Daily Record from Morristown, New Jersey • 27

uany wecora, Morris county, i-riaay, Marcn 2U, iyyf B9 Television Weather Channel keeps watch on sky For quality, competitors can't touch '60 Minutes' years after shaky start, it's become an institution '60 Minutes' Is not Just the original news magazine; It's the best. And It has avoided the sleaze of its competitors. mi Whether your children will need a coat for the walk to school, say, or if a trip will be disrupted by snow. The channel's look is conservative, too. The basic weather maps have changed very little over the years, and the network has resisted the whiz-bang technology used by some local news stations to make viewers feel like they're floating above mountainous cloud formations.

The channel moved into a new studio in March with barely a mention so viewers wouldn't feel dislocated. This is one of the reasons Kotchko, a radio executive, feels more comfortable watching The Weather Channel than his local Connecticut news station during a big storm. "The local weather has gotten so wrapped up in the ratings game that I can't trust it anymore," he says. The Weather Channel runs occasional documentary specials it capitalized on the interest in tornadoes when the movie "Twister" was in theaters but its basic programming lineup follows the same schedule hour after hour. There are looks at weather "hot spots," forecasts for the next five days, and even hourly peeks at what's going on in Europe.

But the schedule is designed so that viewers never have to wait more than 10 minutes for a local forecast. Many viewers watch like Kotchko: stopping briefly on the channel during a remote control surf. Advertisers recognize this and sometimes try to get their message across by wrapping an ad around an on-screen weather map. As expected, the channel's ratings zoom when a hurricane or big snowstorm is bearing down on a population center. They also jump each day in the early morning, when people who work outside tune in to find out what the day will be like.

L. Ric Feld Associated Press Michael Eckert, chief executive officer of The Weather Channel, says the channel has succeeded because It takes weather seriously. By Eric Mink Knight-Ridder Tribune News Forget "NYPD Blue," "EZ Streets" and "Homicide." This season's most intriguing prime-time drama is a real-life suspense story that stars Mike Wallace, Barbara Walters, Ed Bradley, Hugh Downs, Andy Rooney and the rest of the "60 Minutes" and "2020" teams. The puzzler: Will CBS' "60 Minutes" again finish among prime time's 10 most popular shows, running its already unprecedented streak to 20 straight years, or will ABC's "2020" finally displace its long-time competitor? As the 1996-97 season heads into the springtime homestretch, it's impossible to predict with any certainty what will happen. Through mid-March, "60 Minutes" and its CBS sister "Touched by an Angel" are tied for ninth and 10th places.

"2020," the rock of ABC's Friday lineup, is just a whisker behind, in 11th place. Admittedly, we're not exactly talking about a major American problem or even an issue of real significance to network television. "60 Minutes" and "2020" do not compete directly for viewers, and a ninth-place finish versus an llth-place finish wouldn't make any difference to advertisers. (For the record, last season, "60 Minutes" wound up in ninth place; "2020" in 11th.) Tradition and ego So what does this behind-the-scenes drama really involve? Pride, tradition, image and, yes, ego on institutional as well as personal levels. But I'd argue that there's also an element of justice here.

"60 Minutes" is not just the original network news magazine; journalistically, it's the best. And, despite increased competitive pressures, it generally has sidestepped the sleaze that too often has ensnared its competitors. So isn't the best show of its kind entitled to the best ratings? Last weekend offered an unusual opportunity for direct comparison. "2020" on Friday and Log On Every Sunday in the Daily Record EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATE S. INC.

994-4665 SAT SAT II Tutoring, K-12 College Subjects Cinque .5. and put on a The Weather Channel lost $10.6 million in its first year, and that show came perilously close to ending. The network didn't make money until 1985. But its reach has steadily expanded to where it is now seen in 67 million homes, or 98 percent of homes with cable. Officials say the network is "very profitable," but won't disclose any details.

On the air, The Weather Channel's meteorologists are usually careful not to become absorbed in weather wonkdom. They are trained to emphasize the practical effect of weather on people's lives: You can't even begin to enjoy this game unless you put your intelligence on hold, or unless you're a little kid. A real, real, little, little kid. Why do Hollywood filmmakers hobble themselves in this way? Why be content with repeating ancient and boring formulas when a little thought could have produced an interesting movie? What if Kenny and Antoine had worked out a strategy to SECRETLY affect the outcome of the game? What if they were aware that obvious tactics would be spotted? What if Kenny didn't tell his teammates about the ghost? What if An This seems to be the season for reunion movies. It started out in November with "Dallas," and will continue next month with "The Dukes of Hazzard" and in May with "Knots Landing." Some actors hesitate to participate in reunion movies and return to the roles that made them famous, usually out of fear of typecasting.

