Johnson City Press from Johnson City, Tennessee • 14

Page 14 JOHNSON CITY PRESS Saturday February 19' 1994 Max Media buys WEMT-TV station Vrrm jLf Lesja Paine-Brooks Press Entertainment Writer Max Media has exercised its purchase option as part of a management contract with WEMT-TV Channel 39 in a multimillion dollar deal that includes the formation of Max Television Co After managing WEMT for the last two years Max Media has officially purchased the local station according to Edwin Groves WEMT general manager Charles A McFadden president and general manager of WTVZ Inc operator of WTVZ-TV Channel 33 Norfolk Va and president of Encore Communica- tions Inc and WSYT-TV Channel 68 Syracuse NY recently announced the formation of Max Television Cor Although no programming changes are expected to occur locally at WEMT major improvements have been made since Max Media began managing the sfca--tion Groves said 'fe fJ I w- fi i j4 rt 3 Tt Greeneville and actively partici- Appalachian Fair Max Television will operate WTVZ-TV WGYT-TV and WEMT-TV which serves Johnson City Kingsport and Bristol All three stations are affiliated with thejox Network and will carry NFEHfSotball games this fall Locally that will mean a huge increase in viewership for WEMT We will attract an audience of people who watch what we call appointment television Groves said Some men football junkies if you will dont watch television any other time except when their football games are on Vy As cable increases in popularity-Groves said viewers watch programs rather than networks People really dont care who carries Star Trek just as long as its on Groves said adding that most people remember watching -tiie Super Bowl but veiy few tell you which network broadcast the game Max Television Co will be headquartered in Virginia Beach Va McFadden said he will reduce his daily management responsibilities and focus on new duties relating to the operations of the group and its future acquisitions Close is Norma Desmond in Boulevard and will carry role in New York piose gets Broadway Sunset We moved to our new facility in Johnson City last February replaced our over-the-air broadcast equipment tripled our promotional budget and expanded our staff by 10 percent Groves said The station has also acquired new generators that were not previously available to them in Jacksons prepare The Associated Press LAS VEGAS The soap opera continues: La Toyas husband accuses her family of hiring extra security to keep her away from The Jackson Family Honors concert Ticket prices are slashed from up to $350 to as low as $50 'It seems that songs are taking a back seat to the tortured Jack-son family saga as they prepare sans La Toya for their musical salute Saturday night at the MGM Grand Hotel Michael who recently settled a child molestation lawsuit is scheduled to present "lifetime achievement awards to his good i Si a AP Photo set Boulevard will then close down for three weeks to incorporate changes made for Los Angeles It will resume performances April 7 with Betty Buckley taking over the role of Norma Duva would not speculate on what financial agreement would be made between Really Useful and LuPone although the actress had previously said it would take more than $1 million to buy her out Its in the hands of the attorneys Duva said British newspapers reported the actress made 20000 pounds a week about $30000 in London LuPones New York contract also was for nine months Lloyd Webber also created Evita which made LuPone a star and won her a 1980 Tony award Television viewers know LuPone from her role in Life Goes On She appeared in movies such as Witness and Driving Miss Daisy As to what LuPone will do next Duva declined to comment but said