From: GLAADSFBA@aol.com Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 00:03:45 -0500 Subject: GLAAD MediAlert, Jan.15-21 _________________________________________________________ INDEX 1. "New Jeer Resolution" (TV Guide, Roseanne, ABC) 2. "Friends and Foes" (Friends, NBC, Procter & Gamble, The Coca-Cola Company, Associated Press) 3. "TV Censor" (Jenny Jones, American Family Association, KHSL-TV, CBS) 4. "Critical Mess" (Joanne Jacobs, San Jose Mercury News, Sex and the Mass Media) 6. General Information (about GLAAD; about MediAlert; about Membership) _________________________________________________________ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * M e d i A l e r t * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * for the week of January 15 - 21, 1996 by Al Kielwasser Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, San Francisco Bay Area N E W J E E R R E S O L U T I O N TV Guide is the nation's largest weekly magazine, with a circulation of 14 million. In the December 30 issue, the "Cheers & Jeers" column in the ubiquitous magazine gave a well-deserved jeer to the ABC Television Network, for being unduly "nervous about the 'adult humor' in an episode of 'Roseanne' that featured a same-sex wedding" [see "Jeer Leader," GLAAD MediAlert, Dec. 25-31, 1995]. Just two weeks later, however, "TV Guide" has completely -- and inexplicably -- backtracked. In the January 13 issue, "TV Guide" jeers ITSELF -- for having criticized ABC and "trying to play programmers." The "Cheers & Jeers" column apologetically explains: "ABC, it turns out, was absolutely right to reschedule the 'Roseanne' gay wedding episode to 9:30 PM (rather than 8:00). Not because it was scandalous in any way: The star-studded, stereotype-crashing half hour was the sitcom's best episode of the season. Nah, the later slot simply meant that more people would catch the hilarity." Incredibly, "TV Guide" now expects readers to believe that ABC's last-minute, heterosexist decision to reschedule "Roseanne's" gay wedding episode, despite national protests by the series' star and creator, was -- after all -- a well-planed, affirmative effort by the network to promote gay visibility. While "Roseanne's" gay wedding episode did earn the series its highest rating since the season premiere, "TV Guide's" revisionist history assigns a benign motive where none existed. No one at ABC ever hinted -- before OR after the broadcast -- that the network delayed the episode's airtime because it was one of "Roseanne's" best. The network never suggested that the episode was rescheduled to ensure a LARGER audience. Quite the contrary. In fact, ABC specifically rescheduled the gay wedding episode to ensure a SMALLER audience -- of children. "We felt the adult humor within the show was more appropriate at a later time period when there are fewer children in the audience," said ABC spokesperson Janice Gretenmeyer. The gross conflation of "adult" and "homosexual" content reflects a pernicious media tendency to define homosexuality in the most restrictive terms. Why "TV Guide" could see through ABC's heterosexist bias two weeks ago, but is blind to it now, remains something of a mystery. One thing is still certain, though. The vicious desire to "protect" children from homosexuality (rather than homophobia) is no cause for cheer. In defending ABC's decision as "absolutely right," "TV Guide" -- "it turns out" -- is ABSOLUTELY WRONG. **** ACTION/OPTIONS! Direct critical feedback to Steven Raddcliffe, Editor-in-Chief, "TV Guide," Radnor, PA 19088 (correspondence intended for publication should also be sent to the magazine's "Letters Department," at the same address). Copy your correspondence to Ted Harbert, President, ABC Entertainment, 2040 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA 90067, tel. 310-557-7777, e-mail abcaudr@ccabc.com. F R I E N D S A N D F O E S Well before broadcast, the foes of queer visibility launched their attack on an episode of "Friends" -- "The One with the Lesbian Wedding." The January 18 episode (actually titled "The One with the lesbian Wedding") features the marriage of "Carol" and "Susan" -- lesbian characters who have played a recurring role on the series. Several fundamentalist groups have mounted campaigns against companies that advertise during "Friends." Procter & Gamble has been specifically targeted. Procter & Gamble has often purchased airtime during programs condemned for "promoting homosexuality," including numerous episodes of "Friends." However, the company's support should not be taken for granted. Recently, in response to the current debate over "trash" talk shows, Procter & Gamble discontinued advertising on four programs. The company's senior vice president, Robert Wehling, insists Procter & Gamble is "a responsible advertiser," seeking to sponsor TV programs that "are informative and handle controversial topics responsibly." "Because programming varies widely," Wehling said, "Procter & Gamble spends hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to review program content before making marketing decisions. We regularly decline advertising opportunities based on content. We review closely all the programming we sponsor and pull our advertising when content is inconsistent with our guidelines." David Crane, co-executive producer of "Friends" (and a gay man), has downplayed the controversy. The wedding plot, he explained, was not conceived "just to push America's buttons." "I'm trying to make a point," Crane said: "That gay people have lives, like everybody else. That weddings are a part of those lives. That it's not a gigantic issue. In fact, I would even say it's the biggest issue in this episode." Whether Crane is being modest or naive in his dismissal is not clear. Too-often, writers and producers defend a lesbian or gay TV character on the grounds that "no offense was intended," as if there was a reasonable distinction between "provoked" and "unprovoked" homophobia. Homophobes are responsible for pushing their own buttons, however. In a homophobic society, homosexuality is inevitably "a gigantic issue." But its does not follow that, in a non-homophobic society, homosexuality would -- or should -- be a "non-issue." In the representation of minority groups, television tends to overvalue similarity (by imitation of the "majority," or status quo) at the expense of diversity. To claim that gay people are "just like everybody else" is not particularly liberating when "everybody else" means "everybody heterosexual." Despite Crane's noble intentions, even on "Friends," lesbian lovers do not quite "have lives, just quite like everybody else." Lynn Elber, television writer for the Associated Press, reports that "Carol" and "Susan" do not share the a nuptial kiss or other visible signs of affection commonly depicted between heterosexual couples ("TV Makes Room For Gay Characters, But Not Sexually," Jan. 14). That pattern characterizes the entire crop of Hollywood homosexuals, Elber says. "Television has discovered safe sex: Gay and lesbian characters are just dandy as long as you leave out the passion and substitute punchlines instead." Still, the overall effect of "Friends" is undeniably more liberating than not. The hit series is watched by more than 20 to 30 MILLION viewers each week, and "Carol" and "Susan" -- together with their baby boy "Ben" -- have been described as "one of the most visible non-traditional families in television history." In a recent interview, Jessica Hect (who plays "Susan") recalls an encounter with one of those viewers, "a young girl whose parents are two moms. And the little girl said, 'Hey, I saw someone like me on TV.' And it was Ben, you know. It was great." *** ACTIONS/OPTIONS! Counter the homophobic hate mail with "Friendly" feedback. Contact: Warren Littlefield, President, NBC, 3000 West Alameda Avenue, Burbank, CA 91523, tel. 818-840-4444, e-mail nbcshows@msn.com, URL http://www.nbc.com/mail.html; Edwin L. Artzt, Chairperson, Procter & Gamble, P.O. Box 599, Cincinnati, OH 45201, tel. 513-983-1100l, fax 513-562-4500 (mention any use you make of Procter & Gamble products, which include Tide, Aleve pain reliever, Spic and Span, and Pringle's). The Coca-Cola Company ("diet Coke") is another high-profile sponsor of "Friends;" contact Roberto C. Goizueta, Chairperson, The Coca-Cola Company, P.O. Drawer 1734, Atlanta, GA 30301, tel. 404-676-2121 or 800-438-2653, fax 404-676-4903. Comments for or about the creators and content of "Friends" can be sent to the attention of the series, in care of Phil Gonzoles, Publicity, 300 Television Plaza, Bldg. 136, Room 251, Burbank, CA 91505, tel. 818-954-7665, fax 818-954-2721. Additional contacts: Associated Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020, tel. 212-621-1500. T V C E N S O R The American Family Association (AFA) is a well-funded, national organization dedicated to PROMOTING homophobia in the media. In the latest (Jan. 1996) issue of the organization's monthly membership magazine, the AFA praises Dino Corbin -- the transphobic manager of a CBS television affiliate -- for dropping the "Jenny Jones" talk show. The AFA reports that Corbin, of KHSL-TV/Channel 12 in Chico, "called it quits with 'Jenny Jones' after one show set up transvestites in an impromptu dating