The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 57

Akron Beacon Journal D9 TELEVISION Thursday, May 12, 1983 Cleveland's Preview to die Aug, 31; Ch. 61 to expand David l-tt Bianculli wSfs After 26 months of operation, northeastern Ohio's only subscription television (STV) service has announced its impending demise. Cleveland's Preview, the scrambled-signal STV service broadcasting nightly on WCLQ-Ch. 61, will cease operations Aug. 31.

PREVIEW vice president and general manager Jack Bryant said Thursday the decision to fold Cleveland's Preview operation was reached after an appraisal of the market. The state of the economy and the increased penetration of cable TV in the affluent suburbs combined to convince Preview operators and owners that the Cleveland system had "limited potential." The problem is by no means a local phenomenon, however. A year ago, Cleveland's Preview was one of three STV systems owned by American Television and Communications (ATC), a subsidiary of Time Inc. since then, ATC has closed its Dallas system and soon will close Cleveland's. non-stop competition with other area independent stations, Cleveland's Channel 43 and Canton's WOAC-Ch.

67, for programs and viewers, and will have to be even more aggressive to succeed. Moreover, its expansion into nightly programming will cause headaches and scheduling shifts at five area cable companies, which currently offer other cable TV services when Channel 61 scrambles its signal to broadcast Preview. Warner Amex Cable in Akron and Canton present Satellite Program Network offerings after 8 p.m. on the same cable position as Channel 61; Clear Picture Inc. of Wooster imports WBNS-Ch.

10 from Columbus; Massillon Cable TV imports Youngstown's WKBN-Ch. 27; Tele-Media Cable in Portage County runs local programs. Those offerings must be scheduled elsewhere or dropped after August. Preview's demise may affect cable companies in one other way, also. The high penetration percentage for Niteview may prove to some companies that adult TV is a worthwhile investment.

March 1981 was the movie Meteor, but the company's recent subscriber growth has been less than meteoric. Its high of "nearly 40,000," according to Bryant, has dropped to about 23,000. However, 65 percent of those subscribers elected to pay an extra $4.95 monthly (in addition to Preview's standard $21.95 monthly subscription fee) to receive Niteview, a late-night adult programming service. BRYANT WILL continue to offer both Preview and Niteview until the end of August, after which time Channel 61 will inherit Preview's nightly and weekend hours of operation. "We did not want to just jerk the service from our subscribers," Bryant said.

"We will encourage our subscribers to stay on, and will provide them with quality programming. We want to go out of business the right way." Meanwhile, Channel 61 operations manager Tom Bush, who learned of Preview's decision Wednesday, is considering his options once his station becomes a full-time independent TV operation. "We just kind of got hit with this," Bush said today. "I don't think we'll go all night; we're probably looking at a 1-2 a.m. sign-off." BUSH PLANS to add evening movies to the schedule, possibly hosted by a local (or imported) personality.

He regrets, though, that he didn't know of Preview's plans when programs were being sold months ago. Thicke of the Night, a late-night talk show purchased by WUAB-Ch. 43 for fall, is one such syndicated property Bush may have sought under other circumstances. "I would have been much more aggressive," he said. "But now, we've got a lot of syndicators coming to us with ideas.

Some make sense, some don't. We're looking at all programs put our way." Even if Channel 61 uses only half of the hours vacated when Preview folds, its programming will increase by 40 hours a week in September. It will be in Only ATC's Boston system remains, but its future is as bleak as that of STV operations owned by other companies. Last week, Oak Communications pulled the plug on its STV operations in Dallas and Phoenix. "The suburbs were wired fast enough to take away our potential customers," Bryant explained.

"What cable has done is skim the cream off the top. Considering the poor economy, especially in Cleveland, there are simply not enough households with enough discretionary income." Preview's inaugural film offering in TONIGHT I 6:00 6:30 7:00 7:30 8:00 I 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 1 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 News NBC News Tic Tac Fam.Feud Fame A Break Cheers Hill Street Blues News Tonight David Letterman Overnight News ABC News Detector Joker Denver Muppets Too Close Amanda's 2020 News ABC News Nightline Big Valley 1 0n 1 News CBSNews Entertain. PMMag Magnum, P.I. The 1983 Miss USA Pageant News Hartman Hawaii Five-0 "Prince Of Foxes" Praise Lord Ctd. Bro.Dave Report Camp Meeting, U.S.A.

