5/13/03

LC030513

VAL ZAVALA>> TONIGHT ON LIFE AND TIMES --

JESS MARLOW>> A FASTER COMMUTE ON A CROWDED FREEWAY, BUT IS IT WORTH IT ESPECIALLY IF IT MEANS BULLDOZING HUNDREDS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES?

GORDON MURLEY>> THESE PEOPLE AREN’T BEING ASKED, GEE, WHAT DO YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT? THEY’RE BEING TOLD YOUR FANNY’S GOING TO BE MOVED IF WE DECIDE TO DO THIS TO CONVENIENCE VENTURA COUNTY AND WESTERN LOS ANGELES COUNTY RESIDENTS.

VAL>> AND THEN AN ARTISTIC EXPERIMENT. IT’S BRIDGING THE HUGE GAP BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, ONE OF SOUND AND THE OTHER OF SILENCE.

JESS>> PLUS, LOTS OF TV CHANNELS, BUT ONLY A FEW OWNERS. IS THIS ANY WAY TO RUN A DEMOCRACY?

VAL>> IT’S ALL STRAIGHT AHEAD ON TONIGHT’S LIFE AND TIMES.

LIFE AND TIMES IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> IT’S THE MOST CROWDED FREEWAY IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.

JESS>> NOW A POSSIBLE SOLUTION. JUST ADD SOME MORE LANES TO THE 101. THE TROUBLE IS, WIDENING THE VENTURA FREEWAY COULD WRECK SCORES OF NEIGHBORHOODS. TONI GUINYARD TELLS US IT MAY BE YEARS BEFORE THE PROJECT BEGINS, BUT THE PROTESTS HAVE STARTED NOW.

TONI GUINYARD>> AN ESTIMATED 300,000 MOTORISTS USE THE 101 FREEWAY EACH DAY AND MANY OF THEM ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE THEIR TRAVEL TALES OF TRAFFIC, CONGESTION, GRIDLOCK AND TIME WASTED.

KRISTIN CLINK>> IT’S ABSOLUTELY UNBEARABLE. I HAVE THREE CHILDREN DRIVING TO AND FROM SHERMAN OAKS, WOODLAND HILLS, TARZANA. I SPEND HOURS A DAY AND MY CHILDREN SPEND HOURS OF THEIR LIVES ON THE FREEWAY.

TONI GUINYARD>> THE COMPLAINT IS ALL TOO FAMILIAR TO LOS ANGELES AREA TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS. THEY WARN THE GRIDLOCK IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE UNLESS IMPROVEMENTS TO THE 101 ARE MADE. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN THE FOCUS OF A STUDY SINCE JULY 2001. OUT OF THE STUDY CAME A POTENTIAL SOLUTION. WIDEN A STRETCH OF THE 101 TO ACCOMMODATE MORE CARS.

DEBORAH HARRIS>> WE’RE LOOKING AT A FORTY-MILE AREA ON THE 101 ALL THE WAY FROM THOUSAND OAKS TO DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES.

TONI GUINYARD>> THE PROPOSAL CALLS FOR ADDING TWO CARPOOL LANES IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, BUT THE POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF THE PLAN HAVE BEEN OVERSHADOWED BY ONE FACT YOU SIMPLY CAN’T AVOID. WIDEN THE FREEWAY AND HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES AND HOMES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE 101 MAY HAVE TO BE TORN DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR IMPROVEMENTS.

DEBORAH HARRIS>> AT THIS POINT, THERE ARE NO FUNDS AVAILABLE. THESE ARE JUST RECOMMENDATIONS.

TONI GUINYARD>> BUT THEY’RE SCARY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A HOME OR BUSINESS OWNER. YOU’VE GOT TO ADMIT THAT.

DEBORAH HARRIS>> YES, THEY ARE SCARY, THEY ARE SCARY, BUT KNOWING THAT THEY ARE ANYWHERE FROM TWENTY TO THIRTY YEARS AWAY AND THAT THERE IS NO MONEY AVAILABLE IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE AND THAT THIS IS JUST A STUDY, I WOULD ENCOURAGE HOMEOWNERS TO WAIT AND SEE AND GET ALL THE FACTS.

TONI GUINYARD>> FACTS ARE WHAT THESE VALLEY RESIDENTS ARE LOOKING FOR. THE THREAT OF LOSING THEIR PROPERTY IS SO GREAT, THEY PACKED INTO THE LAST IN A SERIES OF PUBLIC MEETINGS TO VOICE THEIR CONCERNS AND THEIR ANGER. GORDON MURLEY HAS EXPERIENCED THIS FRUSTRATION BEFORE. HE’S CALLED WOODLAND HILLS HOME SINCE 1966. HE FOUGHT AGAINST 101 IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PAST AND IS READY TO DECLARE BATTLE ON BEHALF OF DRIVERS AND HOMEOWNERS ONCE AGAIN.