offerings have been pouring in Pattis a very very strong lady he added Shes as resilient as they come (CBN) AFRICAN SKIES (HBO) DPEAM ON 11 35 1994 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES A CURRENT AFFAIR EXTRA NIGHT COURT 1140 (CIN) MOVIE AA 'Lethal Weapon 3 (1992) Mel Gibson Danny Glover 12 00 ARSENIO HALL A8E) MOVIE AAA -Bad Company (1972) Jeff Bndges Barry Brown (CNN) NEWSNIGHT (CBN) CCM-TV (LIFE) THE KATHY AND MO SHOW: PARALLEL LIVES (NICK) SUPERMAN (HBO) MOVIE A -Miracle Beach (1992) Ami Dolenz Dean Cameron 12-05 ACAPULCO HEAT 1215 (TNT) MOVIE AAAA Cat Ballou' (1965) Jane Fonda Lee Marvin 12-30 (CNN) NEWSMAKER SATURDAY (CBN) ZOLA LEVITT (NICK) DONNA REED By Michael Kuchwara AP Drama Writer NEW YORK The backstage drama again eclipsed the action onstage at Sunset Boulevard the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical headed for New York with a new leading lady Patti LuPone is out and said ta be crushed about being dumped in favor of Glenn Close as the star of next seasons Broadway production The move could lost die English composer $1 mil-ion or more to buy LuPone out of ier contract The Really Useful Theater 'onWs Lky4 Webber? -nen- gementt "company revealed hursday that Close would play kging screen goddess Norma Desmond in the stage version of Billy Wilders classic film when the musical opens Nov 17 at the Minskofif Theater Speculation that LuPone would be replaced has simmered ever Since she opened in the musical last summer in London The British reviewers were mostly Enthusiastic about LuPone but biany American critics including the influential Frank Rich in The New York Times panned her per should have to hear this through Liz Smith Its been very difficult Lloyd Webber wanted her He chose Patti Peter Thompson a spokesman for Sunset Boulevard and Lloyd Webber in London declined comment saying I know nothing while Peter Brown Lloyd Webbers New York representative did not return phone calls Duva said LuPone was very upset and told him I cant believe this is happening? When did you find out? No one from Really Useful has spoken to Patti Duva said They showed her no dignity Its jjthe mostcowafdly way to do business '4' The only one who has had the decency and courtesy and respect and honor is Trevor Nunn (director of Sunset Boulevard) He wrote her the most extraordinary letter of support LuPone missed three performances of the show after learning of her replacement but Duva said she genuinely got sick She was expected to return to the show Friday night Her last performance is March 12 when her nine-month contract expires The London production of Sun- ID MOVIE A My Mothers Secret Lite (1984) Loni Anderson Paul Sorvmo TALES FROM THE CRYPT (AAE) COMEDY ON THE ROAD (CNN) SPORTS TONIGHT (CBN) BORDERTOWN (LIFE) UNSOLVED MYSTERIES (MTV) HEADBANGERS BALL (USA) MOVIE AA The Beach Girls (1982) Debra Blee Val Kline (DISN) MOVIE AA The Errand- Boy (1961) Jerry Lewis Brian Donlevy 1105 (MOV) MOVIE A To Protect and Serve (1992) Thomas Howell Lezlie Deane 11-15 (SHOW) MOVIE AA -Children of the Corn II The Final Sacnfice (1993) Terence Knox Paul Scherrer 1120 HIGHLIGHTS TONIGHT 11 30 0 SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE MOVIE A A -Rocky (1990) Sylvester Stallone Talia Shire TALES FROM THE CRYPT (CNN) THE CAPITAL GANG It4 i i rv tt the LA production of Sunset formance When Close opened the Los Angeles company of the show last December she received rave notices including one from Vincent Canby in The New York Times Yet LuPone had been announced for Broadway even before Sunset Boulevard opened in London and Really Useful always insisted that she would play the role here As late as two weeks ago Lloyd Webber told The Associated Press in