Subject: GLAAD MediAlert, Feb.12-18
From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 13 Feb 1996 20:52:32 -0500

_________________________________________________________
INDEX:  
"GLAAD MediAlert, Feb.12-18"

1.  "Teaching Television" (All My Children, ABC Daytime Programming, All My
Children Fan Club
2.  "An Indecent Act" (Telecommunications Act, Bill Clinton, Bill Tauzin, Al
Gore, v-chip, National Coalition Against Censorship, Fairness & Accuracy In
Reporting, U.S. Congress).
3.  "Making A Federal Case Out Of It" (Telecommunication Act's indecency
clause, ACLU, Cowles/SIMBA, Queer Resources Directory, Wildcat Press,
YouthArts, Department of Justice).
4.  "Taking A (Magazine) Stand" (XY Magazine, Kmart, American Family
Association).
5.  "Queer People" (People magazine).
6.  "Re/Views" (Premiere magazine).
7.  "Murky Reporting" (Jim Dickey, San Jose Mercury News, Oliver McDade).
8.  "First, Only and Longest" (Q San Francisco, In The Family, Electronic Gay
Community Magazine).
9.  "Global Village Voices" (Vision TV, Jim Loves Jack, Apple Daily,
Horizons, Southern Television, Express Report, QNA, National Biways).

10.  General Information (about GLAAD/San Francisco; about MediAlerts).
_________________________________________________________

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

      M  e  d  i  A  l  e  r  t   

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

for the week of 
February 12-18, 1996 

by
Al Kielwasser 
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, 
San Francisco Bay Area 

T E A C H I N G   T E L E V I S I O N

The ABC daytime drama "All My Children" ("AMC") continues an instructive
storyline about homosexuality and homophobia.  Several months ago, the
popular soap opera introduced "Michael Delaney," a gay school teacher played
by actor Chris Bruno.  Most recently, a gay teenager has also been added to
the plot.

On the February 6 "AMC" episode, several of Michael's students are in the
audience to support his appearance on a fictional Pine Valley talk show --
"The Cutting Edge."  The storyline this day focused on the unscrupulous
tactics of "Jason," a staffer on the show, who eagerly "eggs on the gay
bashers he recruited for the audience, urging them to loudly express their
contempt for Michael and everyone like him."

On February 7, according to an official "AMC" synopsis, "dozens of seething
homophobes parade through the 'Cutting Edge' studio, shouting for blood."
 Also during this episode, "Kevin" -- a teenage student, and brother of
"Jason" the homophobe -- reveals that he is gay.  He tells the truth to his
brother, as well as two school mates, "Scott" and "Bobby."

In a particularly exceptional scene, Kevin comes out to his brother by
informing Jason that he is PERSONALLY hurt by his homophobic tirades.  Kevin
explains that he has known he was gay since the fifth grade, but has told no
one about it --  until now.  Jason reacts in a (sadly) true-to-life plot
turn:  "After trying desperately to deny the facts, Jason focuses his rage on
Michael and vows to make the teacher pay for 'ruining' his kid brother."

According to the plot synopsis for February 8th's "AMC" episode, Jason
remains "devastated about his brother's homosexuality" and consequently
"begins guzzling vodka."  Meanwhile, at the taping of "The Cutting Edge,"
Kevin comes out to an even larger audience:  "Outraged by a vicious lie from
one of the high school thugs in the studio audience, Kevin grabs the
microphone from host Tad and announces that he too is gay."

"All My Children" celebrated its 26th anniversary in January, and the show
has twice won the Emmy award for "Outstanding Drama Series."  According to
producers, "AMC" has been consistently "committed to social issues."

****    ACTIONS/OPTIONS!    Supportive feedback should be directed to Thomas
Campbell, ABC Daytime Programming, 2040 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles, CA
90067-4785, e-mail [email-masked];  Felicia Minei Behr, Executive
Producer, "All My Children," 320 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023.  
                Additional contacts:   America Online users can post comments
to Joanne Berg, Editor, Online Services, ABC Daytime on AOL, e-mail
ABCJoanne.  For general fan information, contact the official All My Children
Fan Club, c/o Carol Dickson, 1218 North Main Street, Glassboro, NJ 08028.