GORDON MURLEY>> THESE PEOPLE AREN’T BEING ASKED, GEE, WHAT DO YOU REALLY THINK ABOUT IT? THEY’RE BEING TOLD YOUR FANNY’S GOING TO BE MOVED IF WE DECIDE TO DO THIS TO CONVENIENCE VENTURA COUNTY AND WESTERN LOS ANGELES COUNTY RESIDENTS.

TONI GUINYARD>> IT’S MURLEY’S OPINION THAT THE IMPROVEMENTS BEING RECOMMENDED WILL ONLY MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT TO RESIDENTS TO GET AROUND IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. MORE CARS ON THE 101 MEAN MORE CARS ON SURFACE STREETS EXITING AND ENTERING THE FREEWAY.

GORDON MURLEY>> YOU’RE BEING USURPED BY PASS-THROUGH PEOPLE WHO DON’T CARE ANYTHING ABOUT YOU. THEY’RE ONLY INTERESTED IN THEMSELVES. THEY’RE THE ONES WHO CREATED THE PROBLEM BY MOVING WHERE THEY DID AND COMMUTING TO SOMEWHERE ELSE.

TONI GUINYARD>> MURLEY IS PRESIDENT OF THE WOODLAND HILLS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION, BUT HIS OPINION IS NOT SHARED BY SOME OF THE PEOPLE HE REPRESENTS. SOME BELIEVE WIDENING THE 101 IS THE ONLY OPTION.

DEBBIE KELLY>> I THINK IT PROBABLY HAS TO BE DONE. I DON’T SEE ANY OTHER WAY AROUND IT. PEOPLE AREN’T REALLY GOING FOR MASS TRANSIT. EVERYBODY LIKES THEIR CARS, SO THEY’D NEED TO WIDEN THE ROAD.

ANA JOCHUM>> YOU KNOW WHAT? WHEN YOU HAVE PROGRESS, THERE’S ALWAYS A SACRIFICE. YOU’RE ALWAYS SACRIFICING SOMETHING.

TONI GUINYARD>> THE TAPIA FAMILY MAY HAVE TO MAKE SOME SACRIFICES. THEY’VE FARMED THIS SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SINCE THE 1940’S. WHAT’S LEFT OF THE LAND, ABOUT SEVENTY ACRES, RUNS PARALLEL TO THE 101.

TOM TAPIA>> WE’VE BEEN HERE FOR SO LONG, YOU KNOW, WE DON’T WANT TO LOSE THAT AND I’M SURE THAT WILL AFFECT IT A LOT. I’M SURE THEY’RE GOING TO BUILD MORE ON-RAMPS, OFF-RAMPS, EVERYTHING.

TONI GUINYARD>> DRIVING BY, MOTORISTS CAN CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE PRODUCE STAND. FROM THE PRODUCE STAND, YOU CAN SEE AND HEAR THE FREEWAY TRAFFIC THROUGH THE TREES.

TOM TAPIA>> WE USED TO FARM THIS WHOLE SEPULVEDA BASIN YEARS AGO, BUT, YOU KNOW, AS THEY KEEP BUILDING THE PARKS, THE GOLF COURSES, WE JUST GET SMALLER AND SMALLER. YOU KNOW, I’M SURE THAT EVENTUALLY WE’LL BE PHASED OUT COMPLETELY, NO MATTER WHAT.

TONI GUINYARD>> FIRST DEVELOPMENT AND NOW THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING PUSHED OUT OF THE WAY TO MAKE WAY FOR 101 IMPROVEMENTS.

TOM TAPIA>> I CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE THEM PACKING ALL THOSE CARS ONTO THAT FREEWAY AND FOR WHAT? JUST FOR -- TO ME, IT’S LIKE A QUICK FIX. LOOK AT THE FREEWAY RIGHT NOW. YOU DON’T SEE IT CONGESTED. YOU KNOW, CARS ARE MOVING.

TONI GUINYARD>> THEY’RE MOVING NOW, BUT CALTRANS PREDICTS CARS WILL BE AT A STANDSTILL YEARS FROM NOW.

DEBORAH HARRIS>> 2.8 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN THAT AREA AND IT’S PROJECTED TO INCREASE, SO IT’S VERY IMPORTANT AND IT’S A RESPONSIBLE MOVE ON THE PART OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNERS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT PARTICULAR STRETCH AND TO SEE HOW MOBILITY CAN BE IMPROVED.

