The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 4

PageAU, Wednesday, November 24, 1993 The Beacon Journal Channel 23 Music 'Doggystyle' officially goes on sale Tuesday Employees say station may still cover local news .1 i l-f f- value in the neighborhood of $300 million. Not too shabby, considering that the company went public just 29 months ago and still isn't profitable." In less than a year, the stock rose from 19 cents a share to about $15. The newspaper identified ValueVision as "a tiny television home-shopping network selling discounted jewelry, collectibles, electronics gear and other consumer products from a 24-hour-a-day studio in Eden Prairie," a suburb of Minneapolis. The sale will, of course, bring to an end Channel 23's affiliation with ABC. That development delights the folks at Cleveland's WEWS (Channel 5), which for decades has had to compete against another ABC affiliate in its own market.

WAKC was born in 1953 under the guidance of the late Bernard Berk. It was the third charm in the Berk family's media bracelet: WAKR-AM was created in 1940 and WAKR-FM (now WONE) was added in 1947. The radio group grew to eight stations before the Berks sold it to DKM Broadcasting in 1986 for $59.9 million. Company chairman Roger Berk Sr. was the primary architect of the radio group.

Semiretired, he now spends part of the year in Florida. His sons, Roger Jr. and Bob, are president and vice president of Group One Broadcasting. They apparently will devote full time to Creative Technology a TV production and computer software company currently housed in the same Copley Road building as the TV station. Continued from Page Al maintain a local news presence.

But some employees speculated that was merely a carrot to discourage them from jumping ship before the deal can be finalized. The Detroit Free Press says ValueVision is the first group to attempt a noncable home-shopping channel, "a lower-power TV station network that will run 12 hours of a live call-in catalog followed by 12 hours of taped infomercials." That, of course, adds up to 24 hours. Channel 23 employs about 30 to 35 people, according to employees. ValueVision was spun off from a national shopping channel called CVN, which sold out to the mammoth QVC in 1990. ValueVision also is beginning to make inroads among cable operators, having signed deals in the second half of this year with New-house, Continental Cablevision and Cablevision Systems.

To say ValueVision has a low profile is an understatement. The managing editor of Electronic Mediathe bible of the TV industry said she had never even heard the name. The editor of another nationally respected trade publication, Inside Media, said he was unfamiliar with it, too. "That's one you don't hear that much about," said a spokeswoman for the National Cable Television Association, who was largely puzzled as well. However, according the St.

Paul (Minn.) Pioneer Press, the company has become "one of the sweethearts of Wall Street." Two weeks ago, the newspaper said: "ValueVision sports a market MIKE CARDEW: Beacon Journal Snoop Doggy Dogg fans wait outside Hot Tracks on East Exchange Street before midnight Monday to buy the rapper's new CD. Continued from Page Al include Murder Was the Case, Serial KVla and Pump Pump, which all fit the gangs ta mode. Many who came out Monday night said they can appreciate the brutal honesty of Snoop Doggy Dogg's fyrics. "I like him because he influences me," said University of Akron student Raphael Gisstand, 23, who was first in line at Hot Tracks. "He has positive messages, and that's fine with me because I'm a writer, so I gotta support him." Of Snoop Doggy Dogg's arrest, he said, "I don't know what's up with that." "You can understand where he's coming from.

This (stuff) is for real," said Kenny Saunders, 19, who was in line at 2 Live Music. "The lyrics are kinda straight (forward). They're hard," said Steve Rice, 22, a University of Akron student also in line at Hot Tracks. Doggystyle could be the most long-awaited record of the year. Anticipation started building this spring and summer, when Snoop Doggy Dogg was featured on several cuts on Dr.

Dre's The Chronic album. The Dre connection, his subsequent notoriety and coverage in Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Vibe and the hip-hop magazine The Source have fueled major interest in Doggystyle. "There's probably more pre-release hype and anticipation than any album we've sold in the five years since we've been open," said Brian Teeling, owner of Hot Tracks. The store had kept a waiting list since September to keep the constant Doggystyle requests under control. "It had gotten to the point where it was driving the employees crazy, people constantly asking for it," Teeling said.