JimBakker Praise The Lord Scenes INN News News NBC News Tic Tac P. Court Fame A Break Cheers Hill Street Blues News Tonight David Letterman News ABCNews Get Smart Jeannie Denver Muppets TooClose Amanda's 2020 News 700Club Movie: "The Flame" WVIZAuction 1983 News CBSNews Jeffersons M'A'S'H Magnum, P.I. The 1983 Miss USA Pageant News Quincy McCloud News ABCNews Entertain. Fam.Feud Denver Muppets TooClose Amanda's 2020 News ABC News Nightline 1 0n 1 A.Griffith Laverne M'A'S'H 3'sComp. The Rockford Files Movie: "Three Days Of The Condor" AIIFamily TwilightZone "Dead Man On Run" Fishing Auto MacNeil Starring Harry Blackstone Classic Country Austin City Limits Bus.

Rpt. PBS Latenight WhiteShadow The Avengers Prewew-Movie: Movie: "Partners" Movie: "Funeral Home" Movie: "Sizzle" Little House Times B.Miller Movie: "Rooster Cogburn" News The Fugitive WGN L.House Laverne B.Miller Jeffersons Movie: "Capone" News Soap Charlie's Angels Movie: "Midas Run" WOt BJLobo Soap Benny Hill New Jersey Newark Stanley Cup Title Series. Y. Islanders vs. Edmonton Racing Detector Women In Crisis WT8S A.

Griffith Gomer C.Burnett B.Newhart Movie: "Major Dundee" News The Catlins Movie: "Dead Ringer" CBN Tic Tac Movie: "Copper Sky" I Spy Battle For Family For Family Star Time Life Geo. Burns Jack Benny Joan My Margie HE Movie: "Amber Waves" Movie: "Casey's Shadow" Movie: "The Stratton Story" Screening Movie: "Cheaper To Keep Her" DSNY Epcot Mag. Zorro Movie: "Condorman" Theater Studio Showcase America! ESPN English Soccer SpoFor. SpoCtr. InUSFL Boxing: Bilty Collins vs.

Fernando Fernandez SportsCenter Auto Racing: Off-Road Racing InUSFL HBO Movie: "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" Jukebox Lee A Celebration Movie: "Pandemonium" Hooker PhilipMarlowe Movie: "VictorVictoria" HLTH Dad, Me It Figures Nature Of Things Health Coping Fast Forw'd Presentat'n Sexuality Counselor Nature Coping Fast Forw'd Presentat'n Health Sexuality MOV Movie: "Mommie Dearest" Ctd. Movie: "Lady Chatterley's Lover" Movie: "Atlantic City" Movie: "Silence Of The North" Movie NASH Opryland On Stage Dancin' U.S.A. Paradise Fandango Nashville Now Yesteryear After Hours Offstage Nashville Now Opryland NICK Livewire What Next? Writes Beauty People Odds ARTS- Janet Baker Artist And Athlete Nightcap PBQY Movie: "Randy, The Electric Lady" Amsterdam Movie: "American Pie" American Strip-Off Movie: "Randy, The Electric Lady" SHO Movie: "Under The Rainbow" What's Up America! Movie: "The Elephant Man" Couples InEden Movie: "Night School" America! SPN Microwave 1st Nighter Pet Line Computer Traveller Catalog Telefrance U.S.A. Catalog Movie USA Cartoons Radio 1990 Sp.Look Sp. Probe Legends Stanley Cup Title Series, N.Y.

Islanders vs. Edmonton Baseball: Boston Red Sox at Milwaukee Brewers ABC pioneer to retire this year From staff and wire reports Elton H. Rule, 65, the broadcast executive who engineered ABC's rise from also-ran status to a profits and ratings leader, announced his retirement Wednesday as vice chairman of American Broadcasting Cos. Inc. Rule, 65, told a meeting of owners and managers of ABC-TV's affiliated stations that he will leave the company at the end of the year to return to his home in California.