JESS>> TONI JOINS US WITH MORE NOW. THIS IS TWENTY OR THIRTY YEARS AWAY, BUT I GUESS THIS PROTEST EFFORT IS “NIP IT IN THE BUD”?

TONI GUINYARD>> THAT’S RIGHT. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE VERY ANGRY. THEY SAY THIS IS THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. WHY PUT THIS ON OUR BACKS? WHY DESTROY OUR HOMES, OUR BUSINESSES? YET THE OFFICIALS SAY WE CAN’T REALLY TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT WOULD BE TAKEN BECAUSE THEY HAVEN’T GOTTEN THAT FAR IN THE PLANNING STAGES. IT’S JUST AN IDEA, THEY SAY.

VAL>> IS THERE ANY TALK AT ALL ABOUT A MASS TRANSIT ALTERNATIVE TO WIDENING THE FREEWAY?

TONI GUINYARD>> NOT SO MUCH AN ALTERNATIVE, BUT THEY WANT TO LINK THIS WIDENING PROJECT, OR PROPOSAL AS THEY CALL IT, WITH MORE BUS LINES, METROLINK, PARK AND RIDES, SO THAT --

JESS>> -- MONORAIL.

TONI GUINYARD>> WELL, I DIDN’T HEAR THAT BEING YELLED OUT THERE (LAUGHTER), BUT I’M SURE --

JESS>> -- SOME YEARS AGO, IT WAS PROPOSED.

TONI GUINYARD>> THAT’S RIGHT AND SOME OF THE VALLEY RESIDENTS ARE SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, WE DIDN’T EXACTLY WANT THIS. WE DIDN’T WANT WHAT WE YELLED ABOUT A FEW YEARS AGO, BUT THIS IS NOT THE ALTERNATIVE WE’RE LOOKING AT.

VAL>> THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE FOR A WHILE. NOW I WANT TO KNOW WHEN IT WAS YOU WERE ON THE 101 THAT YOU WERE ABLE TO DRIVE SO FAST (LAUGHTER).

TONI GUINYARD>> (LAUGHTER) YESTERDAY.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) YOU GOT LUCKY. THANKS SO MUCH.

TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, TURNING BACK THE CLOCK FOR A VAST STRETCH OF CALIFORNIA WILDERNESS. WE’LL FIND OUT WHAT THE LAND HAS TO OFFER FOR NATIVE ANIMALS AND A FEW HUMAN BEINGS AS WELL.

>> THE TARANTULA WAS REALLY COOL. IT WAS LIKE SMALL AND IT TICKLED WHEN IT WENT ACROSS MY HANDS. FIRST I WAS REALLY SCARED OF IT BECAUSE I DON’T LIKE SPIDERS.

PHILIP BRUCE>> HERE ARE THE RESULTS OF LAST NIGHT’S LIFE AND TIMES “WHAT DO YOU THINK?” POLL. “HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY TO RECYCLE E-WASTE?” NOTHING: TWENTY-THREE PERCENT, $5 A MONTH: FIFTY-FOUR PERCENT, AND $10 A MONTH: TWENTY-THREE PERCENT. LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE AT KCET.ORG TO WEIGH IN ON A NEW QUESTION TOMORROW.

JESS>> IN LOS ANGELES, MOST PEOPLE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED THAT MANY JOURNALISTS FROM COMPETING NEWSROOMS ARE KEEPING AN EYE ON CITY HALL AND SACRAMENTO, BUT INSTEAD OF A DOZEN REPORTERS, IMAGINE YOU HAVE TO RELY ON JUST ONE OR TWO.

VAL>> THAT'S WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT AN UPCOMING DECISION BY THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION. IT'S ALL ABOUT MEDIA CONSOLIDATION, ONE COMPANY OWNING TV, RADIO AND NEWSPAPERS. IN LOS ANGELES, FOR EXAMPLE, THE TRIBUNE COMPANY OWNS BOTH THE LOS ANGELES TIMES AND TV STATION KTLA. IS IT WISE FOR A FEW COMPANIES TO OWN SO MUCH? TONIGHT WE HEAR FROM MARTY KAPLAN, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF USC'S ANNENBERG SCHOOL.

JESS>> LOOKING AT LOS ANGELES, DO YOU SEE THAT THE FUTURE OF DUOPOLY IS THE FUTURE OF CONGLOMERATES?

MARTY KAPLAN>> WELL, IF THESE NEW RULES ARE ADOPTED, DUOPOLIES WILL MAKE WAY IN BIG MARKETS LIKE LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK TO TRIOPOLIES AND PROBABLY --

VAL>> -- YOU MEAN ONE COMPANY OWNING AS MANY AS THREE TELEVISION STATIONS IN A SINGLE CITY?