game format." "I didn't want to have to be worried that kids were watching our station at three in the afternoon," Corbin said. "This station and this community have certain values, and the topics on the program got to the point where they were unacceptable." KHSL has not aired the "Jenny Jones" show since November. According to the AFA, Corbin "has been overwhelmed at the positive response from people all over the country." **** ACTION/OPTIONS! Obviously, Corbin hasn't heard from QUEER people all over the country. Overwhelmingly negative responses should be sent to Dino Corbin, General Manager, KHSL-TV/Channel 12, Box 489, Chico, CA 95927, tel. 916-342-0141. Copy your comments to the Office of the President, CBS Broadcast Group, CBS Inc., 51 W. 52nd Street, New York, NY 10019, tel. 212-975-4321, fax 212-975-1519 or 212-975-7452, e-mail cbso01a@prodigy.com or marketing@cbs.com, URL http://www.cbs.com/. C R I T I C A L M E S S In a commentary titled "Taking the Sleaze out of Hollywood" ("San Jose Mercury News," Jan. 1), Joanne Jacobs -- a member of the "Mercury News" editorial board -- argues that, "when it comes to sexuality, the media is eliminating all boundaries of propriety and privacy." Jacob's misuse of the plural word "media" is indicative of the overall quality of her skills as a media critic. While not specifically attacking homosexuality, Jacobs fails to distinguish the varieties of sexual "sleaze" on television. She quotes (and misunderstands) recent research on the role television plays in "normalizing" such "taboo topics" as "incest, child molestation, homosexuality, (and) marital infidelity." Jacobs specifically cites a research summary, "Sex and the Mass Media," by Jane Brown and Jeanne Steele of the University of North Carolina. The study's analysis does not provide any causal evidence of cultural decay, as Jacobs seems to suggest. Nor was the study intended, necessarily, to support calls for less (rather than better, or even more) sex on TV. In fact, Brown has used her (admittedly heterosexist) research to argue that television should feature advertisements promoting the use of condoms and other contraceptives amongst sexually-active adolescents. More troubling than Jacobs' oversimplified reading of research, is her proposed "solution" to TV "sleaze." Though she begins her commentary with a reasonable argument -- that it is too easy "to blame Hollywood for corrupting our children" -- Jacobs concludes: "If we don't like sleaze, we don't have to watch it. If we do watch it, we signal our acquiescence." The "if you don't like it, you can turn it off" argument is certainly valid, to an extent. However, such advice frequently confuses matters of taste with matters of bigotry. Sexual orientation is NOT something to be "liked" or "disliked." Hating lesbians is not the same as hating yogurt. Of course, homophobes who object to "Friends," "All My Children," and similar TV programs CAN "just turn it off" -- and that's certainly preferable to "keeping it off," or attempting to censor rather than self-censor. But the ability to "turn it off" must not be mistaken for the "right to an opinion." Homophobes do not, in fact, have a "right to their opinion," because homophobia is not "a matter of opinion" in the first place. Men who beat their wives might object to television programs and PSAs that denounce domestic violence. But no one would advise such men to turn off their television sets, and leave it at that. In response to the "problems" of sexuality, Jacobs proposes that "Americans can choose to accept the previously deviant as normal. Or we can turn the page, switch the channel." Of course, Americans can also choose to UNDERSTAND what they previously could not "accept." The solution, at times, is not to turn the page, but to spend some time reading it. *** ACTION/OPTIONS! Comments on her commentary can be sent to Joanne Jacobs, "San Jose Mercury News," 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95190, fax 408-271-3792, URL http://www.sjmercury.com (online feedback can also be posted to Jacobs in her Mercury Center message folder); copy your correspondence to the newspaper's executive editor (Robert Ingle) and editor of the "Commentary" page (Jim Braly), at the same address. Additional contacts: Jane D. Brown, Professor of Journalism, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 204B Howell Hall CB #3365, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3365. **************************************************** A B O U T G L A A D . . . The GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION challenges homophobia in and through the mass media . . . shaping