A N   I N D E C E N T   A C T  

A sweeping telecommunications act sailed through Congress on February 1, and
was quickly signed into law by the President on February 8.  Both the White
House and members of Congress are positively giddy over the new legislation.

Representative Bill Tauzin (R-LA) praised the telecommunications act as "a
grand celebration of competition . . .  a grand celebration of Americans in
their government trusting Americans in the marketplace to make decisions."
 Vice President Gore declared that the act was nothing less than the
legislative equivalent of "tearing down the Berlin Wall."  According to Bill
Clinton, the new law will magically bring forth an electronic renaissance,
filling every house with new communications technologies (never mind that
pesky poverty or illiteracy).

Almost all of the rhetoric surrounding the telecommunications act has, in
fact, been more hype than honesty.  Though touted as a "deregulation" and
"reform" effort, the legislation actually imposes substantial new
regulations, which will constrain the content of television as well as the
Internet.  For queer communities, such regulations pose major threats.  

By diminishing the scope of a broadcaster's public accountability -- and
simultaneously  allowing further concentration of media ownership and control
-- the telecommunications act actually DISCOURAGES diversity in programming.
 Once again, law-makers seem to have confused "MORE" with "MORE OF THE SAME."

The new "v-chip" requirements -- encouraging the automatic "blocking"  of
"sex and violence" -- will only further the blandness in broadcasting.  Why
risk accidental exposure to new ideas, after all, when modern science can now
keep everyone safe from awareness?  

If historical homophobia is any indicator, v-chips will be employed
indiscriminately by parents eager to "block out" any and every  program that
might deal fairly with homosexuality, bisexuality or transgender subjects.
 Ultimately, such technology threatens to replace MEDIA LITERACY (the ability
to critically understand certain content) with MEDIA STUPIDITY (the capacity
to automatically avoid certain content).

Claims that children must be shielded from "sex" on television are often made
without regard for either research or reason.  The research regarding
exposure to televised sex has yet to conclusively prove any deleterious
effects.  

We do know, however, that television successfully encourages young viewers to
crave and consume all sorts of unhealthy "foods," especially the sugar-based
cereal and candy relentlessly hawked during children's shows.  "Concerned"
parents and politicians are preoccupied with "protecting" children from
lesbian kisses, when the real threat is Hershey.  Yet, neither Congress nor
the President is clamoring for computer chips that would block out
COMMERCIALS.  

In addition to blocking "sex and violence" on television, the
telecommunications act also criminalizes "indecency" on the Internet.
 Undoubtedly, the legislation will further chill an already-icy "Information
Superhighway."  Lesbian and gay youth may suffer most from the creeping
frost; for many, the Internet has become a literal life-line of information
and support.

Citing the media's failure to explore (let alone expose) much of the hype
surrounding the telecommunications act, a number of organizations have called
for better press coverage.  The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC)
warns that "Self-styled 'decency' groups are now powerful players in lobbying
Congress for Internet censorship, and are being characterized as moderate in
mainstream media."  

Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting (F.A.I.R.), a national news-media watchdog,
has specifically encouraged the mainstream press to investigate and report on
widespread claims that the telecommunications ACT will encourage marketplace
competition and expand the range of consumer choice.  According to F.A.I.R.,
"a more accurate description would be that it will encourage monopolies . . .
.  Issues of how we can create access for other, noncommercial voices, have
not been addressed, since such voices played such a small role in writing
this bill."

It is especially vital that the mainstream media do NOT to "drop the ball" on
this story now.  Though the legislation has already passed  -  and the court
cases might be a way off  -  there are still urgent stories to be told TODAY.
 Investigative reporters, columnists and beat journalists can bring
much-needed attention to the on-going impact this new legislation will have
on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender media consumers. 