MARTY KAPLAN>> EXACTLY, AND ALSO THE BANS ON CROSS-OWNERSHIP BETWEEN NEWSPAPERS AND NEWS BROADCAST OPERATIONS WILL ALSO END.

JESS>> DOES THAT FRIGHTEN YOU?

MARTY KAPLAN>> FRIGHTEN IS A MILD TERM. I THINK WE'RE WATCHING POTENTIALLY THE MOST MOMENTOUS MEDIA DECISION IN OUR LIFETIME AS IT AFFECTS DEMOCRACY AND NO ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION PARTLY BECAUSE THE BROADCASTERS THEMSELVES HAVE SUCH A STRONG INTEREST IN IT THAT THEY'RE NOT COVERING THE STORY.

VAL>> BECAUSE THEY WANT IT TO HAPPEN. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK A LITTLE MORE SPECIFICALLY AT SOME OF THE RULES THAT ARE UNDER RECONSIDERATION. THEY ALL DEAL, OF COURSE, WITH MEDIA OWNERSHIP. SOME OF THEM ARE, FOR EXAMPLE, CURRENT LIMITS TO OWNERSHIP OF TELEVISION STATIONS WOULD BE LIFTED. RIGHT NOW, YOU CAN'T OWN MORE THAN ONE OF THE TOP FOUR STATIONS IN A SINGLE MARKET.

THERE ARE ALSO LIMITS ON OWNERSHIP OF BOTH TV AND RADIO IN ONE MARKET. THOSE WOULD BE LIFTED SO YOU COULD OWN A LOT MORE TV STATIONS AND RADIO STATIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE SAME CITY. AND FINALLY, THE CURRENT BAN ON NEWSPAPERS ALSO OWNING TV STATIONS IN THE SAME CITY WOULD BE LIFTED. BUT THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO THAT RIGHT NOW. RIGHT HERE IN LOS ANGELES, WE HAVE A CASE OF THE LOS ANGELES TIMES OWNING A TV STATION.

MARTY KAPLAN>> YES, AND UNDER THESE NEW RULE CHANGES, THAT WILL TURN OUT TO BE LEGAL, SO JUST IN TIME.

VAL>> DID THEY GET AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE?

MARTY KAPLAN>> I BELIEVE SO.

VAL>> ACTUALLY, THERE ARE A LOT OF EXCEPTIONS OUT THERE.

JESS>> AND, IN FACT, THE RULES HAVE NOT BEEN ENFORCED.

MARTY KAPLAN>> NO, BECAUSE THERE IS NO PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ALL THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.

JESS>> AND LITTLE PUBLIC OUTCRY?

MARTY KAPLAN>> WELL, IF THEY KNEW, PERHAPS THEY WOULD SCREAM MORE. IN FACT, THERE ARE ONLY THREE WEEKS LEFT TO MOUNT WHAT WILL BE A LAST-GASP NATIONAL GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN WHICH THERE ARE SOME SIGNS OF IN ORDER TO STOP THIS IN ITS TRACKS. ONLY ONE HEARING WAS HELD BY THE FCC, ONE SINGLE PUBLIC HEARING IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, FOR THIS ACTION, THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED.

VAL>> NOW THE HEAD OF THE FCC WHICH IS CONSIDERING THESE RULES IS MICHAEL POWELL, WHO'S COLIN POWELL'S SON, AND VERY CONSERVATIVE. WHAT IS HIS MOTIVATION? WHY DOES HE WANT TO ALLOW WHAT WILL BECOME THIS FEEDING FRENZY, THEY SAY, OF MEDIA GIANTS?

MARTY KAPLAN>> WELL, HIS MANTRA IS DEREGULATION, AS THOUGH THAT WERE ALL GOOD. HE HAS TWO VOTES IN HIS POCKET, SO IT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY GOING TO BE A THREE TO TWO VOTE. THE TWO COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE ON THE OTHER SIDE, COMMISSIONERS COPPS AND ADELSTEIN, ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO STIR UP PROTEST, TO SCREAM BLOODY MURDER, TO SAY WE DON'T KNOW ENOUGH. JUNE 2 IS AN ARBITRARY DATE FOR A VOTE ON THIS AND THAT WE'D BETTER STOP AND UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING TO OUR DEMOCRACY BEFORE THIS HAPPENS.

JESS>> AS THINGS STAND NOW, CLEARLY THOSE RULES ARE GOING TO BE DISCARDED, ARE THEY NOT?

