tie ritttl tstate R A D I O T E L E V I S I O N C A B L E S A T E L L I T E Broadcasting i Nov 20 No One's Better With Breaking News. When the earthquake hit Northern California, the whole world was moved. Thanks, in part, to the diligent news coverage provided by Conus Communications and our members, especially KTXL (Sacramento/Stockton) and KHJ (Los Angeles). In the six days following the earthquake, the Conus Satellite News Cooperative exchanged more than 500 live, custom reports from the Bay area. Even with all that coverage we weren't able to meet every demand. But the five Conus SNG trucks on the scene did transmit more custom -tailored earthquake insight to local stations than any other news organization. To learn more about Conus services, call 612/642 -4573. Or write: Conus Communications, 3415 University Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55414. CO,NIU/I>y® ZI19£ -1V 113Nx0t 50,1 9ÚlS ZZ i k'00?-4 SVS-lnr Ot/AOR NZI 99EZl 2119E 19£ 119I0-£1-,4JJ L-^ YYY*VY'Mf*Y - +;r. Most talk show hosts ask questions. Jesse Jackson looks for answers. le Jesse Jackson Volces OÎ merica One Hour. Once A Week. One Of A Kind. Fall 1990. Produced by Quincy Jones Productions in association with Jesse L. Jackson Sr. Productions Inc. and distributed by WARNER BROS. DOMESTIC TELEVISION DISTRIBUTION A Warner Communications Company Broadcasting iîNov20 Vol. 117 No. 21 focuses attention on America's public's attitude toward news Shadow weaknesses in global media organizations shows market. network TV news maintaining favorable rating with over respondents, but losing ground 52/ CABLE-RADIO as impartial observer of cable... BREAKFAST CLUB political and social scene. Senate Commerce New VH -1 cable program Committee hearings on includes celebrity guests, 64/ ZENITH FOCUS 1984 Cable Act give music videos and live hook- ups with radio's "morning zoo" Zenith Electronics Corp. preview of cable programs. introduces high- definition TV reregulation production system. expected next year. 54/ ONE FOR Among those METROPLEX 87/ LEADING EDGE Henry Schleiff leads testifying (l -r): Jim FCC Review Board upholds Viacom's entertainment and Robbins, Cox Cable; ruling granting Metroplex Communications license broadcast operations with hard work humor. John Malone, TCI, and renewal, dismissing competing and sense of Jim Mooney, NCTA. application. PAGE 27. DEPARTMENTS 58/ PUBLIC TV AGREEMENT Public TV groups and Advertisers Index 86 Radio review Day -long FCC en Corporation for Public Business 47 banc hearing on technical improvement of AM band Broadcasting agree on national program funding plan. By the Numbers 12 explores, among other things, approaches for Cablecastings 67 making AM more competitive with FM. PAGE 31. Changing Hands 60 ATTENTION Closed Circuit 6 K MART SHOPPERS Datebook 18 aimed at teenagers in 29/ REINING CBS says its first -year prime Editorials 90 January. IN CABLE time promotional tie -in with K Fates & Fortunes 83 mart results in higher Fifth Estater 87 Senator John Danforth (R- ratings. Mo.) introduces cable 36 / 'COSBY' PASS For the Record 68 reregulation bill that NCTA Sixteen of top -20 market In Brief 88 says offers "series of extreme stations, including WWOR -TV International 56 solutions to problems that New York, decline Viacom 51/ WALL -TO -WALL Journalism 51 are either modest or Enterprises' offering for COVERAGE Law & Regulation 40 nonexistent." NAB, INN second -cycle renewal of In wake of NBC News's slow Masthead 24 support lawmaker's initiative. The Cosby Show. start in providing coverage of The Media 58 northern California Monday Memo 25 34/ TAKING LEAVE 40/ TV SPORTS On Radio 52 INN President Preston Football and baseball Open Mike 23 Padden says he will join Fox commissioners tell Senate that Programing 35 Television as soon as his alleged "siphoning" of Satellite Footprints 48 successor is chosen. sports program from over -air Stock index 14 TV to cable is not grand issue some have made it; 35/ ROAD TO NATPE broadcasters ask Congress Broadcasting (ISSN 0007 -2028) is pub- Rep firm executives expect to limit increasing cable TV lished 52 Mondays a year by Broadcasting increased 1990 Publications Inc., 1705 DeSales Street. N.W., business at sports share. Washington. D.C. 20036. Second -class post- NAIPE International age paid at Washington, D.C.. and additional convention in New Orleans. 