****    ACTIONS/OPTIONS!    Send critical comments to William J. Clinton,
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC  20500, tel. 202-456-1111, fax
202-456-2461, e-mail [email-masked], URL
http://www.whitehouse.gov/.
                Contact members of Congress at the U.S. Senate, Washington,
DC 20510, tel. 202-224-3121 or the U.S. House of Representatives, Washington,
DC 20515, tel. 202-225-3121;  The Human Rights Campaign Fund we site
(http://www.hrcusa.org) allows you to "plug in your ZIP code and retrieve
your Congressmembers' voting record on gay and AIDS issues . . . and then
send a message in accord with your wishes."
                Additional contacts:  Jeff Cohen, Executive Director,
Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting, 130 West 25th Street, New York, NY 10001,
tel. 212-633-6700, fax 212-727-7668, e-mail [email-masked], URL
http://www.fair.org/fair/.
                Leanne Katz, Executive Director, National Coalition Against
Censorship, 275 Seventh Avenue, new York, NY 10001, tel. 212-807-6222, e-mail
[email-masked].

M A K I N G   A   F E D E R A L   C A S E   O U T   O F   I T

"The fight isn't over yet," says Shabbir Safdar, spokesperson for the Voters
Telecommunications Watch (VTW).  Several organizations, including the ACLU,
have vowed to mount court challenges to the constitutionality of new Internet
"indecency" regulations [see "An Indecent Act," above].  "I can't say I've
ever seen so many people falling all over each other to become plaintiffs,"
Safdar said    "I've already spoken to three reporters this week who have
committed to writing stories that violate the law."

The new telecommunications act defines indecency as "any comment, request,
suggestion, proposal, image or other communications, that, in context,
depicts or describes, in terms patently offensive as measured by contemporary
community standards, sexual or excretory activities or organs."  Critics
expect that such an over-broad definition will criminalize vast areas of
cyberspace.  In what Cowles/SIMBA described as "a quick search on the
Internet for the "F"-word, for example, the media company "turned up more
than 20,000 World Wide Web pages containing references that apparently would
be illegal, ranging from passionate poetry to churlish diatribes."
 ("Cowles/SIMBA Media Daily," Feb. 2). 

Ron Buckmire's seminal cybersite, the "Queer Resources Directory" (QRD), is
one of twenty or so plaintiffs that have joined the ACLU's lawsuit.  Another
plaintiff is Wildcat Press, the personal publishing imprint of
ground-breaking author Patricia Nell Warren ("The Front Runner," "Harlan's
Race"). 

"We at Wildcat have decided to bare our claws and fight this deadly
legislation," said Warren, who is also the editor and consultant for
"YouthArts," an online zine for young lesbians and gays.  "Some of our
publishees are under 18," Warren observed.  "These young people might be
prosecuted by the Justice Department for their honest, heartfelt, sometimes
frank, but always artistically compelling statements."

****  ACTIONS/OPTIONS!    The Department of Justice is tasked with enforcing
the "decency" provisions of the telecommunications act.  Send comments to:
 Janet Reno, Attorney General, tel. 202-514-2001;the ACLU's web site
(http://www.aclu.org/action/renoact.html) also offers easy access, by e-mail
or fax, to the Attorney General's office.
                Additional contacts:  National Gay and Lesbian Rights
Project, American Civil Liberties Union, 132 West 43rd Street, New York, NY,
10036, tel. 212-944-9800 ext. 545, URL http://www.aclu.org.
                Ron Buckmire, e-mail [email-masked]; "Queer Resources
Directory," URL http://www.qrd.org/qrd/.
                Patricia Nell Warren or Tyler St. Mark, Wildcat Press, tel.
213-936-3666, e-mail [email-masked], URL
http://www.gaywired.com/wildcat/wildcat.htm; "YouthArts" is published online
(http://spidey.usc.edu/qf/yap), and is described by Warren as "a creative and
opinion forum for gay and lesbian youth, publishing their poetry, short
fiction, fine art, essays, etc."

