Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 38

Do we want 'responsible' media? The story of KCBA's 'family sensitive' newscast suggests not INSIDE THIS WEEK'S SPOTLIGHT rmomr to- AGILE ADLAI 10 Guitarist Adlai Alexander balances a variety of gigs as wi'll as a variety of styles, tie plays Kuumhwa tonight. LOLLA LOVE 11 Courtney Love and Hole headline this year's Lollapalooza lour, whic is a mixed bag of artists. LOVER BOY? 23 Can Clint tastwocxl tut it as a sixtysomething romantic lead in 'Bridges of Madison County? Tom Long wonders. Shmuel ThalerSentinel You won't see this on KCBA's 6 p.m. newscast anymore.

ALSO Art 18-19 Dining 20-22 Books 17 Horoscope 23 Calendar 14-15 Movies 4-8 Clubs 16 Music 9-11 Coming Attracts 15 Now Playing 7-8 Cover story 12-13 Video 4 Wallace Baine LIKE GOURMET COFFEE, fashion models and Sonny Bono, "the responsibility of the media" is a pervasive theme of the '90s. In the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing, right-wing talk-show hosts are catching flak for spreading hatred and paranoia. Just a few weeks earlier, remember, a murder of a gay man resulting from a episode of "Jenny Jones" put similar heat on TV talk shows. As much as I hate to defend borderline psychopaths like fellow felons G. Gordon Liddy and Oliver North or the bottom feeders that produce TV talk shows, I must say this: As long as we're pointing fingers, we might as well go to the source Joe Sixpack and Jane Lunchbucket.

The fat ratings for vitriolic right-wing radio and tawdry confessional TV talk shows suggest that we don't really want media responsibility and we won't support it if it's offered to us. Ask Steve Comrie, the general manager of KCBA, channel 35 in Salinas. On the first of July of last year, Comrie's Fox affiliate instituted an idea that Comrie believed was an appropriate response to what he was hearing from his viewers. KCBA embarked on a "family sensitive" policy for its 6 p.m. newscast.

That meant that the early evening newscast would be written and presented with families in mind. No bloody video. No adult language. Each day, the newscast would begin with a written pledge on the screen to that effect. It was a reversal of the long-held TV news dictum "If it bleeds, it leads." It was also a failure.

LAST MONTH, KCBA quietly abandoned the "family sensitive" newscast in response to plummeting ratings. Though Comrie insists that KCBA still sticks by its no-graphic-violence policy, it has dropped the on-air piedge preceding each newscast and has stopped marketing the 6 p.m. show as "family sensitive." "We figured we would at least appeal to women and younger people raising a family," said Comrie. "But much to our dismay, it didn't turned out that way." Of course, there are plenty of legitimate arguments against "family sensitive" newscasts, arguments made all the more relevant by the Oklahoma City bombing. Comrie was adamant that the photo of a Fireman carrying a bloodied child out of the wreckage of the bombed federal building a photo that ran on the front page of the USA Today and dozens of other papers across tfie country (including the Sentinel) was clearly over the line of good taste and not appropriate for his family sensitive newscast.

But there is a difference jurj(j gratuitous violence a instructive, real-life V'ience that reflects the horror oi what we humans sometimes do to each other. The OK City bombing was clearly an instance of violence that we had to see to understand the ramifications of the story. "Family sensitive" newscasts run the danger of sanitizing such difficult news stories. And that serves no one. But credit KCBA with at least trying to do the right thing.

Those who work in the media are openly reviled for what is perceived as cynicism, hidden agendas, pandering, amorality. Yet, those who are most guilty of such behavior (Rush, Oprah, Barbara Walters, TV tabloids) are rewarded with healthy ratings. Those who advertise their willingness to be "family sensitive" are greeted with yawns. "Folks say they want this," said a baffled Comrie, who complained that his station was not once commended for its policy from any public official or law enforcement officer. "But we had more letters accusing us of censorship or not being inclusive than letters supporting us.

"It's still our editorial policy," said Comrie, but, he admitted, the pledge graphic that preceded each newscast seemed to drive away viewers. WHAT'S GOING on here? It's rather convincing evidence that all our sermons and platitudes about the media being responsible for what it puts out are, at best, the bleatings of a outnumbered few and, at worst, lazy hypocrisy. ON THE COVER The Pig from KPIG. Artwork by John Johnson, Teapot Graphics. The marketplace is the purest form of democracy.

If "family sensitive" newscasts pulled in the ratings, TV news would transform. If Rush Limbaugh did not, no amount of conservative gripes could keep him on the air. Those in the media business are biased to staying in business. Watching TV has always been portrayed as a passive act. Don't you believe it.

Flipping the channels is as political as stepping into the voting booth. We get the media we deserve, the media we ask for. Praising pro-family programming won't do a thing unless you "vote" for it with your remote control. Slamming sex, violence or the sort of vile rhetorical masturbation that so much of radio and TV talk shows has sunk to is pointless if you're a regular listenerviewer of such programs. KCBA isn't the only station that has tried tailoring its newscasts to family values.

But there aren't many and precious few have been successful at it. However well meaning, such stations are going to pay for their decision with ratings points. And the next time another TV news director gets a letter slamming its shallow and cynical coverage of violence, all he or she has to do is to point to KCBA's ratings for justification to continue business as usual. If it bleeds, it leads. And that's the way we seem to want it.

Wallace Baine is a Sentinel staff writer. in fact her real name was Frances Ethel Gumm, a big deal to Judy fans. All other names, to the best of my knowledge, were correct, much to the chagrin of Kirk Douglas (Issur Danie-lovich). Wallace Baine Sentine! Priday, April 28, 1995 3 Entertainmerd jo, Salt writer Calendar Tom Long Baine Gxjpor Contributors: Gail Rich, Phyllis Rosenblum, Michael GiitlxT, Janet Blaser, Chris Watson, Track? White, Scott At least I spelled Schwarzenegger right Gxiper, Brent Ainsworth, Jim Bindi, Brian S. Maloney, Julia Chiaxlla Charles Levin, CTiristopber Caynor, Kate Pavao, Dan fitch, Scott Warden Spotlight Cooked in Louisiana hot sauce Spotlight is published every Friday.

Deadline for submissions is the Friday previous to publication. E-mail: sentiifeo'cruzioxom In last week's coln-y, on names and pseudonym jost major pop culture points by referring to Roy Rogers' horse as "Silver." Forgive me, Lone Ranger, we all know Roy's steed was Trigger. Also, I referred to Judy Garland's real name as Ethel Gumm when Spotlight.