not impor- no longer possessed the essential in- plane. The U.S. was enraged by the tant. But as I sit at my terminal in my strument of modern campaigning: deaths. small office just off Pennsylvania Av- the telephone. This was partly be- President Bronson took advantage enue, it appears that the events of the cause many of them had been unem- of the situation to give a dramatic na- last few months strongly suggest that ployed for many years and partly tionally televised speech that ended our society has moved a long way because the fundamental cost of with his employing the two-way capa- down the road toward a kind of such equipment had skyrocketed bility of the sets (now operating in 60 glossy and accepting despotism. Will since the breakup of AT&T in the percent of the nation's homes) to seek we wake up? Does sufficient institu-

early 1980s... . the nation's opinion about what he tional power reside within the Con- The considerable gap in the de- should do. With passions running high gress, the press, and the courts to gree to which our different constitu- across the country, the President challenge the computer -enhanced ents were plugged into the world asked the viewers whether he should power of the White House and its was especially noticeable because (I) limit his immediate response to instruments throughout the govern- of the rapidly growing importance of diplomatic negotiations, (2) send in a ment? D

72 Channels SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER '85

www.americanradiohistory.com FOR KIDS' SAKE

Children... our most precious resource. Within them lie our hopes for today and our dreams for tomorrow.

Throughout the comirg year, WBZ-1V4 will present a station campaign focusing on the problems young -- people face today, and providing opportunities to t enrich their lives.

The campaign will present daily and weekly special programs, and public events, providing your family with a new look at matters concerning child health, racial and religious harmony, home life and education.

WBZ-TV is committed to this special effort to help nurture our children, provide new ways to look at the problems of our youth, and make the most of the time your family spends together.

Because it's time we recognized kids for what they really are...the future.

WuZ`' U The Station New England Turns To.

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