M E D I A   B R I E F S   

TAKING A (MAGAZINE) STAND . . .   "X Y Magazine" is a new, breakthrough
periodical for young queers.  The premiere issue (March 1996) is now
available, and includes a wide range of features and news bites covering
music, politics, activism, fashion, technology and more.  Though slated for
general, mass distribution, the magazine has already encountered some
homophobic hesitation from book sellers fearful of anything that connects
"homosexuality" and "youth."  Nevertheless, "X Y" should be available at
these and other national venues:  B. Dalton, Barnes & Noble, Borders, Tower,
and Virgin.  "If you can't find it near you, be sure to ask store managers to
order copies," advises Chris Kryzan, director of OutProud-The National
Coalition for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Youth.  "Besides being
good reading," Kryzan says, "'X Y Magazine' is an important resource for
queer teens everywhere, so getting it displayed at the local newsstand is a
great thing to do."
                Contact:  Peter Ian Cummings, Editor, "X Y Magazine," 4104 24
Street, # 900, San Francisco, CA 94114, fax 415-552-6664, e-mail
[email-masked]; subscription information is available by e-mail,
[email-masked].
                To encourage national chains to carry "X Y" and similar
magazines, contact:  Donald S. Perkins, Chairman, Kmart Corporation, 3100
West Big Beaver Road, Troy, MI 48084-3163, tel. 800-635-6278; copy your
correspondence to Deborah A. Musselman, Kmart's Director of Agency Relations
& Administration, at the same address, tel. 810-643-3193.  Kmart owns
Waldenbooks, Borders bookstores, Brentanos Bookstores, and Coles books; the
Kmart company is currently the target of an American Family Association (AFA)
attack for being one of "the leading retailers of porn magazines."

QUEER PEOPLE . . .   The February 5 issue of "People" magazine includes a
two-page "Winners" profile of Olympic figure skater Rudy Galindo ("Redemption
Song," by William Plummer and Penelope Rowlands).  The athlete's sexual
orientation is not the focus of this article, but is accurately reported a
few paragraphs into the piece:  "Moreover, during the last seven years,
Galindo, who is openly gay . . . ."
                "The Greatest Love Stories of the Century" is the cover story
for a special February 12 double-issue of "People."  Among the thirty couples
profiled are lesbian lovers Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas.  The magazine
devotes several paragraphs to describing how the two women "ruled the
avant-garde of Paris -- and each other's hearts . . . ."  
                Contact:  "People," Time & Life Building, Rockefeller Center,
New York, NY 10020, fax 212-522-0794, e-mail [email-masked], URL
http://pathfinder.com.

RE/VIEWS . . .   Giving witness to the relative rise in lesbian/gay media
visibility, a number of film and television reviewers have begun, variously,
to examine the phenomenon.  In the February 1996 issue of "Premiere"
magazine, Rachel Abramowitz's feature story  --  "Girl Gets Girl"  --
 explores how "lesbian filmmakers are bringing their poignant, witty love
stories to the big screen -- the MPAA's alleged homophobia notwithstanding."
                Contact:  Susan Lyne, Editor in Chief, "Premiere," 1990 South
Bundy Drive, Suite 250, Los Angeles, CA 90025, fax 310-820-3192, e-mail
[email-masked].

MURKY  REPORTING . . .   An article in the "San Jose Mercury News" ("Woman's
Search for Son End With Identification of Remains," Jan. 13) concocts
unfounded connections between murder and "the world of sadomasochism."  The
reporter, Jim Dickey, describes a woman's six-year "search for her gay son,"
Oliver McDade, whose body was found the previous week -- "dismembered and
placed in three plastic garbage bags."  
                Dickey quotes "a friend" who describes the deceased as,
"heavily into leather and bondage."  Dickey reports:  "When he disappeared,
McDade left behind an apartment splattered in blood and containing
sadomasochistic tools such as chains, a whip and a paddle."  
                Through such biased overtures, Dickey suggests that McDade's
murder was the direct result of an essentially dangerous lifestyle -- "in the
gay leather community."  Of course, it is quite possible that the deceased
was the victim of a homophobic hate crime, rather than a homosexual lover.
                Contact:  Jerry Ceppos, Executive Editor, "San Jose Mercury
News," 750 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95190, tel. 408-920-5000 or
415-852-9139, e-mail [email-masked], URL http://www.sjmercury.com.

