The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 658

South Channel The alternative 17: By Stephanie Loudis in one of new locally produced shows already seen the reruns on two of the networks you abide the insipid child star on the third Channel 2 is in the middle of a 38-part series and not in the mood for the Astaire and Rogers movie on the independent station Wait touch that dial your TV hunger may be satisfied yet You cautiously turn to Channel 17 and to your amazement your next-door neighbor the lawyer is explaining the employee rights of AIDS victims Though more fascinated with Joe than with the subject you realize the implications for your own workplace and pay attention Welcome to local educational television Channel 17 WLRN-TV is the public television station operated by the Dade County Public Schools that strives in a homey somewhat unpolished style to inform and entertain a potential audience of 700000 in South Florida Channel 17 broadcasts a variety of programs from Smithsonian World to Sew Easy The operative word is diversity and how diverse it can get: Amateur artists can paint along with the artist as they watch shows such as Magic Methods in Oil The Brush of Gary Jenkins Magic of Oil Painting and for those whose muse is awakened by blond bombshells Painting with Elke Sommer The station like Channel 2 offers these programs as an affiliate of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) However Channel uniqueness lies in the fact that it produces and broadcasts more programs about South Florida and its residents than any other local station in the area Among public television stations nationwide Channel 17 is third in local productions Local programs are as diverse as their viewers a sampling: Something on 17 (weeknights at 8) a public affairs program features local authors artists chefs how-to segments and celebrities visiting South Florida Its laid-back host is Don Webb producer Meredith Porte co-hosts The Jury Box (9 pm Mondays) features dramatizations in which issues rather than people are put on trial Attorney Harold Wasserman serves as judge while other local attorneys argue the issues Sewing Without Pins (4 pm Mondays and Thursdays 7 pm Mondays 4:30 pm Tuesdays and Saturdays) host Alfred Bach offers intriguing sewing suggestions like using spaghetti as trim with no sticky pins BOLD Presents (9:30 pm Thursdays 4 pm Sundays) is the work of the Broader Opportunities for the Learning Disabled a parent teacher advocacy organization Two programs of concern to parents of learning disabled children are produced monthly AFTRA's Workshop (10 pm Sundays 8:30 pm Saturdays) is a one-of-a-kind program in which hostproducer Iris Acker and other show business professionals teach the fundamentals of acting auditioning and other skills to aspiring actors in the studio and at home Career Builders (10 pm Tuesdays) is a new series co-produced by Racal-Milgo and hosted by its personnel director Laura Jack Professionals in various careers are shown in their workplaces presenting realistic portrayals of their jobs Special Assignment (5 pm Sundays 9 pm Tuesdays) is a weekly panel show addressing issues critical to South Florida Mer-win Sigale business editor of The Miami News is the moderator The Drop-In Club a fall series tackling Dade high school dropout problem has Fran-cena Thomas head of the Dropout Prevention Advisory Council and real high school students advising potential dropouts who are portrayed by actors You and the Law (7:30 pm Sundays 6:30 pm Fridays) is a weekly legal education program on which knowledgeable guests discuss topical issues View (9 pm Fridays) hostproducer Sandy Dempsey addresses topics from the serious to the trivial all of special interest to women Every Wednesday during the school year the station devotes live coverage to the school board 4 The Miami Herald.