"Only in the last couple of years has it lightened up and I've finally been able to do characters that By David Bauder 'Associated Press ATLANTA Hamburgers or chicken? On summer nights when a thunderstorm threatens to break the heat, Steve Kotchko consults an unusual expert to set his dinner menu: He turns on The Weather Channel. Kotchko scans the radar screen that flashes every 10 minutes for tell-tale blotches of rain. If those green blotches have moved past the i New York border 60 miles from his Connecticut home, he has little time to waste. Slap some fast-cooking burgers on the barbecue and get ready to eat indoors. If the storms are still in New York, Kotchko can relax.

He can grill chicken without worrying about being drenched. Laugh if you must, as many people did when the network started in 1982. But The Weather Channel 24 hours of temperature charts, low pressure systems and satellite loops has become a television institution. The channel has succeeded despite the doubts who would watch a one-minute segment on the evening news expanded to all day? because it takes weather seriously, says its chief executive officer, Michael Eckert, who signed on as an advertising salesman before it even went on the air. 1 "In many ways, The Weather Channel has a higher calling, and drives a lot of our people," Eckert says.

Never is that more evident than when the weather gets really bad. On those days, the channel housed in an office building near a highway crossroads north of Atlanta buzzes like a newsroom on Election Night. Meteorologists sift through data Sixth Continued from Bl popped back up again? What if a player was able to hang in midair twice as long as Michael Jordan? But in "The Sixth Man," ences and commentators don't seem to realize that the laws of physics and gravity are being violated on be- half of the Huskies. Finally a woman sportswriter (Michael Michele) for the student paper uses the stop-action button on her VCR to replay a game, and no Waltons Continued from Bl As with the series, Hamner narrates the opening and closing sequences. He also serves as executive producer.

Bringing the family together is the 40th wedding anniversary of John and Olivia Walton (played by Ralph Waite and Michael Learned, respectively). All is not perfect on Walton's Mountain in 1969. A globe-trotting Elizabeth Walton (Kami Cotler) returns to find her true love Drew didn't wait for her. Olivia has become a schoolteacher as the family's lumber business has fallen on hard times. "Times are changing," Olivia tells her husband as they eat a store-'bought pie.

And John-Boy, a writer and television commentator in New York, returns with his wife, Janet (Kate 'McNeil), who is eight months pregnant. Home again and surrounded by Coaster Continued from Bl riders can choose either the Batman or Robin track. Each offers a different diving, twisting, looping adventure. After being secured in their 20-passenger "projectile vehicles," guests are blasted out of the freeze generator and through Mr. Freeze's 60-foot-tall observatory, surrounded by flashing lights and arcing electricity.

On the Batman track, the first loop is 105 feet in the air taller than the top of the nearby Stuntman's Freefall ride tower. Two loops, 105 feet tall, highlight the Robin track. Both rides feature 45-degree heartline inversions and rocket passengers 200 feet straight up. There they dangle for a short time before plunging back to Earth to complete their journey in reverse. The whole terrifying trip takes about 90 seconds.

Ride construction is right on schedule and already several hundred feet of electric blue and fluorescent red track have been laid in "60 Minutes" on Sunday both carried stories on the abusive treatment of female cadets at the Citadel. The result: "60 Minutes" cleaned "2020's" clock to use a technical TV term. True, "2020" inherited the story on short notice from ABC's "Turning Point" unit, which had been working on it but lost a couple of key interviews. Knowing "60 Minutes" was working on the same story, ABC gave "2020" the unenviable assignment of rushing the piece onto the air. Nevertheless, the story presented by "60 Minutes" producers Michael Radutzky and Jonathan Wells and correspondent Bradley nailed down the gender dimensions of the terrible harassment that took place, and the accounts offered by former Cadet Jeanie Mentavlos were corroborated by male cadets.

Finally, Bradley's tough-as-nails interview with the Citadel's public-relations spokesman stood in sharp contrast to Lynn Sherr's mild questioning of the same man for "2020." Now in its 29th season, "60 Minutes" is the longest-running prime-time program in TV history. Its producers and correspondents are unequaled in their ability to tell stories clearly and with maximum impact. Over the course of a season, "60 Minutes" will offer a broader and more interesting mix of stories than any other magazine, and it will wind up with more first-rate pieces to its credit. With "60 Minutes" remaining the class-and-quality act of the news-magazine genre, it would be a shame to see its top-10 streak end at 19 straight seasons. GIFTED PSYCHIC Diana Spiritualist Clairvoyant Tarot Cards Advice MORRISTOWN 285-9888 605-8203 (AFTER 6) Mail RT.

