European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 25, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                By David freed los Angeles times dirty seconds to air Lime and miss America 1983, Debra sue Maltell. Bleary ii is. Alter All 5 29 am Bui Oul there in television land. Mallett knows viewers already Are waiting camera . A two shot with music the decl or orders As Ratzell stifles a last Yawn and Lade up ii looks he Abc s Good \ Oming America or Abc s today show this however. 15 let the Law enforcement television network and Lor the next hour this is Roll Call with mall Cal As co Host the viewers Allol them cops will learn about jamaican gangs a police Chase through Oklahoma and the wanted sup Cal of the Day though less than a year old. Let is beaming the same kind of information 24 hours a Day to More than 600 paying police agencies nationwide from its studios in Carrollton. Texas a suburb North of Dallas Thi fledgling network seemingly has discovered not Only a new Market but a Niche to a growing phenomenon the growing relationship Between television arid Law enforcement to the apparent Bench of both from let s programs intended for police Only to syndicated shows that solicit the Public s help in catching criminals to local news departments that involve themselves directly in crime lighting officers Are Linding in to a powerful and increasingly willing ally broadcast executives say the trend simply reflects television s Effort to accommodate the Public s concern about rising crime and its fascination for those behind the badge the Elloris has spawned a Bounty of reality based or so called crime time television shows unsolved mysteries. Cops and cop talk among them which invariably cast Law enforcement in an unquestioning and sympathetic Light. Superstition an does not broadcast any of these shows we have lapped into a great frustration on the part of the american Public. Said Michael lieder a former to reporter from los Angeles who is executive producer of the Fox network s popular America s most wanted. What you Are witnessing is the birth of a new Era and a new wave of journalism Linder said citizens want to belter understand and help the police and there is a willingness by television to help do that no everyone is As enamoured of the Alliance. Some sociologists and civil libertarians contend that crime time television is helping stir an insecurity if not paranoia among the Public by inducing insecurity about crime people arc More willing to tolerate repression so Long As it adds to their sense of  said George Gerbner communications professor at the University of Pennsylvania and an expert on television violence. These kinds of programs have gotten to be a major social control  some journalism educators meanwhile say thai television is blurring the line Between news and entertainment by reenact my crimes and cooperating directly with Law enforce men. In playing partisan participant rather than objective observer critics argue the Media s traditional self assumed role As watchdog is threatened. I m appalled by what s happening said Tom Goldstein Dean of the journalism graduate school at the Law enforcement of Licals Are finding in to a powerful and willing ally. Wanted crime time tv1 seeks Public s help in finding fugitives University of California Berkeley Lei Iho police to the police. Ii they Are having a hard time keeping up with crime we should be writing stories about How inadequate their resources arc. Not playing cops and robbers " regardless of thu debate Over ethics there Are by some of climates As Many As 18 other television series in various stages of development or production thai portray real life cops and robbers. One program now in the wings has As its theme police psychics the crime Lime genre s latest offering. Current trends productions syndicated in Dewalch tonight premiered nationally sept. 11. The nightly Hall hour show hosted by Veteran to newsman Ike Pappas features real life crime stories. True to form it also solicits Iho Public s help in finding fugitives. In addition the show promises to be the Only program of its kind to offer the viewing audience valuable information on crime  some detectives complain that they Are swamped by worthless tips generated by these types of programs but most say they Are gratified nonetheless by television s interest in their investigations. In the Case of America s most wanted. Which premiered in february 1988. Officers from municipal police departments Are flown each week to Washington at Iho show s expense when their Case is to to reenacted. During and after the broadcast the officers remain on the set to receive telephoned tips from viewers encouraged to Call a toll free number. Asol Cpl 1. More than 150.000 lips had been logged resulting in the arrests of 65 of 102 suspects profiled according to Lindor. Alleged murderers rapists. Kidnappers escape artists and oven a Madam have been switched off by the citizenry and captured alter being depicted on 125 Fox affiliate stations. In one Case authorities were alerted and the suspect was arrested 35 minutes after Iho crime was reenacted. The National Community Linder said has realized How thin the thin Blue Lino really  at the same Lime the thin Blue line apparently has realized How influential television really is. Recent studios have shown that 98 percent of the 92.1 million households in America have at least one to set which on average is turned on for More than six hours a Day there is Little new in Law enforcement s asking for the Public s help in the Hunt for wanted suspects. . Marshals two centuries ago began tacking up Reward posters along highways and in town squares hoping that conscientious citizens would recognize the accused and turn them in. The strategy took a formal turn in 1950, after United press International distributed a Story about Iho toughest Guys wanted by the Fri. The report generated considerable publicity prompting Fri director j. Edgar Hoover to create the Bureau s ten most wanted list. Agents began plastering posters and accompanying detailed descriptions of wanted criminals in Post offices and Public buildings nationwide. If a Crook had a distinctive scar Tattoo or mole in was revealed to the Public along Wilh the invariable warning that the bad Guy or Al was Likely armed and dangerous " within a year nine of Iho 20 profiled suspects had Boon arrested alter citizens turned them in to Date according to Fri figures tips from the Public have resulted in the capture of 121 of 426 fugitives who have appeared on the Rosl wanted list the Fri has also asked newspapers to publish lug Itic posters but that aspect of Iho most wanted program has had Only limited Success Over the cais according to the Fri s Nelson and other agents some editors insist that there is simply More significant news to run and not enough space in the daily paper others argue that to reprint the posters without response from the suspect would violate the newspaper s objectivity As Well As the suspect s civil rights yet As crime in America has increased there were 637 violent crimes for every 100.000 americans in 1988. A More than 100 percent jump Over 1968 there have Boon increasing instances of television disregarding traditional some would say archaic journalistic concerns in its direct support of Law enforcement. In the Miami fort Lauderdale area for example camera crows irom Abc All Liale station Wogl s weekly Eye on crime ride Side by Sido with police of liners. Shooting live footage of crimes in Progress the show which also relies on police videotape and Lea turns a loll free number is hosted by Wogl s news Anchorman the show s resident commentator is a local police commander. Television stations in several other cities routinely allow authorities to ride aboard their news helicopters during police searches or pursuits that sort of interaction with Law enforcement May make some members of Iho news Media uncomfortable but nol All. I Don l know Why As a journalist. I have to be in the Middle Between Law abiding citizens and  said jell Greenfield Media and politics correspondent Lor Abc news. I am for people who do nol Mug rape steal or  nor said Greenfield is he ethically troubled by shows that throw pictures of wanted people up on a to screen. I just wonder whether it accomplishes much in the Long  indeed while America s most wanted can Lake credit Lor helping capture 65 fugitives Justice department records show that As of sept. 1. There were More than 325.000 other people in America wanted on serious Misdemeanour or felony arrest warrants. Regardless of whether television s involvement has any significant Impact on crime police officers still say they Benefit both in image and at budget Lime from crime time shows that realistically portray their struggle against a surging criminal tide. Cops have always been lionized by television the problem according to producers today has been that most shows have portrayed the police As flakes car 54, 7776 Andy Griffith Snow automatons dragnet Adam 1? or hotheaded gunfighters Starsky s Hutch. People today want to know who the police really Are said Sonny Grosso a former new York City detective turned television producer who gained lame by helping crack the notorious French connection heroin Case in 1962. We be come a Long Way from just the acts a am " monday september 25. 1989 the stars and stripes Page 17