Rule went from manager of ABC-owned Los Angeles KABC to, in 1968, president of the ABC television network. FOUR YEARS later, he became president of the parent company, ABC the communications conglomerate whose holdings include the TV network, a publishing division, a motion picture production company and other enterprises. Before Rule became ABC-TV president, the network was unprofitable. It began turning a profit in 1972, when Rule became president of ABC and five years later, it collected more money for advertising time than the other two networks. In 1967, ABC had the weakest lineup of affiliated TV stations, with 146.

By last fall, the ABC-TV network had grown to 214 stations and ABC's radio network had increased from 365 stations to about 1,800. Last January, Rule gave up his position as president and chief operating officer of ABC Inc. and became vice chairman of the board, with Frederick Pierce named president and chief operating officer of ABC Inc. SYMBOLS GUIDE Bl ANCULLI'S BEST BETS Chicago WGN New York WOR EEl Atlanta WTBS twtovl Steubenville WTOV MM Wheeling WTRF MM ARTS (Alpha Repertory Television Service) ED Black Entertainment fHBOl Home Box Office GLU Cable Health Network IBM Movie Channel MTV Music Television Ml Nashville Network OH Nickelodeon PBOYl Playboy Channel EEl Preview El Satellite Programming Network LUD Showtime IB USA Network GEO Warner Akron cable position number 8-P1 ED Warner Amex Springfield cable position number 6 9 Closed captioned for the hearing-impaired 7 p.m. CD The Avengers This is the famous changing-of-the-guard episode in which Mrs.

Peel (Diana Rigg) makes way tor Tara King (Linda Thorson). WCLQ-Ch. 61 is showing this series out of sequence, so Mrs. Peel will be back. That's the good news.

The bad news is that Channel 61 continues its annoying practice of flashing winning lottery numbers during the program. Patrick Macnee stars. 9:30 p.m. QCDM Cheers Barbara Babcock of Hill Street Blues plays another of her patented, hilarious sexy ladies, but she's upstaged by Luis Tiant, who portrays himself in a mock commercial that's better than most real ads on TV. Ted Danson, Sheiiey Long star.

NBC repeat. 10 p.m. ED MM Hill Street Blues Another first-run episode. Officers on the Hill discover that Washington's ambush was set up by someone in uniform. Daniel J.

Travanti stars, and Veronica Hamel finally returns. NBC. 11:25 p.m. HD Nightcap Authors E. L.

Doctorow (Ragtime) and Avery Corman (Kramer vs. Kramer) evaluate how well their novels were turned into films. Television Christian Broadcasting Network 6:00 p.m. CD CD Sport Fishing Fishing the flow. EU Movie "Amber Waves" (1980) Dennis Weaver.

Kurt Russell. Two men with different backgrounds and values are brought together during a difficult wheat harvest. QiiYl A View From Cosmo Host Helen Gurley Brown, authors Carol Bruce Hart, who write novels for adolescents, talk about teenage sexuality. ESlF.A. Soccer "Road to Wembley" semifinal 1.

Repeat. 11 Movie "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" (1982) Steve Martin, Rachel Ward. A hard-boiled private eye runs into a host ot familiar characters. (PG) Movie "Under the Rainbow" (1981) Chevy Chase, Carrie Fisher. The 150 midgets who are in town for the filming of The Wizard of Oz turn a California hotel upside-down.

(PG) 6:30 p.m. EE Movie "Copper Sky" (1957) Jeff Morrow, Coleen Gray. The grisly remains of an Indian massacre greet an East Coast schoolteacher. 7:00 p.m. Entertainment Tonight Pat Benatar; National Enquirer (part 4) FcWnI Moneyline Darrel Hershey, Financial Dynamics Fund, growth funds and technology funds.

HI Movie "Condorman" (1981) Michael Crawford, Oliver Reed. A creator of a comic-strip hero dons his creation's identity. (PG) 7:05 p.m. IWTBSI Carol Burnett and Friends Anthony Newley, Bernadette Peters. 7:30 P.M.

