Shoptalk Archives
DON FITZPATRICK ASSOCIATES
"SHOPTALK"
Friday, March 8, 1996
The Pipeline To Jobs In Television
1-900-255-3747
1-800-600-3747
1-800-997-3747 (Canada)
"I don't like videos. There's something squalid about a video
store. The people look furtive, like drug addicts, as they
take them out in stacks of four or five. It's like people
who drink alone. It's one thing to drink at a party, another
to drink alone. One thing to go to an assembly hall and
watch big illusions, another thing to take them home in a
little can."
John Updike
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Here's The Top of the Tube in Today's F*ST
o Ron Allen Moves From ABC News To NBC News -- Based in London
o KPIX Gets Over 120,000 Requests For Letterman Tickets -- Dates Set
o 'Letters' Include: "V-chip" -"Iced Tea" - "Meteorology" - "Debates"
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SHORT TAKES
Ronald Allen, most recently recognized for his work out of ABC News' London
bureau, has been named a London-based correspondent for NBC News. Prior to
joining ABC in 1992, Allen covered the Rodney King trial and the Los
Angeles riots for CBS News. Allen has won both an Emmy and the Robert F.
Kennedy Award for his coverage of the Sudan famine as well as awards from
the Overseas Press Club, National Headliners Club and National Association
of Black Journalists for his coverage last year of genocide in Rwanda.
(Washington Post)
Brian Lewis, who headed publicity for CNBC, has followed former CNBC boss
Roger Ailes to Fox News, effective mid-April. Lewis will retain the same
title, Vice President, media relations. In his new position, Lewis will
also be in charge of publicity for the new Fox cable network envisioned by
Ailes and News Corp. honcho Rupert Murdoch. (Washington Post)
In response to a WPIX/Channel 11 (New York) "Help me, Howard" segment last
week, an anonymous woman has volunteered a check for $10,000 to enable a
paralyzed Central American man to enter the US for a crucial operation. In
the segment, Jewish Home and Hospital nurse Joan Lynch found herself in a
typical Catch-22; Her 24-year-old son lay paralyzed in a Belize hospital,
needing surgery that could only be performed in the US--New York's
University Hospital had already agreed to do it for free--but without
$10,000 IN THE BANK proving her financial responsibility, immigration
wouldn't approve her son's humanitarian visa. The donor, a mother of two,
phoned Howard Thompson after seeing his report and volunteered a check in
exchange for his reading a short poem about compassion on the air.
"NBC Nightly News" with Tom Brokaw was the first to declare Bob Dole
victorious in Georgia Tuesday. Brokaw announced the win at 7pm, and hour
before both CNN and ABC. A cautious CBS waited until 8:20pm to announce a
winner. (Washington Post)
KCNC-TV, NEWS 4's Director of Programming and Promotions, Mike Jackson, has
been named Local TV Promotion Executive of the Year for 1995 by Promax.
Promax is the national, professional association of television promotions
managers. The awards are voted upon by members of the organization
nationwide, and are designed to pay tribute to an individual's work. "This
recognition for Mike is richly deserved," said KCNC General Manager Marv
Rockford. "This prestigious award is further evidence of the quality of
people who make up the staff at KCNC," he said. The Promax awards honored
only seven people nationally in the areas of cable, radio, and local and
network TV.
Negotiators for the Writers Guild of America, East, reached a tentative
agreement on a new three-year contract with Capital Cities/ABC, affecting
some 205 employees. The pact, still subject to ratification by Guild
members, covers network and local TV and radio newswriters, editors, desk
assistants, researchers, production assistants, promotion writers and
graphic artists. The new contract calls for three annual wage increases and
other benefits and improved benefits for temporary employees. (Washington
Post)
NET-Political NewsTalk network has named Don Dudley as Producer of
Dateline: Washington which airs Sundays at noon (EST.) Mr. Dudley has 15
years of experience in television, including stops at stations in North
Carolina, South Carolina, Maine and Boston. Along the way he has been an
assignment editor, political reporter, news anchor, and bureau chief. Most
recently he served as producer of the Daytime Report at NewsChannel 8 in
Washington, DC. He has also served as interview coach for the Miss
America Contest and is a member of the Society of Professional
Journalists, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the
Radio-Television News Director Association and the National Press Club.