the forces that shape our society. Founded in 1988, the SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA CHAPTER of GLAAD is an independently incorporated, non-profit, volunteer-based membership organization. Dedicated to cultural advocacy and media activism, GLAAD/SFBA promotes the fair, accurate and diverse representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lives. GLAAD/SFBA is the largest and oldest GLAAD chapter in the nation. To notify GLAAD of any defamatory or affirmative media coverage, or to request membership or other information, call the 24-hour "MediAlert Hotline" (415-861-4588) or write to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, 1360 Mission Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103, tel. 415-861-2244, fax 415-861-4893, e-mail glaadsfba@aol.com, URL http://www.gaytrek.com/gaytrek/glaad.html. To assist on-going monitoring and response efforts, GLAAD/SFBA appreciates copies of any correspondence individuals send to, or receive from, the media. **************************************************** A B O U T M E D I A L E R T . . . "MediAlert" is a weekly, action-oriented column that may be printed, published or posted, under this or any title, in whole or part, without prior permission. When appropriate, attribution should be made to "Al Kielwasser" and/or "GLAAD San Francisco." "MediAlerts" are available upon request, by mail, e-mail or fax. GLAAD/SFBA greatly appreciates copies of any publications that make use of these weekly reports. **************************************************** A B O U T M E M B E R S H I P . . . GLAAD's work is directly supported by our members. Please consider joining with us in one of the following membership categories. All memberships include a subscription to the monthly newsletter, "GLAAD Update." ---------------------------------------------------------- Indicate your choice below and mail check or credit card information to: GLAAD/SFBA, 1360 Mission Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103, Attn: Membership. Forms sent by e-mail should be directed to Kristy Billuni, Managing Director (billuni@aol.com). ( ) $ 5 Youth Membership (18 and under) ( ) $ 35 Basic Membership ( ) $50 Household Membership ( ) $100 Institutional Membership (community organizations/media/businesses) ( ) $250 GLAAD Guardian (includes complimentary limited-edition Project 21 lesbian/gay/bisexual history poster) ( ) A check is enclosed. ( ) Please bill my VISA # ____________________________ MASTERCARD#_____________________ EXP. DATE:_________________________ NAME:_________________________________________________ ADDRESS:______________________________________________ CITY:__________________________________________________ STATE:______________________ ZIP:______________________ PHONE (Optional):________________________________________ E-MAIL (Optional):_______________________________________ Send me more information about . . . ( ) Project 21 (GLAAD's educational equity/textbook reform program) ( ) The GLAAD Phone Tree Network ( ) GLAAD volunteer opportunities ---------------------------------------------------------- GLAAD/SFBA is a non-profit [501(c)(3)] organization; all contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. **************************************************** "MediAlert" [TM] is a trademark of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area From: GLAADSFBA@aol.com Date: Thu, 18 Jan 1996 00:22:12 -0500 Subject: MediAlert BRIEFS, Jan.15-21 _________________________________________________________ INDEX 1. "Box Office Hits" (HBO, Tracy Ullman, The Celluloid Closet) 2. "Condom Sense" (John Flinn, Adweek, NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, MTV, Comedy Central) 3. "E-Mediate Reply" (NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX) 4. "The Right College" (The Center for Campus Organizing, Campus Alternative Journalism Project) 5. "Media Donors" (ILGA-Portugal) 6. "Intermissionaries" (Preview, Movie Morality Ministries, Inc.) 7. "Heel of Fortune" (Pat Sajak, Wheel of Fortune) 8. "Economic Affairs" (The Economist) 9. "Press On, Press Out" (Roger Streitmatter, Unspeakable: The Rise of the Lesbian and Gay Press in America) 10. "Web Watch" (Echo, EGCN, Diversity!, insideOUT, The Guide, Directory of Gay, Lesbian, & Bisexual Community Publications) 11. "Media Activism" (Institute for Alternative Journalism, Democracy Works Training Institute) 12. "Activist Media" (Turning The Tide: Journal of Anti-Racist Activism, Research & Education) 13. "Good Net News" (The Net, NetGuide, Virtual City) 14. General Information (about GLAAD; about MediAlert Briefs; about