(5) Lookout for the DEVIL! "THE JOKER'S WILD" TV5 Adv. 7:30 p.m. QPM Magazine Inventor Gerald Sherwin; a reunion of former Playboy bunnies eight years after the closing of their San Francisco club. CD CD Starring Harry Blackstone Disappearing elephants, enchanted gardens and floating light-bulbs are just a few of the tricks up magician Harry Blackstone's sleeve. HQ Entertainment Tonight Pat Benatar; National Enquirer (part 4) PT1 liTSl After Deadline (Available only on Warner Amex of Akron cable position 8-P1 and on Warner Springfield cable position 6.) In the final program before a summer break, with a planned return in September, the panel will wrap up the major issues of the past nine months.

Beacon Journal editor Paul Poorman, associate editor David Cooper, metropolitan editor Abe Zaidan, host Sandra Halem. Repeat. 8:00 p.m. ffl Fame Doris tries to reunite her father and draft-resister brother, and Lydia finds she needs help from her students. Repeat.

OGDQD Rocky Mountain Holiday With John Denver and the Muppets Kermit the Frog and the rest of the Muppets join John Denver on a camping trip in the Rocky Mountains. 9 GEE Magnum, P.I. Magnum helps a woman defend her deceased father who was court-martialed by the Navy for dealing on the black market with government property. Repeat. QDThe Rockford Files Rockford is approached by a young woman who wants him to determine if her father's death was a or a murder.

(Part 2) i Movie "Rooster Cogburn" (1975) John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn. When a federal marshal sets out to track down a gang of desperadoes, a spinster with a grudge against the gang insists on joining him in the hunt. BED Movie "Capone" (1975) Ben Gazzara, Susan Blakely. The infamous mobster Al Capone rises to power as a gangland czar, fell Movie "Casey's Shadow" (1978) Walter Matthau, Alexis Smith. In the highly world of horse racing, a man and his sons place their faith in the animal they've raised from birth and trained to be a champion.

(PG) HD 25 Years of Jerry Lee a Celebration Johnny Cash, Kris Kristoffer-son, Charlie Rich, Mickey Gilley. 11 Movie "Lady Chatterley's Lover" (1981) Sylvia Kristel, Shane Briant. A sensuous woman's aristocratic marriage leads to a love affair with a gamekeeper. (R) Ml Movie "The Hurricane" (1937) Dorothy Lamour, Jon Hall. A devastating hurricane that destroys a Polynesian island resolves the conflict ot idyllic romance and primitive life with modern civilization.

8:05 p.m. fWflsl Movie "Major Dundee" (1965) Charlton Heston, Richard Harris. A Union major leads 100 volunteer prisoners on a dangerous mission against the Apaches. 8:30 p.m. IHg Top Rank Boxing Billy Collins (Tenn.) Fernando Fernandez (Mass.) 10-round junior middleweight ESPN title defense fight in Bristol, Tenn.

ICiNtl Cinemax Cable News Network 13 Daytime Disney Channel Ml ESPN (Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) Veronica Hamel mantha Fox, Candida Hoyalle. The changing American sexual practices of the past half-century are illustrated. 1:30 a.m. 0 One on One Kris Kristofferson. (Part 1) El Movie "Lady Chatterley's Lover" (1981) Sylvia Kristel, Shane Briant.

A sensuous woman's aristocratic marriage leads to a love affair with a gamekeeper. (R) jED Movie "The Old Corral" (1937) Gene Autry, Hope Manning. Gangsters in limousines and deputies on horseback clash. 2:00 a.m. 013 Movie "Endless Love" (1981) Brooke Shields.

Martin Hewitt. A 17-year-old's obsessive love for his 15-year-old girlfriend leads to parental conflicts and tragedy. (R) 2:35 a.m. ms Movie "They Who Dare" (1954) Dirk Bogarde, Akim Tamiroff. World War II commandos.