In addition to his producing responsibilities, Mr. Dudley will also bring
his extensive on-camera experience to NET. Program Director Merlyn
Reineke says Dudley will report on political issues for various network
programs on a regular basis. Net-Political NewsTalk Network offers
viewers an in-depth, up close look at the Washington political process.
NET reaches 12 million households nationwide with 24 hours of interactive
public affairs programming every day.
In its first week in stores, Disney's home video "Pocahontas" sold more
than 9 million copies nationwide. Although, the sales don't compare to
"The Lion King's" 20 million copies, "Pocahontas" is running 50 percent
above sales of Disney's "Cinderella." (LA Times)
CBS confirmed Wednesday the dates on which David Letterman will tape his
"Late Show" in San Francisco--Monday, May 6 through Friday, May 10. The
shows will air the second week of the May ratings sweeps. "Late Show"
spokeswoman Donna Dees said the shows will be taped from 5:30 to 6:30pm San
Francisco time for broadcast the same day. KPIX has received over 120,000
requests for tickets (and the requests continue to roll in). The Palace of
Fine Arts Theatre where Letterman will be taped only holds about 700
people. (SF Chronicle)
The Federal Communications Commission announced this week that cable
operators carrying the Playboy Channel and other adult-oriented channels
will be required to completely scramble the sex webs or to carry the
material only between 10pm and 6am. The FCC order becomes effective
tomorrow. Tele-Communications Inc. and Time Warner, the largest cablers in
the nation, do not have the appropriate scrambling technology and have
opted to channel programming to late evening and early morning hours.
(Daily Variety)
Major League Baseball announced yesterday that the New York agency
Interpublic Group of Cos.' Lowe & Partners/SMS is creating a new ad
campaign around the theme: "What a Game." The campaign will be launched
around Opening Day, March 31, with a full-page add in USA Today. Also
planned are 60-second radio ads, 30-second television commercials and
longer promotional spots to be shown in stadiums. "We're trying to reach
out to a broader spectrum (of fans) and generate some excitement again,"
said Bruce Kelly, general manager of Lowe & Partners. (Wall Street
Journal)
Actor James Stacey, 59, best known for his role in the 1960's TV western
"Lancer," was sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison for molesting the
11-year-old daughter of a friend. Stacy pleaded no contest last fall to
molesting the girl. (LA Times)
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Leader of the Pack: Bob Dole's sweep of the "Junior Tuesday" primaries
inspired the folks at Cutler Daily Scoop to come up with the new words for
the campfire favorite "This Old Man":
"This old man, won real grand, has the GOP in hand. Beating Steve, Pat,
Lugar flat, Lamar from Tennessee. This old man's the nominee."
Adds Alex Pearlstein, "Dole got such a clean sweep he has to pay the nanny
tax."
"Dole might be on a roll," says Jenny Church, "but Steve Forbes is sitting
on more bread."
However the primaries go, Pat Buchanan announced he has a duty to go all
the way to the convention in San Diego. Says Argus Hamilton, "On opening
day, he's going to throw out the first immigrant."
In other news: A Florida court cleared the way for F. Lee Bailey to go to
jail for not turning over a drug-dealer client's millions. Says Tony
Peyser, "Marcia Clark, Robert Shapiro and Judge Lance Ito are squabbling
over who gets to drive him to the slammer."
The IRS spent an extra $150,000 to print multicolor covers for this year's
tax booklets. Says Church, "The ocean is in blue ink, the meadow is in
green ink and now the government is a little deeper in red ink."
Amtrak had planned to end service to Phoenix on April 1 but decided to keep
trains rolling through the summer. Says Jerry Perisho, "Isn't that just
like Amtrak? They can't even go out of business on schedule."
In Iowa, 61 of 150 state legislators have been convicted of speeding in the
past five years. Says Perisho, "Hey, they live in Iowa. They're hurrying
to the glitz, the glamour and the good times nearby in Nebraska."