MARTY KAPLAN>> YES, THEY ARE AND IN TWO MORE YEARS, WHICH THE STATUTE PASSED IN 1996 THAT SAYS EVERY TWO YEARS, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK. SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF A SLIPPERY SLOPE AND, IN ANOTHER COUPLE OF YEARS, WHO KNOWS WHAT REGULATIONS WILL BE LEFT?

VAL>> NOW IN DEFENSE OF THE BIG COMPANIES, WHICH ARE BASICALLY DISNEY, AOL/TIME WARNER, GE, NEWSCORP, VIACOM AND VIVENDI UNIVERSAL, THE BIG MEDIA GIANTS, IN THEIR DEFENSE, THEY SAY NEVER BEFORE HAVE CONSUMERS HAD SUCH AN INCREDIBLY WIDE RANGE OF CHOICES FOR ENTERTAINMENT AND NEWS AND INFORMATION, AND CONSOLIDATION HASN'T HURT THAT.

MARTY KAPLAN>> AS BOB DYLAN WOULD SAY, "FIVE HUNDRED CHANNELS AND NOTHING ON." HOWEVER MANY OUTLETS THERE ARE, THE CONTENT IS BEING PROVIDED BY THIS CORE HALF-DOZEN COMPANIES. SO THE NOTION THAT THERE IS DIVERSITY JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN WATCH THE SAME THING ON DIFFERENT CHANNELS DOESN'T STAND UP.

JESS>> WELL, NOW, WE'RE SEEING IT HERE WITH CHANNEL TWO AND CHANNEL NINE SHARING THE SAME NEWSROOM, THE SAME ASSIGNMENT DESKS GENERALLY, THE SAME MICROPHONES WHICH YOU CAN TURN TO CHANNEL NINE OR CHANNEL TWO, DEPENDING ON HOW THEY HOLD IT. IS THAT DANGEROUS?

MARTY KAPLAN>> WELL, IT IS IF YOU BELIEVE IN WHAT THE LAW SAYS YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO HAVE, WHICH IS LOCALISM AND DIVERSITY OF VOICES AND COMPETITION.

JESS>> DO YOU FIND DIVERSITY IN THEIR NEWSCASTS?

MARTY KAPLAN>> NOT REMOTELY. THEY'RE BOTH PROMOTING "SURVIVOR", THE ENTERTAINMENT GIANT VIACOM'S PRINCIPAL PRODUCT, WHETHER IT'S ON KCAL OR ON KCBS. THERE IS NO DIVERSITY BETWEEN THEM. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING FOR ONE STATION IN EFFECT ARE WORKING FOR THE OTHER.

VAL>> SO WE'RE JUST GETTING THE SAME NEWS ON TWO CHANNELS, NOT MORE NEWS OR DIFFERENT NEWS. WELL, WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR, SAY, LOCAL GROUPS? BECAUSE LOCALISM IS SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE OFTEN DON'T REALIZE IS LOST. THEY'LL SEE A HEALTH STORY, FOR EXAMPLE. THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT IT CAME FROM THE NETWORK FEED. IT'S NOT REALLY FROM THEIR COMMUNITY. HAS ANYONE STUDIED HOW MUCH LOCALISM IS LOST WHEN CONSOLIDATION OCCURS?

MARTY KAPLAN>> YES. IN FACT, I HAVE. WHAT WE'VE FOUND IS THAT IN THE AREA OF THE COVERAGE OF PUBLIC ISSUES, GOVERNMENT, POLITICS AND CAMPAIGNS, ATTENTION TO LOCAL RACES IS PAID BY STATIONS THAT ARE OWNED BY SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZED OWNERS. THE BIGGER THE OWNERSHIP GROUP, THE LESS FOCUSED THEY ARE ON LOCALISM. SO IF YOU LOOK NATIONALLY -- AND THESE ARE ONLY PRELIMINARY RESULTS, BUT THEY ARE VERY SUGGESTIVE ONES -- IF YOU LOOK NATIONALLY, THE CONSOLIDATION MEANS THAT SOME DISTANT CORPORATE OWNER WILL BE SAYING WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU IN YOUR COMMUNITY RATHER THAN YOUR NEIGHBORS AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW YOU AND YOUR CONCERNS.

JESS>> YOUR STUDY WOULD SUGGEST THAT LOCALISM IS BEST REPRESENTED IN MEDIUM SIZED MARKETS WHERE THERE ARE NOT THE DUOPOLIES.

MARTY KAPLAN>> MEDIUM AND SMALL OWNERS ARE THE BEST REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCALISM, YES.

VAL>> SO ALL THE GROUPS THAT ARE -- THERE ARE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF LOCAL GROUPS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS TO WOMEN'S GROUPS. ARE YOU SAYING THAT THEY WILL BE BLOCKED? THEY WILL NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC AIRWAVES?