2:45 a.m. Movie "Mill on the Floss" (1939) James Mason, Geraldine Fitzgerald. Two families feud. IKIIIAV 7:00 a.rn Q(MGood Morning America An interview with "Mr. the James Bond character; successful game show creators: Roy Scheider and film editor wife.

Cynthia; an update on the two men who have been living on a billboard in Pennsylvania for more than six months. Morning News Jack Paar (Part 5) 9:00 a.m. Straight Talk Hollywood goes to New Jersey. Joseph Friedman, Everett Scott. 10:00 a.m.

0 Donahue "New Bedford Rape Af-Anermath" The alleged gang-rape of a woman in a New Bedford. barroom with the victim's attorney, Scott Charnas. Colleen Pma of the New Bedford Women's Center and Massachusetts state representative Barbara Gray. Noon Oil Take Two Former defense secretary Harold Brown, author. Thinking About National Security; Antonia Hernandez, counsel.

Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund, and Rep. Daniel E. Lungren, will debate the Simpson-Mazzoli Immigration Bill; Michael Reagan, speedboat assault on the Great Lakes to raise money for the 1984 Olympics. 12:05 a.m. MM Movie "Dead Ringer" (1964) Bette Davis, Karl Maiden.

When her ex-lover brother-in-law dies, a tavern owner kills her twin sister and assumes her wealth and position. 12:30 a.m. QEDIIffilLate Night With David Letterman Comedian David Wood, comedian Kenneth Mars. Big Valley Jarrod rents a farm to a Mormon family and some of the townspeople resent it. One on One Kris Kristofferson.

(Part 1) rjUMovie "Midas Run" (1969) Richard Crenna, Fred Astaire. A British secret agent is richly rewarded when he solves the mystery of a gold heist which he masterminded. Movie "VictorVictoria" (1982) Julie Andrews, Robert Preston. A gay impresario turns a starving singer into the rage of 1930s Paris by billing her as Europe's greatest female impersonator. (PG) Movie "Randy, the Electric Lady" (1980) Desiree Cousteau, Monica Sands.

12:40 a.m. MSI McCloud A trail of murders from Rome to New York leads McCloud to a priceless statuette of a horse. 1:00 a.m. Movie "Prince of Foxes" (1949) Tyrone Power, Orson Welles. A young man is almost destroyed by his defiance of Cesare Borgia.

Movie "The Flame" (1947) Vera Ralston, Broderick Crawford. A woman becomes deeply and romantically attached to the intended victim of an extortion plot. CB Movie "Dead Man on the Run" (1975) Peter Graves, Katherine Justice. When a man takes over tor a murdered federal official, he suspects that the death was part of a larger plot involving the assassination of a presidential candidate. fill Women in Crisis Hosts Gary Collins, Carol Lawrence.

The plight of 1.6 billion women in the world's developing nations. 01Q Movie "Sizzle" (1980) Sa- ing" parlor, and a streetwalker. 11:00 P.M. (5) YOUR TV Can Support A JUNKIE! TV5 EYEWITNESS NEWS Adv. 11:00 p.m.

TOO Soap Jessica astounds the courtroom with her behavior, Danny brings Elaine home to meet the family, and Father Tim receives an unexpected visitor. 11:25 p.m. 1 ft RT si Nightcap: Conversations on the Arts and Letters Books to movies. Avery Corman, E.L. Doctorow, John Gregory Dunne.

11:30 p.m. Q) EU Tonight Host Johnny Carson; David Brenner, the Barrett Sisters. Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman Mary says Tom shouldn't go to waste; Cathy's magic fingers make their debut. 2)700 Club The changing home and family life of the '80s. CS All in the Family Archie becomes unemployed.

(Part 1) wl Charlie's Angels Desperate' thieves holding Sabrma hostage give Kelly and Kris 10 hours to retrieve a fortune in stolen diamonds. HU Philip Marlowe: Private Eye Marlowe's investigation of the murder of a powerful lawyer uncovers twisted relationships among the wealthy. tPRFV I Movie "Funeral Home" (1982) Kay Hawtry, Barry Morse. A woman investigates strange occurences at her grandmother's Victorian home. (R) Midnight Hawaii Five-0 Someone in Hawaii is plotting to shoot down an airplane using a Russian-made missile.