Disney's "Cinderella" turns 46 years old this week. Says Jay Leno, "To
celebrate, they are doing a '90's version of the classic. In this one,
Cinderella lives in LA, shoots her wicked stepmother, gets acquitted
because she claims she was abused. She then cuts her foot on the glass
slipper, sues the prince, gets #3 million and lives happily ever after."
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JOBs OF THE DAY
WKYT-TV is looking for a breakthrough producer for our #1 rated AM
newscast. Can you coordinate and plan a program and not just stack news
segments? Then you are the person we want. We want a college graduate, a
strong writer, someone who edits videotape, and who is aggressive and
understands news. If you have what it takes, send resume, references, a
show you produced and a couple of paragraphs on what you think "news" is.
Send it to Producer position; Attn. Janie Johnston; WKYT-TV; 2851
Winchester Road; Lexington, KY; 40509. No phone calls please. We will
send you a postcard confirming we received your materials. We need them in
our hands before April 1.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Don,
If you'll permit me, I'd like to hear the thoughts of ShopTalk readers on a
couple of aspects of the V-chip that I haven't seen discussed elsewhere.
1) Aren't we skipping a step here? Why not just institute a ratings
system and see if people take advantage of it? Why not wait before taking
the next step and installing an electronic censor in every TV set? I was
in New Zealand about two years ago and was interested to see that they have
a ratings system in place. At the start of every show--and also upon
returning from every commercial break--the channel number is supered lower
left and the rating supered lower right. It's simple, useful, inoffensive
and superior to an advisory that runs only at the beginning of a program.
Are there any ShopTalk readers who know about the origin and/or success of
the New Zealand ratings system (or that of any other country)?
2) A V-chip in a brand, new set is great, but as long as the average
household has more than one TV set, the chip's ability to keep
objectionable programs out of the home will be easily circumvented.
Anybody know exactly how many TVs the average household owns? Any
estimates on how long it will take before the average household owns only
V-chip equipped sets?
3) Will the chip block programs coming in through a VCR's tuner? How
about programs being played back off the VCR? How about rental videos? Is
it possible that a movie broadcast on cable might be blocked out, but if
you rented the same movie from a video store, it would play just fine?
4) I keep reading that advertisers will shy away from programs with
objectionable material and, in turn, producers will be discouraged from
creating such shows. But might not just the opposite occur? Wouldn't
programs that appeal strongly to adult males, for example, become highly
prized by some advertisers? And wouldn't the V-chip blow the "safe
harbor" concept out of the water? Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel have
been quite successful operating on the theory that kids watch TV all day
long and not just in the early morning and after school. Doesn't it also
follow that there is a demand for adult programming all day long and not
just after the kids are tucked away in bed? With a V-chip protecting our
children, why not broadcast extremely violent or sexually explicit material
throughout the day?
Personally, I expect the V-chip will be only marginally effective and the
ratings system itself, wildly impractical and highly un-Constitutional.
The
legislative effort behind it strikes me mostly as a political attempt to
blame the messenger for a much larger problem.
But I look forward to hearing what other ShopTalk readers have to say.
Keep up the good work, Don, and thanks for providing such a valuable forum.
Mike Raff
Richmond, VA
MLRaff@AOL.com
o o o o o
See, even an old dog can learn to use e-mail!
Those of us at Conus know there is only ONE Dr. Dish...Ray Conover, Conus
VP of Engineering...the guy widely regarded as at least the midwife, if not
the father, of satellite newsgathering.
Tom B.
o o o o o
Dear Don,
Have been an avid reader of Shoptalk for some time and have appreciated the
information you have provided. As one of your Canadian subscribers, I have
been fascinated by the range of discussion in your letters to the editor
section.
What I find remarkable, is that so far till today (Mar 7), I have not
heard any comments about the fiasco at WSB-TV Atlanta on Sunday, when a
presidential candidate (Dr. Alan Keyes) was prohibited from participating
in the debate and was apprehended by the Atlanta police and driven around
Atlanta for 20 minutes before being released at a phone booth. He was then
picked up by the mayor of Atlanta and driven back to his supporters.
What is your subscribers' take on this? What should the station have done?
Does this smack of censorship or restriction of freedom of speech? Where
are the civil libertarians? Is it true that WSB-TV is owned by Clinton
backers?