membership) _________________________________________________________ * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * M e d i A l e r t B r i e f s * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * for the week of January 15 - 21, 1996 by Al Kielwasser Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, San Francisco Bay Area * BOX OFFICE HITS . . . The talents of Tracy Ullman are showcased in a new comedy series, "Tracey Takes On . . . ," which debuts January 24 on the Home Box Office (HBO) network. According to the "Lexington Herald-Leader," the weekly series will reprise some of the characters Ullman has played in the past -- "including Trevor, the gay flight attendant, and Chris Warner, the lesbian companion to star golfer Midge Dexter (played by Julie Kavner)." Also this month, on January 30, HBO will premiere "The Celluloid Closet." Based on a seminal book by media activist Vito Russo, this long-awaited documentary is a critical and historical overview of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender representation in Hollywood films. Contact: Home Box Office, HBO Building, 1100 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036. * CONDOM SENSE . . . In a column syndicated by the New York Times News Service ("Put Condom Ads On TV," Jan. 7), John Flinn -- an editor at the prominent trade magazine "Adweek" -- calls upon broadcasters to begin airing condom commercials. "We're 15 years into the AIDS epidemic," Flinn says, "but three of the major TV networks -- ABC, CBS and NBC -- still do not accept paid advertising for condoms." Network executives claim that "viewers would be offended," though opinion polls (cited by the Centers for Disease Control) "show that the public is supportive of condom advertising on television." Though they refuse to air condom commercials, several networks will accept noncommercial safe-sex messages that mention condoms, and Flinn concedes that some viewers "are more likely to accept safer-sex messages when they are part of a free public service announcement than a sales pitch." But, he says, public service announcements do not exert the commercial's unique force: "Paid ads that push brand names -- that make them familiar products -- encourage consumers to take a package off the shelf and try its contents." To date, only a handful of broadcasters have actually aired condom commercials. Both "MTV" and "Comedy Central" regularly accept condom advertising. The FOX network will also broadcast condom ads, though "it has not done so in two years." Contact: John Flinn, Executive Features Editor, "Adweek," 1515 Broadway, New York, NY 10036, tel. 212-536-5336. * E-MEDIATE REPLY . . . Exercise your "response abilities" as a media consumer! Rapid and regular feedback regarding network TV programming can be sent to these e-mail addresses: ABC (abcaudr@ccabc.com), CBS (marketing@cbs.com), FOX (jpr@foxnetwork.com), NBC (nbcshows@msn.com). * THE RIGHT COLLEGE . . . The Center for Campus Organizing (CCO) is a progressive, nonprofit activist group that challenges Right Wing efforts to control college campuses. Among CCO's new campaigns is the "Campus Alternative Journalism Project," an initiative to provide resources, training, support and a networking system for college newspapers. Contact: CCO, P.O. Box 748, Cambridge, MA 02142, tel. 617-354-9363, fax 617-547-5067, e-mail cco@igc.apc.org. * MEDIA DONORS . . . The newly-founded "ILGA-Portugal" (Portugal's first national gay organization) is seeking donations of information. The group needs media -- copies of newspapers, videos, magazines, posters, and books -- with a lesbian/gay or AIDS focus. Contact: Goncalo Dumas Diniz, Chair, ILGA-Portugal, Apartado 21281, 1131 Lisboa Codex, Portugal, tel./fax 011-351-1-254-5383, e-mail ilga@telepac.pt. * INTERMISSIONARIES . . . "Preview" -- the newsletter of "family movie & TV reviews" -- is published twice monthly by Movie Morality Ministries, Inc. Each issue reviews current Hollywood movies, which are rated for their "acceptability." Most fail. For example, "Now and Then" (PG-13) recently scored a "-1" on the acceptability scale. The newsletter explained: "It's the explicit sexual conversations . . . and seances that make 'Now and Then' unsuitable." In addition to narrative reviews, "Preview" also quantifies the "unacceptable acts" in each movie. These are tallied in 12 categories of sin, as in this accounting of the movie "Copycat" (R): "Crude Language (13 times; Mild 9, Moderate 4), Obscene Language (24 times; f-word 16, s-word 5, other 3), Profanity (8 times; Regular 7, Exclamatory 1), Violence (Many times . . . decapitation implied), Sexual