MARTY KAPLAN>> IT MEANS THAT YOUR DOOR WILL HAVE A LONGER LINE BECAUSE YOU WILL BECOME ONE OF THE RARE FEW PLACES WHERE THEY CAN GET ON THE AIR AND, INSTEAD, WHAT THE OTHER OWNERS WILL BE DOING IS PROGRAMMING MULTIPLE STATIONS WITH THE SAME STUFF. IF "SURVIVOR" ALREADY IS MEANT TO DOMINATE THEIR PRODUCT, THEN IN THE FUTURE, ADD ANOTHER COUPLE OF STATIONS INTO THE MIX.

JESS>> YOU'RE QUESTIONING WHETHER DEMOCRACY WILL BE A SURVIVOR.

VAL>> THAT'S RIGHT. MARTY KAPLAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BRINGING US UP TO DATE. IT'S A COMPLICATED ISSUE, BUT YOU MADE IT VERY UNDERSTANDABLE.

MARTY KAPLAN>> THANK YOU.

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JESS>> JOURNALISM HAS HAD ITS SCANDALS, BUT AS PATT TELLS US, THE ONE BREWING AT THE NEW YORK TIMES IS A DOOZY. THAT'S TONIGHT'S INFINITELY MORRISON.

PATT MORRISON>> GALLONS OF INK AND QUARTS OF TEARS HAVE BEEN SPILLED OVER JASON BLAIR, THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER WHO AMASSED A GRAND SLAM RECORD OF LYING, CHEATING AND PLAGIARISM. IF HE'D WORKED AS HARD AT BEING A REAL REPORTER AS HE DID AT BEING A SCAM ARTIST, HE'D BE LIONIZED INSTEAD OF DISHONORED. BLAIR'S DECEITS WERE SO BRAZEN AND SO ROUTINE THAT READERS HAVE BEEN ASKED TO PASS THEM ON, A REQUEST THAT SOMEBODY NAMED THE BLAIR SNITCH PROJECT. A YEAR BEFORE THE TIMES FIRED BLAIR, HIS EDITOR WARNED TO NO AVAIL THAT WE HAVE TO STOP JASON FROM WRITING FOR THE TIMES RIGHT NOW.

BLAIR PERFECTED THE LOW ART OF VIRTUAL JOURNALISM. HE FILED DRAMATIC ACCOUNTS OF EVENTS IN TEXAS AND MARYLAND, ALL FROM NEW YORK CITY. HE STUDIED PHOTOS TO DESCRIBE PLACES HE'D NEVER VISITED. WHAT HE DIDN'T STEAL FROM WIRE SERVICES AND OTHER NEWSPAPERS, HE SOMETIMES MADE UP. IN COLLEGE, WHEN HE WROTE ABOUT RAPE, HE SAID THAT HE TOO HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED. AS A COLLEAGUE OF MINE REMARKED, YEAH, THE ASSAULT TOOK PLACE IN MARYLAND, BUT HE WAS IN BROOKLYN AT THE TIME.

MY NEW YORK TIMES FRIENDS AREN'T BEARING THIS ALONE. WHEN ANYONE CALLING HIMSELF A JOURNALIST STRAYS FROM THE CANON, WE ALL LOSE. SOURCES AND READERS QUESTION OUR CREDIBILITY AND HONEST REPORTERS THINK WHY BOTHER. THERE IS A REASON THAT BASEBALL HAS FARM TEAMS. IN THE MINORS WHEN YOU SCREW UP, IT ISN'T FAR TO FALL OR TO GET BACK UP AGAIN. THE HEAD OF UC BERKELEY'S JOURNALISM PROGRAM WARNS ABOUT CUB REPORTERS WITH HYPERVENTILATED NOTIONS OF CAREERISM, FLEDGLINGS WHOSE INTEREST IS NOT THE NEWS, ONLY THEMSELVES. CONFESSION HAS BEEN SWIFT AND PUBLIC AS THE LOS ANGELES TIMES WAS WHEN ONE OF ITS PHOTOGRAPHERS REARRANGED IMAGES TO MAKE A PICTURE LOOK BETTER. THAT MAY HAVE BEEN ART, BUT IT WASN'T JOURNALISM.