I have seen very little coverage of this on the national news networks?
Is there a "conspiracy of silence"? I thought that the apprehension of a
Presidential candidate would have led the newscasts? Is this reminiscent of
Dr. Martin Luther King?
Here is a copy of Matt Drudge's observation on Mar 4.
From: DRUDGE REPORT/HOLLYWOOD
Subject: DRUDGE REPORT FLASH 3/4/96
THE ALAN KEYES DISOBEDIENCE
It was one of those Sunday night stories that showed up in everyone's bed
on Monday morning. 'GOP presidential candidate Alan Keyes was taken into
custody briefly by police when he attempted to enter a television studio
where other contenders for the Republican presidential nomination
were preparing to debate.' Keyes was not invited to the debate put on by
WSB-TV in Atlanta. The feeling was he has not been doing well enough thus
far in the primary process to warrant a constant spot at every debate.
'They (the debates) have been overcrowded; they needed to be whittled
down...we went with the top four, like South Carolina did,' said a mouth at
the station, who would not give their name.
'I honestly feel that Atlanta and the police department here became pawns
in a very vicious and ugly effort to manipulate and distort the American
political process,' said Keyes, who remains on a hunger strike in protest
over the earlier Carolina bounce. 'The people who own WSB apparently think
that they can own the American political process.'
Keyes is considering suing WSB-TV and might try to get its license lifted
over the incident.
'I am qualified as a candidate in the state of Georgia. No media outlet has
the right to choose (who can debate). This is a travesty, a violation of
the Constitution.'
On and on it's going as the sun comes up this morning over Atlanta and
America.
Did WSB have a point to limit the debate to the top four players in order
to get a better discussion of the issues going? This reporter must admit
that I found the first few debates in this cycle, the ones that had 8 men
talking over each other in 2 second bytes, nothing short of a disaster.
You simple can't have a debate with that many people at once. It's also
fair to note that Rep. Bob Dornan and Sen. Dick Lugar weren't invited,
either to WSB. But the pain and outrage that has come from denying the
most eloquent debater access to the microphone on the grounds of his low
voter support thus far -- only 10% of the primary action has taken place --
is an American moment that will scar the process for weeks and months to
come.
'We never had any intention of reconsidering,' the decision not to invite
Keyes, Bill Nigut, WSB-TV political reporter and a debate panelist. (I
wonder if he knew that a firestorm would result from that decision?)
CNN, who aired the debate globally, was remaining very quiet on Sunday
night, sensing the potential dynamite keg that might just exploded down in
Georgia. CNN's hands are not as clean as they look.
Thanks again. Win Wachsmann winw@direct.ca
o o o o o
Dear Don:
We at KPNX have read with interest the debate over iced tea. We did our
initial stories at the beginning of November. And we want to point out we
didn't steal the idea from another station. We read a magazine article
about a group of college students in Cincinnati that tested iced tea for a
biology course. We figured if it was a problem in Ohio, it might be a
problem in Arizona. We figured right.
Nine out of the ten restaurants we sampled had high levels of fecal
coliform. One sample tested positive for e-coli. Immediately following
our investigation, Burger King changed its brewing procedures nationwide
and Boston Market pulled its iced tea.
Since our investigation and follow-ups, four other national chains have
yanked their brewed iced tea (Taco Bell, Wendy's, Pizza Hut and Kentucky
Fried Chicken).
One final point, our contact at the CDC says he doesn't believe any CDC
official has ever said 'There's no more danger in drinking iced tea than
there is in drinking soda' (as was reported in a letter to Shoptalk). To
the contrary, in a fax sent out nationwide, the CDC says it is possible for
iced tea to become contaminated during brewing and storage. The
organization says it sent out a warning to every health department in the
country explaining the proper procedures for preparing tea.
That same fax goes on to say the CDC knows of four people who became ill
after drinking bad tea. We have a report, here in Phoenix, that shows 15
people attending a convention suffered from severe stomach cramps and
diarrhea. An investigation by health inspectors determined the one common
denominator among the group-- they all drank iced tea.