"We've had a million requests That gotta-have-it-first mentality was in full effect Monday night. 2 Live Music sold about 700 compact discs and cassettes in two hours, and another 125 by Tuesday afternoon, while Hot Tracks sold about 230 copies at the special sale and another 130 by Tuesday afternoon. "It was the biggest we've ever done with a midnight sale," said Heard, who believes the partylike atmosphere her store created helped. There were pizza, Snoop Doggy Dogg balloons, posters and T-shirts. Fred "The Jammer" Williams of WZAK (93.1-FM) also showed up.

"I didn't have anything better to do, and I figured I'd better get it in case it sold out," said Dawn Faile, 18, a University of Akron student shopping at Hot Tracks. Perhaps Darletta Glass-Rubin, an Akron police officer working security at midnight at Hot Tracks, was one of the few to see the insanity of it all. "I'm not getting in line for nobody's album. I'm sure it'll be here at a reasonable time." Norma Heard, owner of 2 Live Music, noted that sales of rapper Shakur's Strictly 4 My N.I.G.GA.Z picked up after he was arrested for for allegedly shooting two police officers in Atlanta (he also was charged in a sodomy case last week in Manhattan). "If anything, it will fuel the fire." "It's kind of messed up.

He's (Snoop Doggy Dogg) making lots of money, and he might go to jail," said Eddie Winstead, 22, at Hot Tracks. The release of Doggystyle wasn't the first time the area has seen special midnight album sales. Janet Jackson's Pearl Jam's Ice Cube's Predator and Death Certificate, Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion albums and Rush's Counterparts all have debuted locally this way. "It's that little bit of smugness," Heard said. "It's like little kids saying, I got this baseball card before you did, even though both will have it by the weekend." for it.

Everybody who comes in here has been asking about it," said Ted Dahler, manager of National Record Mart in Summit Mall. Michael Stephenson, marketing director for the North Canton-based Camelot Music, said, "Due to customer request, it seems like it's going to be a big seller." "I'm glad it's finally coming out. We expect big things from it," said Eric iind, a manager at Coconuts Music Video in Cuyahoga Falls. The rapper's arrest can only help him, businesswise, most agree. "When you get arrested, you get free press.

You can't buy that kind of press," said Ron Denham, manager of Digital Daze in Cuyahoga Falls. His store had a midnight sale Monday as well. "What happened to Snoop wasn't part of the plan, but it will help the album," Teeling said. "Any time your name is out there, it's gonna help." Anxiety in middle-aged men can lead to high blood pressure, research shows Jackson ety and high blood pressure," said Richard Friedman, a psychologist at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and an expert on stress-related illnesses. High blood pressure is one of many risk factors for coronary heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.

Blood pressure measures the force of blood on arterial walls as it is pumped throughout the body. Normal blood pressure is 12080. The hypertensives had blood pressures 16095 or above. The highly anxious women tested in the study were at no higher risk for hypertension. By Jamie Talan Naosday High anxiety in middle-aged men can lead to high blood pressure later, according to a study that scientists say is strong evidence of a link between behavior and physical health.

Alabama researchers have found that angst-filled men in their 40s and 50s are twice as likely to undergo treatment for high blood pressure later in life than men with a calmer outlook. "This is a good, solid study that should serve as a red flag to pursue the relationship between anxi- Lawyer wants criminal case tried before civil case suffering from an addiction to painkillers. Citing Jackson's need for treatment and legal issues related to his criminal case, his lawyers had sought to delay the civil suit. At a hearing before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge David Rothman on Tuesday, they argued that the civil case should be delayed because Jackson wants to testify in that proceeding in order to fight off the allegations that he molested the boy. The problem, the lawyers said, is that if Jackson is forced to testify in the civil case before the criminal investigation is completed, his testimony could be used against him in the criminal proceeding.

That, they argued, would violate Jackson's Fifth Amendment right not to be compelled to give testimony against himself. California law requires a judge to set a trial date within 120 days when a case, as this one, involves an alleged victim under age 14. Continued from Page Al HAVE A HEART! VISIT DILLARD'S SHARING TREE. Then, Tuesday morning, Jackson's lawyers lost a bid to delay a civil case brought by the 13-year-old boy who says Jackson molested him over a period of about four months earlier this year. The boy's lawyer, Larry R.

Feld-man, said he was "excited" by the court ruling in the civil case, which could clear the way for trial to begin in March. Feldman would not comment on the criminal investigation of Jackson. But sources have said that at least four agencies the Los Angeles Police Department, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department and the district attorneys' offices from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties all are investigating allegations that Jackson sexually molested the 13-year-old. Los Angeles officials have indicated that they do not intend to conclude their investigation before the end of the year. At the end of the criminal investigation, prosecutors in either Los Angeles or Santa Barbara counties, or both, could ask for grand jury indictments against Jackson.