ANYWAY, JOURNALIST IS TOO LOOSELY APPLIED THESE DAYS. WATERGATE FELON GORDON LIDDY DOES RADIO INTERVIEWS. ABC WANTED LEONARDO DICAPRIO TO INTERVIEW BILL CLINTON. OUT-OF-WORK POLITICAL HACKS BANG OUT SYNDICATED COLUMNS AND CALL THEMSELVES JOURNALISTS. THEY'RE NOT. THEY'RE JUST SPINNERS AND BLOVIATERS BECAUSE, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED, UNTIL YOU'VE WRITTEN OBITUARIES AND COVERED FIRES AND MURDERS AND ZONING HEARINGS AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT JOURNALIST.

JASON BLAIR IS THE LATEST, BUT NOT THE FIRST. A WASHINGTON POST REPORTER FORFEITED THE PULITZER FOR DREAMING UP AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD HEROINE ADDICT. STEPHEN GLASS OF THE NEW REPUBLIC NOT ONLY MADE UP STORIES, HE MADE UP FAKE NOTES AND FABRICATED WEBSITES TO COVER HIS TRACKS. GLASS NOW HAS A SIX-FIGURE BOOK CONTRACT FOR A NOVEL ABOUT HIS CAREER IN LYING. AS A NEW REPUBLIC EDITOR COMPLAINED, IN THE AMERICAN MEDIA, CRIME IS A FORM OF UPWARD MOBILITY. AS FOR JASON BLAIR, IF HE GETS A MOVIE DEAL OUT OF DISGRACING BOTH HIS NAME AND REPORTINGS, I'LL EAT EVERY TRUE WORD HE EVER WROTE.

VAL>> TONIGHT WE MEET SOME TEENAGERS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN A UNIQUE ARTISTIC EXPERIMENT. IT'S DESIGNED TO BRIDGE TWO WORLDS, ONE FILLED WITH SOUND AND THE OTHER VIRTUALLY SILENT.

JESS>> THE RESULT IS AN ART FORM THAT ENHANCES BOTH WORLDS. WE FIND IT IN A PROGRAM CALLED "POETRY IN MOTION". TONIGHT GAY YEE TAKES US TO A THEATER IN HOLLYWOOD FOR A FIRST-HAND LOOK.

STEPHEN SACHS>> ALL RIGHT. WONDERFUL. LET'S GET STARTED. WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS DIVIDE UP THE LINES. THIS IS OUR FIRST OPENING POEM. THIS IS GOING TO BE YOUR FIRST POSITIONS FOR THE FIRST POEM, ALL RIGHT? SO REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE, LOOK AT WHO YOU'RE STANDING NEXT TO.

GAY YEE>> THESE TEENAGERS, ELEVEN IN ALL, HAVE BEEN WRITING POETRY FOR TWO MONTHS. FIVE CAN HEAR. THE OTHER SIX ARE DEAF.

>> WHY IS THE GRASS GREEN? WHY NOT BLUE OR GRAY? JUST LIKE A BROKEN DOWN FERRIS WHEEL.

GAY YEE>> THE HEARING KIDS ARE FROM SANTA MONICA, PART OF A THEATER PROGRAM KNOWN AS THE VIRGINIA AVENUE PROJECT, A PROGRAM FOR KIDS GROWING UP UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES. THE DEAF KIDS ARE EIGHTH GRADERS FROM THE JOHN MUIR MIDDLE SCHOOL IN BURBANK. THEY'VE NOW COME TOGETHER IN HOLLYWOOD.

STEPHEN SACHS>> SO I NEED LOTS OF ENERGY AND MAKE THESE REAL QUESTIONS. THEY'RE NOT STATEMENTS. WHY IS THE SKY BLUE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. NO, IT'S A REAL QUESTION. WHY IS THE SKY BLUE?

GAY YEE>> THEY ARE GETTING READY FOR TWO PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS OF THEIR OWN WORK AT THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE. STEPHEN SACHS, THE THEATRE'S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, WORKS A LOT WITH THE DEAF. THIS IS HIS SECOND REHEARSAL WITH THESE KIDS.

STEPHEN SACHS>> WELL, THE IMPETUS BEHIND THE PROGRAM WAS TO GET HEARING KIDS AND DEAF KIDS TOGETHER AND TO EXPLORE THROUGH POETRY HOW THEY ARE THE SAME AND HOW THEY ARE DIFFERENT. MY GOAL WITH THIS PROJECT IS TO BREAK DOWN THE CULTURAL BARRIERS AND, I THINK, THE STEREOTYPES AND THE PREJUDICES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE MAY HAVE ABOUT GROUPS THAT ARE DIFFERENT.

GAY YEE>> UNTIL NOW, BOTH GROUPS HAVE BEEN WORKING ALONE, THE DEAF KIDS WITH VAE, AN ACTRESS AND TEACHER, AND THE HEARING KIDS WITH LEIGH CURRAN. SHE RUNS THE VIRGINIA AVENUE PROJECT. SOME ASSIGNMENTS THEY SHARED, EXPLORING, FOR INSTANCE, WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE DEAF OR HEARING.