47/ offices. Single issue $2 except special issues Among high -profile TVB'89 $3.50 (50th Anniversary issue $10). Sub- scriptions. U.S. and possessions: one year speakers and panelists there: Members of Television Tom Brokaw in Berlin Bureau of Advertising are told $70, two years $135. three years $190. Ca- NBC President and CEO earthquake, network gets nadian and other international subscribers to accentuate value of TV year. Robert Wright; actress Candice kudos for its performance in add $20 per U.S. and possessions advertising $235 yearly for special delivery. $100 for Bergen (Murphy Brown), during reporting news of East organization's 35th annual first- class. Subscriber's occupation required. and FCC Chairman Al Sikes. Germany's opening of Berlin Annually: Broadcasting o Cable Yearbook conference in Los Angeles. Wall. $115. Across the Dial $6.95. Microfilm of Broadcasting is available from University 36/ FOX SOAP Microfilms, 300 North Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, 56/ UP TO SNUFF 62/ PRESS SURVEY Mich. 48106 (35mm. full year $55). Postmas- Fox station group will launch ter. please send address corrections to new half -hour soap opera strip Testimony at Hill hearing Times Mirror's survey of Broadcasting, 1705 DeSales St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. Closed Circuit 1 Closed Circuit 1 Closed Circuit 1 Closed Circuit 1 Closed Circuit 1 YORK likely show, also strip, is Ross NEW Shafer- hosted Not for Men Only, focusing on men's Billion here, billion issues. Also being there considered is weekly half -hour lifestyle show, America's Latest yardstick confirming Hit List, which examines lists bargain that Capital Cities got of "best of" in worlds of in $3.3 billion purchase of travel, leisure and ABC is word that both WABC -TV entertainment. New York and KABC -T/ Los Angeles each are expected to Big Apple hardball top $100 million in cash flow Viacom Enterprises for 1989. Even using second -cycle renewal offer and conservative multiple of, first -cycle entry of A say, 12 times trailing cash flow Different World apparently fell for top- market VHF facility, victim in nation's market two stations alone would now top (see story, page 36) when New be worth at least $2.5 billion. York superstation WWOR-TV made conscious decision to Acquisition minded emphasize original Two new names - programing expenditures for Paramount and Tele- station's prime time and Communications Inc. -have access time periods. WWOR surfaced in bidding for cable's Home town hero General Manager Michael Nostalgia Network, which Alexander said if "millions and targets older audience and Lineup was stellar at seventh annual dinner dance held by Caucus millions of dollars are going serves over six million for Producers, Writers and Directors at Chasen's restaurant in Los to be spent on programing, it subscribers, and is one of last Angeles. L to r: Caucus Chairman Jerry Leider; Robert Daly, would be better spent on major programing networks Warner Bros. chairman and chief executive officer, and Jack Va- developing original programing not owned by major media lenti, Motion Picture Association of America president. Daly re- for our station." groups. TCI, which has ceived the organization's first "Executive of the Year Award." Currently, superstation is bought into Showtime and is carrying parent company looking at purchase of MCA's first -run Dragnet and MGM /UA, also has been one -fifth share in cable Network, fought off in lawsuit Adam 12 series, and Alexander mentioned as chief equity sports service since early this last spring. says big push will be made player in stake that Family year, and last spring was Viacom's to handle more MCA product, Channel is selling. reportedly talking with ABC, new crop expand in -house which has first refusal on Look for word soon from productions and "advertise" Nick's niche only portion of ESPN it does not Viacom that it may bring three, co- production ventures with own. Potential buyers could possibly four, new first -run other producers. "When I gave Word has it that Nicholas not be confirmed but are programs to NAIPE them [Viacom] my answer Kiernan has been named [no to making -offers for operations manager for believed to include marketplace in January. counter Japanese firms other than Sources at last week either show], they said they newly formed CBS Hispanic company those with which ESPN is said it was virtually certain it would negotiate with my Radio Network ( "Closed partnering for cable would proceed with Super Cop, competitors," Alexander Circuit," Sept. 25). Kiernan has Japanese sports service Japanese about crime fighter said. "Obviously I am not been with CBS since 1978, - firm Itoh, national with futuristic interested in talking about it joining as financial analyst, trading C. equipped broadcaster NHK and ad technology. Also likely is [Cosby renewal] for at least two CBS Inc., and most recently Dentsu. new years. The flip -side is that was director, long -form agency One other day- and -date early fringe to U.S. Entertainment we want to invest in original programing, affiliate foreign effort buy into strip, Coast was Dutch TV programing for prime time, relations, CBS Radio Networks. cable programing to Coast, magazine covering rather than Cosby." Beginning with 1990 bid for Financial News and film industries. Third season, CBS Radio Sports and CBS Radio Representatives King Wórld's lock on 'Monopoly' will produce, affiliate and sell Spanish -language coverage Almost three years in development, King World Productions has made good on its promise to introduce of All -Star Game, League TV game show version of Monopoly.