We stand by our investigation, one that many others have now tried
successfully in other markets. We think the fact that so many national
chains have now pulled their brewed tea-- speaks volumes.
Sincerely,
Lonni Leavitt, Investigative Reporter- KPNX, Phoenix
Krista Goldhair, Investigative Producer- KPNX, Phoenix
o o o o o
Don:
With the recent announcement that the Miami Herald and WTVJ are "joining
forces to deliver the news," I wonder if Shoptalk readers know of other
similar alliances or partnerships between print and broadcast news
operations. I know of several that involve cable outlets. What I'm
interested in are cooperative agreements between broadcast stations and
newspapers in their markets. So as not to eat up space in the newsletter,
I'd appreciate e-mail from anyone aware of or involved with similar
experiments.
Best regards,
Deborah Potter
The Poynter Institute
dpotter@poynter.org
o o o o o
Dear Don,
I thought you might want to know about the passing of a well-known
broadcaster and television programmer from the Alabama-Georgia area.
Carroll Ward, 65, who served as program director for WTVM-TV in Columbus,
Georgia died Monday, March 4th at the Columbus Medical Center. Carroll
began his broadcast career as a teenager at WHBB-Radio in his hometown of
Selma, Alabama. Carroll gained regional fame as the "Dick Clark" of Augusta
in the late 50's and early 60's, hosting a teen dance show on Channel 6.
Over the years, Ward served on the boards of numerous organizations in
Columbus, including the Chamber of Commerce, United Way and Keep Columbus
Beautiful.
When Floodwaters devastated south Georgia in 1994, Ward helped organize and
co-host a 12-hour telethon on WTVM. He was truly in his element, helping
the community and being on the air at the same time. Through his efforts,
the station was able to make a $193,000 contribution to the American Red
Cross for flood relief. Carroll is survived by his wife, Jeannine and
three children. He will truly be missed.
Chuck Leonard
Morning News Anchor, WTVM
o o o o o
Don,
For those weathercasters who would like more information about the
"meteorologists" vs Mississippi State controversy and many other hot topics
the 1995 A.M.S. Salary Survey is now available. Most A.M.S. meteorologists
have already received the survey but for those who are not on our mailing
list, or who may have been missed by the Postal Service, I will be happy to
send them an ordering package. This survey includes 14 pages of comments
(unedited) by our members covering their concerns. It is MUST reading for
anyone in the weathercasting profession. Please contact me at any of the
following:
tloffman@quiknet.com
70252,1536@compuserve.com
1-916-974-0201
Tom Loffman
o o o o o
At the risk of prolonging the great weatherguesser debate, it seems to me
that this is much ado about very little. Frankly as a weather consumer I
don't care whether my prognosticator gets his/her information from MSU or
any other source (seems to me that the US Weather Service does a pretty
good job of interpreting the science part). What I want is someone who can
tell me (after assuring me that there are no floods, tornadoes etc. on the
horizon,) in clear, concise terms how hot (or cold) it will be tomorrow,
if it going to rain (or snow) and if I need to cover my tomatoes tonight.
Spare me the 500 millibar charts. Consider that in order for the consumer
reporter to tell me that the latest XYZmobile is a lemon, the reporter does
not have to be an automotive engineer nor does he/she need to explain the
workings of the internal combustion engine.
Greg McDonald
o o o o o
Don,
Now that the numbers from February are starting to roll in, I expect most
stations are now reflecting on what worked during the month, and in a few
cases, what didn't.
Immeasurable creative vision, news judgement, production time and yes,
MONEY, was invested in these special series, investigative reports and
other news segments. Many of these reports have "viewer value" in other
markets and therefore, financial value to the station which produced them.
And so I'm wondering: Are any of your readers are interested in selling
their February productions to broadcast and cable outlets in other markets?
On one hand, stations building for May will receive high-quality, fully
produced segments with proven track records in the ratings (at a lower cost
than if they produced them themselves).
On the other, stations which are offering the reports will receive an
aftermarket revenue stream which could be dedicated to producing more and
better news in the future.
I'd love to hear what your readers think.
Steve Jarriel
Media Exchange International, ph: 202/638-4343
jarriel@aol.com
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