FIRST, ONLY AND LONGEST . . .   (1). "Q San Francisco" is a relatively recent
entry in the media market; the bi-monthly magazine is described by
editor-in-chief Robert Adams as "the first city magazine in the country to
concentrate on the positive contributions and achievements  of gay men and
lesbians."  Highlights of the most recent issue (Winter 1996) include Tom
Ammiano's "Witch Hunt In Our Schools."  Contact:  "Q San Francisco," 584
Castro Street, Suite 521, San Francisco, CA 94114, e-mail [email-masked], URL
http://www.qsanfrancisco.com.  
                (2). "In The Family" is a quarterly publication that has
craved its media niche as "the ONLY magazine that focuses exclusively on
lesbian, gay and bisexual families."  Contact:  "In The Family," P.O. Box
5387, Takoma Park, MD 20913, tel. 301-270-4771.
                (3). "Electronic Gay Community Magazine" -- "the world's
longest running online publication for gay men, lesbian women and bisexuals"
-- has established a new web site (http://www.awes.com/egcm).  "EGCM" is
published by Land of Awes Information Services, P.O. Box 16782, Wichita, KS
67216-0782, tel. 316-269-0913, fax 316-269-4208, modem 316-269-3172, e-mail
[email-masked], URL http://www.fn.net/~awes.  

GLOBAL VILLAGE VOICES . . .   (1). Vision TV, a Canadian service licensed to
broadcast "religious and spiritual programming," aired the documentary "Jim
Loves Jack" (Jan. 27).  The program profiled Jim Egan, a gay activist
fighting for equal spousal rights under Canadian law.  According to one
Vancouver viewer, Lawrence Aronovitch, the documentary "was a positive,
well-crafted and thoughtful biography."  Contact:  Vision TV, 80 Bond Street,
Toronto M5B 1X2, Canada, tel. 416-368-3194.
                (2). Rex Wockner reports that "Apple Daily," one of the
largest newspapers in Hong Kong, has rejected an ad from the gay counseling
and support group, Horizons.  According to Horizons secretary Daniel Kong,
"Apple Daily" stated that "they will not accept our ad for fear of complaints
from readers, and they do not think it is a risk worth taking for 'people
like us.'"  Contact:  "Apple Daily," 50076-50086 Castle Row, 6th Floor,
Garman Center, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong, tel. 011-852-299-08388;
copy your correspondence to Horizons, GPO Box 6837, Hong Kong, e-mail
[email-masked].
                (3). Following widespread community criticism, the general
manager of Southern Television -- a New Zealand service -- reversed a
previous decision and announced he would now broadcast the lesbian/gay show
"Express Report." Bevan Rickerby explained his reversal, by noting "we
obviously hadn't consulted deeply enough into the community . . . .  When we
took a lot more time over it, and talked to people in the city, we found that
there was a large number that wanted to watch the program."  Contact:  Bevan
Rickerby, General Manager, Southern Television, tel. 64-3-477 2207, fax
64-3-477 2933; for additional news and information regarding New Zealand's
queer media and community, check out the weekly online news bulletin "QNA,"
e-mail [email-masked], fax 64-9-3761404.
                (4). "National Biways" is the magazine of the Australian
Bisexual Network; contact Wayne Roberts, Editor, e-mail
[email-masked].

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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, nonprofit organization, which is volunteer-based
and member-supported.  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/SFBA 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:  Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, 1360
Mission Street, Suite 200, San Francisco, CA 94103, tel. 415-861-2244, fax
415-861-4893, e-mail [email-masked], URL
 http://www.ccnet.com/gaytrek/glaad.html.

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A B O U T   M E D I A L E R T S. . .

"MediAlert" and "MediAlert Briefs" are weekly, action-oriented columns that
may be printed, published or posted, under these or any titles, in whole or
part, without prior permission.  When appropriate, attribution should be made
to "Al Kielwasser" and/or "GLAAD San Francisco."  GLAAD/SFBA greatly
appreciates file copies of any publications that make use of these weekly
reports.  

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A B O U T   M E M B E R S H I P  .  .  .   

GLAAD's work is directly supported by our members.  For general information
about membership, "Project 21" (GLAAD's educational equity/textbook reform
coalition), the Phone Tree Network, or volunteer opportunities, contact:
 Kristy Billuni, Managing Director, GLAAD, 1360 Mission Street, Suite 200,
San Francisco, CA 94103, tel. 415-861-3021, fax 415-861-4893, e-mail
[email-masked].

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Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area.  GLAAD/SFBA is a
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