>> I FEEL THE SAME AS HEARING PEOPLE, BUT I FEEL THE HEARING PEOPLE. THEIR MOUTHS, THEY TASTE DRY BECAUSE WHEN THEY TALK, THEIR MOUTHS DRY UP.

>> THE BIRDS WILL NO LONGER SING. THE WIND WILL NEVER BLOW HARD ENOUGH. THE RIVER WILL ALWAYS REMAIN SILENT. DAY OR NIGHT WON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. NO JOKES, INSTRUMENTS OR VOICES. LESS FEELINGS HURT, MORE HAPPINESS WITHIN.

>> IT'S A BIRD WITHOUT A WING. IT'S AN ANGEL WITHOUT A SOUL. IT'S YOUR MOTHER WITHOUT HER WISDOM. IT'S A WORLD WITH NO CONTROL.

STEPHEN SACHS>> I THINK HEARING KIDS, AND I THINK HEARING PEOPLE IN GENERAL, WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT DEAFNESS IMAGINE HOW DIFFERENT IT MUST BE. WHEREAS I THINK WITH A LOT OF DEAF PEOPLE, THEY WANT TO STRESS THAT WE ARE NO DIFFERENT, THAT WE ARE THE SAME.

>> WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND I SEE BLUE EYES, BLACK LASHES, BIG AND WIDE, THEY'RE LIKE THE SHAPE OF A FOOTBALL. LONG BLACK LASHES, BRIGHT BLUE, BABY BLUE EYES.

RACHEL JOHNSON (SIGNING)>> WELL, HEARING PEOPLE MIGHT THINK THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BY THE WAY THAT THEY TALK AND ACT, BUT SOME I THINK THEY REALLY SHOULD KNOW THAT IT'S THE SAME.

GAY YEE>> DEAF AND HEARING KIDS MAY BE ALIKE IN MANY WAYS, BUT WHEN THE TWO GROUPS FIRST MET, NOT EVERYONE WAS COMFORTABLE.

VAL>> I SAW YESTERDAY THAT THEY SAT SEPARATELY. THEY WERE SEGREGATED INTO TWO GROUPS AND I WANTED THEM TO KIND OF MIX. BUT IT'S FINE AND IT WILL BE FINE. THEY GOT ALONG JUST FINE.

ARANZASU DELAO>> YESTERDAY I WANTED TO BE WITH THEM, BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT. I WASN'T SURE IF THEY COULD HEAR ME ENTIRELY OR IF I HAD TO DO SIGNS WITH MY HANDS. BUT NOW THAT I HAVE INTERACTED WITH THEM, I FEEL LIKE -- I MEAN, THEY ARE JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO LEARN HOW TO SIGN LANGUAGE.

GAY YEE>> ANOTHER DIFFERENCE IS THE STYLE OF POETRY ITSELF.

>> IT MATTERS THAT I HAVE SHOES. IT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ABOUT ME. I HAVE TO WEAR SKATEBOARDING SHOES. IT MAKES ME LOOK GOOD (LAUGHTER).

>> IT MATTERS THAT PEOPLE HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF HUMOR.

VAE>> THE DEAF USE PICTURES.

JESS>> THIS YEAR'S PERFORMANCE TAKES PLACE AT THE DEAF WEST THEATRE NEXT TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. FOR MORE DETAILS, CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN OR LOG ONTO THEIR WEBSITE.

[WWW.FOUNTAINTHEATRE.COM]
[323-663-1525]
[323-663-3779 (TTY)]

VAL>> THAT TAPE ENDED A LITTLE PREMATURELY, BUT THEY ARE A FANTASTIC GROUP. A REMINDER ALSO THAT YOU CAN FIND TRANSCRIPTS OR HEAR AUDIO OF RECENT LIFE AND TIMES PROGRAMS BY GOING TO OUR NEW AND IMPROVED WEBSITE. JUST GO TO KCET.ORG, CLICK ON LIFE AND TIMES AND ALSO LOOK FOR SPECIAL WEB-ONLY FEATURES.

JESS>> AND THAT'S OUR PROGRAM. NOW FOR ALL OF US HERE AT LIFE AND TIMES, THANKS FOR JOINING US AND GOOD NIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

TO REACH US AT LIFE AND TIMES, CALL 323-953-5555. SEND US AN E-MAIL TO LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG OR LOG ONTO OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.KCET.ORG TO SEND MESSAGES OR DOWNLOAD TRANSCRIPTS OF TONIGHT’S PROGRAM.