an interview that there had been no'change in our announced policy Matters 'came to a head Wednesday rwhen 'Bob-'Duva LuPones agent saw a story by syndicated columnist Liz Smith reporting that Close had gotten the New York assignment Duva telephoned Patrick McKenna chairman of Really Useful in London to confirm the story The agent said he was told that it would be impossible to bring LuPone to New York with the show The reason was a financial circumstance an investment circumstance Duva said in an interview I think its pretty horrid and pretty low that Patti AMERICAS MOST WANTEO (CNN) LARRY KINO WEEKEND (C-SPAN) JOURNALISTS ROUNDTABLE (NICK) THE REN 8 STIMPY SHOW (OISN) MOVIE AAA Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) Eddie -Albert Ray Milland 9-25 (MOV) MOVIE A House IV (1992) Tern Treas Scott Burkholder 930 (MTV) THE STATE (NICK) ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK? (SHOW) MOVIE AA Universal Soldier (1992) Jean-Claude Van Damme Dolph Lundgren 10 00 0 ARE YOU BEING SERVED? ffi THE COMMISH 0 STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE (A5E) BEST OF COMIC RELIEF (CNN) WORLD NEWS (CBN) RESCUE 911 (LIFE) HIDDEN ROOM (MTV) BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD (NICK) VERY VERY NICK AT NITE (USA) SILK STALKINQ8 (CIN) MOVIE A -Chained Heat II (1993) Bngitte Nielsen Paul Koslo 10-05 ID MOVIE AAAA The Searchers (1956) John Wayne Jeffrey Hunter 10:15 (TNT) MOVIE AAA -Point Blank (1967) Lee Marvtn Angie Dickinson 10 30 0 AUSTIN CITY LiMiTS NEWS (C-SPAN) PUBLIC POLICY (LIFE) HIDDEN ROOM (MTV) BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD 11 00 0 0 (D NEWS NIGHT COURT ID NEWS I NEWSp TT) A SSCi ilQvg jjs for family show friend Elizabeth Taylor and record mogul Berry Gordy Michael will not perform solo but will join the family in the shows finale If You Only Believe to reflect that the parents have the courage and the strength to believe in their children and their talent Jackson family spokesman John McLaughlin said Friday But maybe not all their children On Thursday a spokeswoman for La Toya told The Associated Press the family had hired extra security to keep the estranged sibling away from the concert TEKWflH: TEKLBRDS Mind control's on the menu! I Something's stalking Arnold I Schwarzenegger It's in town with a fewdaystokilL jTonights TV listing 8:00 ALL CREATURES GREAT A SMALL (E EMPTY NEST OS MOVIE "Airplane1 (1980) Robert Hays Julie Hagefty MOVIE 'The Blues Brothers (1980) John Belushi Dan Aykroyd COPS (ARE) MOVIE A 'Bad Company (1972) Jeff Bridges Baity Brown (CNN) PRIMENEWS (C-SPAN) PUBLIC POLICY (CBN) MOVIE 'Race to Freedom The Underground Railroad (1994) Janet a Bailey Courtney Vance (MTV) THE REAL WORLD (NICK) CLARISSA EXPLAINS IT ALL (TNT) MOVIE 'Attack! (1956) Jack Palance Eddie Albert I (USA) MOVIE A The Rescue (1988) Kevin Dillon Christine Hamos 1 (HBO) MOVIE AAA 'Malcolm (1992) Denzel Washington Angela Bassett (CIN) MOVIE AA "The Temp (1993) Timothy Hutton Lara Flynn Boyle (SHOW) MOVIE A A Death Warrant (1990) JearvCIaude Van Damme Robert QyiHaumA (MOV) MOVIE A "National Lampoons Loaded Weapon 1 (1993) Emilio Estevez Samuel Jackson J-805 iii MOViE AAA The Naked Spur (1953) James Stewart Janet Leigh 8 30 0 NURSES cops (MTV) MTV JAMS COUNTDOWN (NICK) ROUNDHOUSE 835 (DISN) CAT IN THE HAT 900 (I MYSTERY! (0 HOT COUNTRY JAM 84 Grand Opening Sale! me tBfaee IPBaoe PREDATOR LHimyiMaiiiu REumSBi NEW LOCATION: 1613 Market Street NOW All New Stock Ladies Nevy Factory Return Designer Shoes Boots and Ladies New Consignment Clothes 20 Discount on all merchandise Sold during our Grand Opening! BITES ACOMEDY ABOUT LOVE IN THE '90s ah Hours: Closed Monday Tues-Fri 11-7 Saturday 10-5 Sunday 434-9933 I I I i ii.