Intercourse (None), Nudity (Many times; breast nudity in photos; Near nudity, girls in bikinis), Homosexual Conduct (None but gay bodyguard portrayed neutrality), Sexually Suggestive Action/Dialogue (Killer makes crude remarks about women), Drug Abuse (Several times; pill-popping, brandy-drinking doctor)," and "Other (Killer quotes Bible, compares himself to Jesus)." "Preview" also includes a "TV Update" section, which tracks and lists various shows as either "Objectionable," "Upgraded to Promising," or "Downgraded." In the most recent issue, TV series that include "throwing nose mucus around" ("Santo Bugito," CBS) are rated as LESS offensive than shows containing "homosexual characters and aggressive women" ("Misery Loves Company," FOX). Apparently, "Christian" fundamentalists would rather watch two men exchange snot than a kiss. Contact: John Evans, Editor-in-Chief, "Preview," Movie Morality Ministries, 1309 Seminole Drive, Richardson, TX 75080, "Preview" subscribers can also use "Dial-A-Review" (tel. 214-231-9910) to obtain MMM's movie "information" by phone. * HEEL OF FORTUNE . . . Game show host Pat Sajak -- of "Wheel of Fortune" fame -- is active in several Right Wing groups and causes. Recently, he participated in a ceremony honoring William F. Buckley, which was broadcast by C-SPAN (Dec. 31). Media watcher Stephen Bickford reports that, during the awards ceremony: "Pat Sajak brought up the topic of gay and lesbian civil rights. He said that he had noticed that bisexual rights had now been added to the cause and that, in his opinion, bisexual rights are tantamount to 'adulterer's rights.'" "Wheel of Fortune" ranks among the top-rated syndicated TV shows Contact: "Wheel of Fortune," 3400 Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91505, tel. 818-972-7931, fax 818-972-0394. * ECONOMIC AFFAIRS . . . A wedding cake, topped with the figures of two men holding hands, fills the cover of the January 6-12 issue of "The Economist." Inside, the magazine editorializes in favor of legalizing lesbian and gay marriage the magazine; one article ("Straightforward Homosexuality") examines "the extraordinary new ordinariness of homosexuality," and another ("Let Them Wed") argues that "there is no compelling reasons to exclude homosexual couples from marriage, and several compelling reasons to include them." Significantly, "The Economist" is a conservative business weekly, in publication since 1843, and now distributed worldwide. Contact: "The Economist," Editorial Offices, 25 St. Jame's Street, London SW1A 1HG, tel. 44-171-830-7000, fax 44-171-839-2968/9; copy correspondence to "The Economist," U.S. Offices, 111 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019, tel. 212-541-5730, fax 212-541-9378. * PRESS ON, PRESS OUT . . . A new book by Roger Streitmatter, "Unspeakable: The Rise of the Gay and Lesbian Press in America" (Boston: Faber and Faber, 1995), makes a significant contribution to media history. The author's comprehensive scope ranges from 1947's groundbreaking first newsletter (12 carbon-copied issues of "Vice Versa: America's Gayest Magazine," written by an anonymous lesbian) and on through the mass-circulation magazines of the 1990's. In tracing the evolution of lesbian and gay journalism, Streitmatter chronicles a considerable force that continues to mirror and mold every aspect of "the movement." The history of the lesbian and gay press is, in many ways, the history of lesbian and gay people. Contact: Roger Streitmatter, Professor of Journalism, School of Communication, American University, 300 Mary Graydon Center, 4400 Mass Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016, tel. 202-885-2060. * WEB WATCH . . . An ever-increasing range of queer print media -- newspapers, magazines, newsletters -- can now be accessed electronically. A few examples of this vital, far-flung diversity: (1) "Echo" -- a biweekly "Magazine of the Southwest" -- covers a broad range of news and commentary, both local and national in scope (http://www.ComeOut.com). (2) Small yet substantive, the "Erie Gay Community Newsletter" is a monthly source of "information, support and affirmation . . . A vehicle for celebrating the goodness and diversity of our community" (http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/egcn). (3) "Diversity!" is the newsletter of Digital Diversity, a non-profit British group "aimed at encouraging more gay/les/bi individuals and organizations to get on-line." Digital Diversity's web pages feature electronic versions of the newsletter, as well as other queer news and information about the UK (http://www.diversity.org.uk/diversity/). (4) The