European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 8, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Sidelights what a exactly the rap against new vibe Magazine by Larry Mcshane the associated press _ its not a Black thing. Its not a White thing. Its sort of a music thing but not strictly a hip hop thing. Its Quincy Jones latest thing vibe Magazine and its different things to different people. The Glossy debut Issue hit stands in september and the positive reception a from critics Consumers and some competitors a will Likely make the Magazine a monthly fixture beginning in april next year. A i was impressed. Its a very Good looking Magazine that seems to be very intelligent very upscale a said publisher Bob Guccione jr., whose alternative music monthly spin covers some of the same ground. What exactly is vibe is it possible to Label a Magazine with naughty by natures Treach on the cover with pieces on Bobby Brown and Madonna with a Sandra Bernhard interview and a profile of Model Naomi Campbell a part of me wishes we did no to Call it a hip hop Magazine because that pigeonholes it a says vibe editor Jonathan Van meter. A a it a like calling rolling Stone a Rock a no Roll Magazine. It Isnit. A the hip hop Moniker has its limitations. Sandra Bernhard embraces the spirit of what hip hop is. They share the same relative terrain. People criticize but they just done to get it. They re not willing to see How Broad the subject which explains the Eclectic selections in a Section dubbed a a year in what a included the death of Miles Davis. Magic Johnson testing positive for his. Michael Jordan hosting saturday Quincy Jones with daughters Rachel and Tina at the grammy last year has flipped open a hip publication. Night live. Ted Koppel interviewing los Angeles gang angers on nightlife. The idea says Van meter is to look at topics from a hip hop perspective politics music fashion whatever. While Jones shared that idea others a hip hop purists a say that a the problem with the Magazine. The nations first hip hop Magazine the source takes a More Tunnel Visioned View of the rap scene and a dim View of its new competitor. A i know we re a hip hop Magazine. I can to interpret what their goal was a said John Shocter one of the co founders of the source. A a clearly some stuff in there did not fall into our definition of the source is Content with its 65,000 circulation among hard Core hip hoppers read mostly Black subscribers. Which brings up the question about vibes target audience a question that led entrepreneur Russell Simmons to Back out before the Magazine was published. Simmons walked away from partner Jones in May releasing a statement that said the Magazine had evolved into a a publication for a generation that has been influenced by hip hop Quot read mostly White subscribers. Simmons later told the Washington Post he had problems with the staffs color seven of 12 staffers were Black and sexual orientation Van meter is White and Gay. A yes its True. Other than that i done to have much to say a Van meter says of his sexual preference. A i can to defend myself and i wont justify who i am or what i am to anyone but the people who hired me. Its not regardless of color the Magazine assembled impressive writing Talent Greg Tate of the Village voice author Nelson George Scott Poulson Bryant of spin. A a i think we did manage to get a pretty Stellar lineup a says Van spun in and out of control through Campaign by Howard Rosenberg los Angeles times with the grueling presidential Campaign having ended the results Are in on How the Media fared in their coverage. As in every election there have been winners and losers. Winner mtg for its get out the Young vote crusade As part of regular Campaign coverage that spoke to the youth crowd without being condescending. Mtg was never better this Campaign than when recently having a1 Gore or. In to be quizzed by a studio audience and moderators Kurt Loder and Tabitha Soren. It was Soren especially whose precise informed incisive questions stood out. If Only someone had had the foresight to suggest her As a press participant in some of the televised presidential debates. Loser Rush Limbaugh for rarely elevating his anti Clinton Gore harangues on to above shrill sophomoric name calling. By All reasonable criteria Limbaugh is a Burles Quing entertainer not a serious political commentator. But what passes As entertainment on Limbaugh a radio show comes across on his syndicated to series As wild flailing devoid of any philosophical underpinning. He represents the Neh Neh Neh Neh Neh school of political analysis. Winner Maidenform for its commercial that achieved the improbable by simultaneously encouraging americans to vote and to buy the company s bras. The spot began with fast cutting frontal shots of females from the neck Down wearing buttons with an assortment of political messages. In addition one woman wore a red ribbon signifying support for the Battle against aids. Then As the Maidenform signature appeared on the screen a narrator spoke a if you be got something to say now is the time to get it off your that a called getting creativity off your Chest. Loser Sally Jessy Raphael for providing a forum in the week of the democratic National convention for a woman not Gennifer Flowers who claimed a while offering no evidence a to have had an affair with Clinton nine years ago. The woman said that she was coming Forward to Call attention to Clinton a alleged inattention to women s issues. Even Raphael said she doubted the Story. Then Why promote it on National to obviously the talk show Host believed strongly in the Public a right to know unfounded rumours about presidential candidates. Winner Larry King for shrewdly using the presidential Campaign to transform himself and his can talk show into National institutions. Before 1992, King was a Mere Star heading popular talk shows on radio and to. Since virtually fathering part 1 of Ross Perot a presidential candidacy on his can series Kings Fame has exploded his show becoming a revolving door for presidential and vice presidential candidates and their spouses culminating with separate 90-minute appearances by Perot president Bush and Clinton. King is not just on the map. Thanks to the presidential Campaign he is the map. Loser Larry King for becoming the campaigns equal Opportunity pussycat. An occasional Tough question from a caller Wasny to nearly enough to offset either the softballs that King lobbed at the candidates or his acquiescence when their responses amounted to Little More than self serving propaganda. Proponents of this format argue that its educational without being confrontational. In fact viewers did learn something about Bush Clinton and Perot through watching this show. They Learned that the candidates knew How to handle Larry King. Winner Sam Donaldson for proving that rudeness pays when interviewing presidential candidates skilled at being evasive when asked questions they done to want to answer. After earlier complaining about the deference and passivity of King and other interviewers that Abc bully Donaldson got his own crack at Bush and Clinton in separate interviews last thursday night and on several occasions virtually badgered each candidate into giving direct answers to his questions. When they appeared to be dissembling he interrupted and pressed them for responses. It was t polite and it Wasny to pretty but it was pure Donaldson. More importantly it was effective. Loser spin doctoring for polluting the airwaves with partisan spewing that made a Gas mask mandatory equipment for watching much of the Campaign coverage. What a travesty it was that the Media regularly gave these insincere political hucksters the Opportunity to propagandize voters All the while knowing that the predictable things they were saying about their candidates were nothing More than rehearsed Campaign rhetoric. Everyone in the Media knew this was a Sham yet just about everyone perpetuated it anyway. But the Media Learned their lesson in 1992, right by becoming almost laughable these spinners have lost All credibility with the Public and reporters. They re a joke. Thus be assured that you la see no More of them. Until 1996. November 8, 1932 sunday a Page 7