BfO Movie "Monkey Hustle" (1976) Rosalind Cash, Yaphet Kotto. A nickel-and-dime street hustler in the black ghetto of Chicago. mov Movie "Silence of the North" (1981) Ellen Burstyn, Tom Skerntt. In 1919, a woman's marriage to a trapper leads her to a life of hardship in the wilderness of northern Canada. (PG) powered TV commercial agent makes Sam an offer he can't refuse.

Repeat. 09 Amanda's Amanda's brother-in-law starts meddling in the hotel's affairs, and then asks her out for a date. IPBOV I Playboy Guide to Amsterdam The people, sights, customs and attitudes of the Dutch metropolis. 10:00 p.m. MM Hill Street Blues The officer's long-awaited paychecks are intercepted by gang members, and Washington realizes that his drug "sale" was sabotaged by his sleazy partner.

09 QD 2020 Tom Jarriel examines the results of a four-month investigation revealing new information about all the bizarre charges, tales and theories surrounding the attempted assassination of Pope John Paul II exactly two years ago; Geraldo Rivera probes into federal government waste in the purchase of military spare parts; Bob Brown reports on a poignant case study of what can happen when our criminal justice system makes a mistake. CD CD Austin City Limits Ray Price Asleep at the Wheel. MOV Movie "Atlantic City" (1980) Burt Lancaster, Susan Saran-don. The estranged husband of an oyster bar waitress arrives with her pregnant younger sister and some stolen heroin, which he wants an aging hood to sell for him. (R) fJlv Movie "Partners" (1982) Ryan O'Neal, John Hurt.

A straight cop and a gay police clerk go undercover as a homosexual couple to find the murderer of a male model. (R) 10:10 p.m. mm Artist and Athlete: The Pursuit of Perfection The parallels of artistic and athletic endeavor are explored against the backdrop ot the Lake Placid 1980 Winter Olympics with performances by the Pilobolus Dance Ensemble and violinist Yehudi Menu-hin. 10:30 p.m. Ml Hooker This documentary looks at the sex-for-money business, focusing on three women: a high-class call girl, the madame of a "nude model GH Against the Odds Illusionist Harry Houdini, circus showman P.T.

Barn-um. 9:00 P.M. (43) REDFORD I DUNAWAY THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR CIA DIVISION MURDERED Mi. 9:00 p.m. G) LHH Gimme a Break Nell and her fellow PORKOS get stuck in an elevator when they try to prevent their founder from committing suicide.

Repeat. QToo Close for Comfort Muriel and her successful former partner wonder what might have happened if Muriel had pursued her showbiz career. Repeat. 0 CD ME The 1983 Miss USA Pageant Bob Barker and Joan Van Ark host the 32nd annual edition of this event, to be telecast live from the Knoxville Civic Auditorium in Knox-ville. Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers Band are the special guests.

CB Movie "Three Days of the Condor" (1975) Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway. A research reader employed by the CIA uncovers internal treachery when all of his co-workers are assassinated by a hit man who is now stalking him. 1 ARTS I Performers' Showcase: Janet Baker Full Circle This documentary traces the famed English mezzo-soprano's final year of operatic singing during the 1981-82 season, from Gluck's Orfeo at the season's start, to Donizetti's Mary Stuart as her finale. HfT Movie "Monkey Hustle" (1976) Rosalind Cash, Yaphet Kotto. A nickel-and-dime street hustler lives and works in the black ghetto of Chicago.

El Movie "Pandemonium" (1982) Tom Smothers, Carol Kane. A college town police sergeant reopens an 18-year-old unsolved multiple murder case when it appears that the perpetrator is striking again. (PG) US Telefrance U.S.A. "Fiction: Balzac's the Memoirs of Two Young Brides" "Entracte: Fresh Air" "Tele-Stories: Meeting in the Dark" "Art-view: Paris-Moscow" 9:30 p.m. QQIfflv Cheers- A sexy, high-.