European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Can big on news Chew on fluff by Rick do brow los Angeles times App a a Lac contrast was glaring. As troubled. I Abc news made plans this week to i. Slash costs again by reducing its bos a a j ton staff and closing its Bureau there prospering can spent $300, he on a flood of enterprising reports that detailed the famine threatening 30 million africans. Can socked it to the big three networks again with its we Klong reports. Not Content to rest on the laurels it earned during the persian Gulf War just a few months ago Ted Turners Cable network showed Why it has become television s Premium news service with its series of dramatic in depth stories from Africa that culminated with a on hour special about Relief efforts shown once in the morning a and again in the a a a a a a Athis was a different and perhaps More significant kind of Victory for can. The Gulf War was a front and Center Story of obvious huge and immediate interest to everyone. Starving people anywhere should be of in Terpst to everyone but Julia Roberts broken. Marriage plans probably got More coverage on Many to stations this past week than the tragedy building in Africa. In the face of a Tough Story to which it was committed can took an ingenious step putting into practice what could be called preventive reporting. Using its worldwide influence to Alert not Only americans but also viewers around the Globe to. What is happening in no a famine in Africa sends not too subtly advocated Condern and help for those in trouble. At the same time can quickly and decisively staked out the Story As its own in pure journalistic terms. It was Good reporting and even better reporting with a heart and a conscience. The other networks have had stories about the famine but they were triblets compared to can s hours of coverage. The june 21 one hour special for instance was Able to delve at length with the insufficient Relief operations including the views of Philip Johnston president of care on How prep an Ning can help prevent future famine. ,. In no a Only flaw was scattering its reports throughout so Many of its newscasts a tactic that built momentum and was promotable but made it Tough for viewers who catch every Story. To appreciate the sweeping coherence of the ambitious project with the wealth of material from its Corr Spon dents a Christiane amanpour Richard Blystone and Gary Strieker a can might do Well to edit it into a single major blockbuster program and repeat it several times for the Benefit of viewers. Still if in no a stirring series had a flaw it was Only in How Best to present an enormous Cono. Pies Story that ranged from raw emotion a loot age to High political and military mutters on a continent plagued with drought crop failure and civil War. But at least can s main concerns Are with the news events them Sykes. At the news divisions of Abc and lbs the concerns these Days increasingly involve which bureaus to close Abc also shut Down its san. Era Neisch operation earlier this year a As Well As which reporters and executives to let go As the financial a Falls again and again. To get a perspective on news priorities it is Virth noting that several los Angeles 1�?Tv an Lehors Are paid salaries that arc at least $300,01x1 that it Cost can to cover the african Lamme for us remarkable series. At level top anchors like Dan. Rather Tom Brokaw and Peter Jennings Proha Fly Are paid six or eight limes More what can s Africa series a a a a Quot a a. A a Ai can. Anchors done to matter that much. A the news is what counts not who s presenting h a and the Turner network has a stall Asti. Mated at 1,700, far greater than the shrinking departments at -Abc,.cbs and Abc where the cockeyed priorities Are coming Home to Roost. It could not have been More noticeable that twas in no a reporters amanpour Blystone and Strieker a who were Given the spotlight All week during the series from Africa and not any of the anchors. A a. A a a a. A -. A Only Abc news the Leader among the big three seems secure these Days among the Trade Liona network organizations. Abcs world news Tong if by the Way Drew Strong viewer i espouse with its own series this past week about poverty and children in the United states. A a a. It a a in new York. Abc must worry because its a news is being bumped from 7 . To 6 30 . By . In no a problems Are different1. This week it Coull devote its w or Ries to 30 million africans facing a famine. Was it Worth $300,000? every Penny. A a a a. a better world a with no anchors breaking the Piggy Mogul wants to bring films Down homely Michael lev the new York times a a w c write the theme song to the 1970s b j game show break the Bank. In the Early 1980s he made a failed bid to j win the new Orleans Cable fran Chis. Then lie produced an entertainment special from Las vegas for the Cable Channel Showtime. at one time he even managed obscure Rock bunds in Brooklyn envisioning no doubt becoming a top concert promoter or record producer. Meet Stuart z. Levin aspiring Tyi Edia Mogul. The 43-year-Oid Centre Prenter of Santa Mon Tea calif., has had his share of false starts but he thinks his latest venture will vault him to the top and he has some impressive support Mca inc. And Paramount pictures arc his biggest investors. His venture the ten entertainment corp., is trying to broaden the entertainment options of the millions of Rural americans w to own Bak Yard satellite dishes. ,. Ten has set up an ambitious pay per View service for the satellite Market betting that dish owners will be willing to pay More than they do now to rent video movies from a store a or to watch movies on Cable which they can tap into a via satellite for the convenience and Choice of ordering films by phone. Quot there Are 15 million Homes in Rural Ameri. Ca a said Levin. Quot they done to Televik Sion. There Are video stores out there but not like in the City. These people Are limited in their entertainment choices. That s Why they buy satellite dishes a to stay plugged in. And ten is How they Are going to Sec their Levin argues , which became fully operational in May offers dish owner the More options than Cable movie channels like Hob that they. Can now. Buy. While i decides what viewers will watch ten subscribers can choose from among 10 movies each of which runs continuous by throughout the Day on one of the Neter Rke a 10 channels. The movies presumed innocent and ghost Are among the current selections. A change each month. A a a a a a. Still Consumers will take some persuading. Pay per View programming has had Only limited Success on Cable networks which typically carry two to three of these channels. Many viewers simply done to know How pay per View works. Quot that a sch arc the risk is Quot said Tom Adams a a 5im/anslyst. At Paul Kagan amp associates Arnedia Market research firm in Carmel cd Alit. A a a there Are. Some Cable systems that do a Good Job at pay Pei it View and one movie a month to each subscriber on average ten needs to do As Well As or belter than the Cable systems to pull a the expense Oft no a service $19.95 for the a Hook up and $3,99 for each movie viewed May. Also be a deterrent. A. A a v indeed ten is venturing where scores of. Others have failed. The Only other satellite pro Grammig venture to show Promise the i ionic a dish satellite. Network failed last year after its most successful elements two adult movie Chan. Nels were forced off the air by Alabam a lawmakers because they were considered pornographic. One problem has been the satellite Market v Small sic Only 15 million Homes in the nation Are Likely to be wired for Cable. What a More such susceptible to piracy a a a a a a. A a. A a a a a a. Yet Levin and others Sci ice that satellite pro. Grammy Gas prime has arrived. technology developed by the general instrument corp. In. San Diego Lias Cut Down on piracy and is now a Standard fur satellite dishes., a. 1 ten plans to use its toehold in the Market to expand beyond a movie based configuration. A the Core a Levin said Quot but from a technological standpoint anything is possible Quot june 30. 1991 sunday. A