glossy, contemplative "insideOUT Magazine" is one of a small but growing number of publications created by, for and about queer youth (http://www.youth.org/io/). (5) "The Guide" is a Boston-based but globally-focused monthly. The magazine blends a unique mixture of "Gay Travel, Entertainment, Politics & Sex" (http://www.guidemag.com). (6) Over 300 publications are referenced in the third edition of Jim Sorrells "Directory of Gay, Lesbian, & Bisexual Community Publications." Information about this essential media list is available online (http://home/aol/com/GayPubDir) as well as off (P.O. Box 1946, Guerneville, CA 95445, tel. 707-869-1146). * MEDIA ACTIVISM . . . The Institute for Alternative Journalism's "Media & Democracy Congress" (February 29-March 3, San Francisco) will feature a "Democracy Works Training Institute." This day-long series of workshops and seminars is intended to assist media activists and media-makers "fight the Right." Robert Bray, of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, is among the trainers. Contact: IAJ, 77 Federal Street, San Francisco, CA 94107, tel. 415-284-1419, fax 415-284-1414, e-mail congress@alternet.org, URL http://www.alternet.org/an/Congress.html. * ACTIVIST MEDIA . . . "Turning The Tide: Journal of Anti-Racist Activism, Research & Education" is a unique tabloid, particularly "useful to activists and organizers." Contact: "Turning The Tide," P.A.R.T., P.O. Box 1990, Burbank, CA 91507, tel. 310-288-5003, e-mail mnovickttt@igc.apc.org. Editor Michael Novick reports that "Turning The Tide" is also "now available on-line through the Prison Activist Resource Center web site and gopher address on PeaceNet." * GOOD NET NEWS . . . Dozens of glossy, mainstream magazines now compete as popular guides to the Internet and online services. Notably, several of these non-technical publications have provided inclusive (even progressive) coverage of the "net news" beat. A few examples: (1) Each issue of "The Net" includes a new directory of online resources -- "The Blue Pages" -- intended to help readers "get in touch with your community." Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender resources are scattered throughout. The magazine's February 1996 issue also includes an eclectic (16-page) special report, "Sex Online," as well as a comprehensive (4-page) guide to "Finding AIDS/HIV Resources Online." "The Net" is published monthly. Contact: Minda Sandler, Editor-in-Chief, "The Net," Image Publishing, Inc., 1350 Old Bayshore Highway, Suite 210, Burlingame, CA 94010, tel. 415-696-1688, fax 415-696-1678, e-mail minda@thenet-usa.com; to recommend web sites for inclusion in "The Blue Pages," forward URLs to blue@thenet-usa.com. (2) "NetGuide" provides a monthly review of online resources -- the substantial "CyberGuide" list -- which specifically includes a "Pink Triangle" section. "Dykes Delight!," "Gay Youth R Out," and "The Gay Man's Guide to Safer Sex" are among eight "Pink Triangle" resources highlighted in the January 1996 issue. Richard Santalesa, Executive Editor, "NetGuide," 600 Community Drive, Manhasset, New York, NY 11030, tel. 516-562-5000, fax 516-562-7406, e-mail netmail@netguide.cmp.com, URL http://www.netguide.com; to recommend web sites for inclusion in the "CyberGuide," forward the URL and a one-sentence recommendation to netmail@netguide.cmp.com, with the words "People's Choice" in the subject line. (3) The annotated web listings included in "Virtual City" ("Your Guide to Cyber Culture") also feature a "Gays & Lesbians" section. The Winter 1996 issue reviews nine such sites, including "Infoqueer," "Youth Action Online," "Black Homie Page" and a "Gay and Lesbian Star Trek" page. "Virtual City" is published quarterly, as a joint venture of Newsweek, Inc. Contact: Lewis D'Vorkin, Editor-in-Chief, "Virtual City," 444 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022, tel. 212-593-1537, e-mail virtcity@aol.com, URL http://www.virtcitnow.com. **************************************************** A B O U T G L A A D . . . The GAY & LESBIAN ALLIANCE AGAINST DEFAMATION challenges homophobia in and through the mass media . . . shaping the forces that shape our society. Founded in 1988, the SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA CHAPTER of GLAAD is an independently incorporated, non-profit, volunteer-based membership organization. Dedicated to cultural advocacy and media activism, GLAAD/SFBA promotes the fair, accurate and diverse representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender lives. GLAAD/SFBA is the largest and oldest GLAAD chapter in the nation. 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