10E, LEDGEWOOD, NJ Figlie You've Tried the Rest, Now Try the Best! from satellites and airplanes, plotting the march of advancing storms. Correspondents rush into blizzards, running their hands through newly fallen snow with the excitement of children packing the season's first snowball. Tony Kornheiser's family knows it's useless to fight for the remote control during stormy weather. "If it's really juicy and there's a big storm, they have all these colors up on the screen," the Washington Post sports columnist says. "It's just great," he says.

"It's fabulous. To me, it's a combination of very sophisticated technology and 'Hey kids, let's go out to the barn tices that Kenny never even touched a ball before it went in. I don't want to belabor technicalities here. I know the movie's premise is that nobody notices that the ghost is affecting the game. Because nobody notices, that frees the movie to proceed with its lethargic formula, right to the bitter end.

Will the team decide it has to win on its own? Will the ghost and his brother have to accept the fact of death? Will the Huskies be way behind at halftime of the big game? Will they win? Will the sun rise tomorrow? the peacefulness of the countryside, John-Boy begins to have second thoughts about living and raising a fahily in New York. His turmoil causes conflict with his wife, who is anxious to return to the city. Adding to the excitement is a fast-talking, New York reporter who accompanies John-Boy home to write an article to promote his upcoming book. "It's sort of the culture clash of Walton's Mountain meets New York City and they both have their values and it comes out very clearly in John-Boy's feelings," Hamner said. It isn't the first Waltons reunion movie; in fact, it's the third.

The cast reassembled in 1993 for "A Walton Thanksgiving," and again in 1995 for "A Walton Wedding." This one, though, was the "most fun of all," said the ever-youthful Richard Thomas, who plays John-Boy. "It's more like a party than anything else," Thomas said. "It is like a real family reunion. We've maintained real close contact and there's a lot of good feelings." the Movietown section of the park. "Batman and Robin: The Chiller" will be located near the freefall-coaster and across from the Batman stunt show.

The Space Shuttle and Centrifuge (scrambler) rides have been relocated to the Boardwalk section of the park. Also new this season at Great Adventure will be the Dare Devil Drop, a 175-foot-tall Sky Coaster ride. While not a conventional roller coaster, a Sky Coaster is the closest thing there is to flying. These giant-size swings are already located at many parks across the nation and are hugely popular. Before riding, you (and up to two other people) are strapped into a harness that hangs from the apex of an enormous arch.

You're then drawn backward into the launch position. After that, you pull a ripcord and swing into a 60 mph freefall. The Sky Coaster will be located near the park's carousel and has an additional fee. Great Adventure is located off New Jersey Turnpike exit 7A or Garden State Parkway exit 98. From there, follow Interstate 195 to exit 16.

For information, call (908) se Chy Antiques and Collectibles toine, for sheer love of the game, took the other side once in a while? The possibilities are endless. Movies like "The Sixth Man" are an example of Level One thinking, in which the filmmakers get the easy, obvious idea and are content with it. Good movies are made by taking the next step. Twisting the premise. Using lateral thinking.

I imagine a lot of studio executives are sports fans. Would any of them be PERSONALLY entertained by this movie? If this answer is "no" and it has to be then they shouldn't expect us to be, either. weren't the responsible father," said Waite, who in the last two years played mean-spirited characters on TV's "Murder One" and "Orleans." But no regrets on Waite's part: "That was an important part of my life and if I had to fight that I'd be a miserable human being." So does that mean we'll be seeing another Waltons reunion? "As long as some of us are still standing, we'll keep doing them," Thomas said. 55 KICKIIM 1 Unique SO's 'Diner McCoy, osevi(k, M( Furniture, Radios CofkctiSkToys Radios Restored 143 Main Madison 593-0275 (Five Daughters Ristorante) Joseph Mucerlno, Open Easter Sunday 2pm 7 pm Reservations Recommended 26 Washington Street Morristown (201) 359-8615 Parking on Schuyler PI. few Copper Toms THURSDAY, APRIL 3RD SISTERHOOD OF TEMPLE BETH AM 879 SOUTH BEVERWYCK PARSIPPANY DOORS OPEN 5:30 PM CALLING BEGINS 7:30 PM $6 admission CALL 887-0046 Tanning Salon 38 Route lOWest Succasunna, NJ -sX 201-927-6170 rSv JUST ARRIVED! ALIVE IM Thp I lliimatp Tanninp- Bed The Turbo 22,000 i- I r- I a ror we uarKesi, Longest Lasting Tan, It Can't Be Matched VINTAGE CLOTHING COMPANY Largest 'n Best Selection of Vintage Clothing" 2 FCOORS OF: Used Levis Bell Bottoms Polyester Vintage Clothes "New" Pants Tops Accessories and Much, Much More! $400 OFF WITH COUPON 1 j5 utt 1st 5es.

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