Jackson has denied any wrongdoing, saying he is the victim of a $20 million extortion attempt by the boy's father. Jackson has not been seen or heard from publicly since Nov. 12, when he abruptly halted his world tour and dropped out of sight to undergo treatment at an undisclosed location in Europe. Jackson has said in statements that he was You can't get too much closer to an indictment than to have a grand jury sitting there." After first stating that, however, Fields and Howard Weitzman, Jackson's criminal attorney, back-pedaled, attempting to play down the significance of grand jury involvement. They said that while at least two subpoenas have been issued for witnesses to appear before a Santa Barbara County grand jury, they have no information indicating that an indictment is imminent.

Legal experts said if a grand jury has issued subpoenas, it demonstrates that a jury has been impaneled and is at least preparing to hear evidence in the Jackson case. That would be the clearest signal to date that investigators are pushing for a criminal indictment against the entertainer, whose Neverland ranch is located in the Santa Barbara County town of Los Olivos, 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles. News that Jackson's lawyers believe a grand jury is subpoenaing witnesses in connection with their client came at a time when the singer's legal woes are compounding by the day. On Monday, five former security guards filed a lawsuit against the entertainer, claiming that they were fired because they have knowledge of his "nighttime visits with young boys." Starts Friday, November 26. Co-sponsored by Cleveland's Q104 and WUAB-43.

Now you can help make wishes come true. Just visit The Sharing Tree at any Dillard's store and choose a heart ornament. On it will be the name of one of the thousands of area children who must deal daily with physical or emotional hardships. We'll give you the details about the child you picked so you can buy the perfect gift. Or make a donation and we'll buy the gift for you.

Dillard's will then wrap, tag and deliver the gift in time for Christmas. The heart ornament is yours to keep Thanks for sharing with all your heart! For more information, call Dillard's Sharing Tree Heartline: 579-3276. Sharing Tree ends December 18. Sharing Tree hours: Downtown: weekdays 11 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturdays 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sundays 12 noon-5 p.m. Suburban stores: weekdays 11 a.m.-3 pm.

and 7-9 p.m.; Saturdays 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sundays 12 noon-5 p.m. Listen to Larry Morrow on Cleveland's Q104 irtit each morning from I J(i 5:30 to 10 a.m. Watch Romona Robinson on the Ten O'clock News on WUAB-43. WUAB Did You Get Your Paper On Time? Our promise to you is that we'll deliver your newspaper in good condition and on time to you every day. If you're not receiving your Beacon Journal by 6:30 a.m.

Mondays through Fridays and 7:30 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays, please let us know! Just call Circulation Customer Service at 996-3600 or 1-800-777-2442 and help us serve you better. the following agencies: Randall (Moderate Sportswear, Upper LeveD Severe Behavior Handicapped (P.E.P.) Beachwood (Customer Service, Upper Level) Sight Center Bellfaire Jewish Children's Bureau Summit (Better Sportswear, Upper LeveD Summit County Children's Services Rolling Acres (Misses' Better Sportswear) Children's Hospital Medical Center of Akron Ashtabula (Ladies' Updated Sportswear) Ashtabula Children's Services Youngstown (Ladies' Suits, Lower LeveD Boys' and Girls' Club of Youngstown Belden Village (Designer Sportswear, Main Floor) St. John's Villa Great Lakes, South (Better Sportswear. Main Floor) Lake County Human Services The Sharing Tree will benefit Downtown (Escalator, Main Floor) Interchurch Hunger Center Ireland Children's Cancer Center Westgate, North (Designer Sportswear, Main Floor) Our Lady of the Wayside The Cleveland Christian Home Ireland Children's Cancer Center Severance, East (Accessories, Main Floor) Neighborhood Centers Midway (Customer Service.

Upper LeveD Diocesan Hunger Program Parmatown (Men's Suits, Upper LeveD Parmadale Children's Village Euclid (Ladies' Coats. Upper LeveD Neighborhood Centers IDTIflnBlM Shop Downtown at Tower City 10 to an other stores 10 to 9. All Dillard's stores are closed tomorrow for the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving! Call Summit Mall (867-3300) or Rolling Acres (74S-1360) to order. Use your Dillard's Chanje.

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