Subject: Media/BRIEFS - 05.23.97 [Part "B"]
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 23 May 1997 09:06:09 -0400 (EDT)

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INDEX:  "MEDIAlert!" - 05.23.97 [Part "B" ONLY]

-ITEM 3:  "School Daze" [California Assembly; AB 1490; Teaching Respect For
All].

-ITEM 4:  "No Laughing Matter" [The Daily Show; Comedy Central].

-ITEM 5:  "Unsuitable Ratings" [Ellen; Drew Carey; TV Parental Guidelines
Oversight Monitoring Board; ABC].

-ITEM 6:  "E-Media Briefs" [Gay and Lesbian Atheists and Humanists].

-ITEM 7:  "Mind Over Media" [Radical Teacher].

-ITEM 8:  "Web Watch" [Gay Men Fighting AIDS; Gay and Lesbian Association of
Retiring Persons; Ecola Magazine and Newspaper Directory; Online Activism;
Feminist Activist Resources on the Net; Activist's Oasis; An Activist's
Strategic Guide to the Internet].

NOTE:  Part "A" (ITEMS 1 - 2) posted separately.
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M   E   D   I   A   l   e   r   t   !
_________________________

M  E  D  I  A /  B  R  I  E  F  S

May 10 - 23     Al Kielwasser

[3]

***  SCHOOL DAZE  . . . .    George House, a member of the California state
legislature, has introduced "Assembly Bill 1490," which would prevent schools
from using state funds to purchase any textbook or videotape "that promotes
or advocates homosexuality as a viable alternative lifestyle."  According to
the "Modesto Bee" (May 4), House's bill also includes "a provision that would
stop school districts from referring students to organizations that advocate
a gay lifestyle or say that it is OK to be gay."

In response to AB 1490, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Teachers Network
(GLSTN) is providing California legislators with copies of "Teaching Respect
For All" -- a video that would be banned under the proposed law.  "For
bureaucrats who have not even seen the materials in question to tell our
schools what they can and cannot talk about is mind control, pure and simple,
which is the opposite of what we need in education," said GLSTN executive
director Kevin Jennings.

Existing state law already requires that textbooks used in California's
public schools "teach honor and respect for monogamous, heterosexual
marriage."  Because of its size and purchasing power, California exerts a
nationwide influence on what publishers do -- and do not -- include in
textbooks.

C o n t a c t :  California State Assembly, Sacramento, CA 95814, web-site
leginfo.public.ca.gov; GLSTN, tel. 212-727-0135, e-mail [email-masked].

[4]

***  NO LAUGHING  MATTER . . . .    Airing on the Comedy Central cable
network, "The Daily Show," is a hybrid of news, talk show and comedy routines
-- basically, an expanded rip-off of the "News" sketches pioneered by
"Saturday Night Live."  A recent episode (May 15) featured a bit entitled
"Prom Queen," which mocked and maligned gay youth.

The segment featured a news clip of Jacob Eiler  -- a (real-life) gay
teenager in Anderson, Indiana -- who had decided to take a male date to the
prom.  As he pointed to the slashed tires of his car, Elier described
recounted the harassment that followed his decision.  Though coming out had
made him "infamous for being gay," he explained, this was matter of "civil
rights."

Reacting to the news clip, "Daily Show" host Craig Kilbourn mocked the idea
that this issue had anything to do with human dignity or safety.  Joking of
hate crimes against "homosexual tires," Kilbourn scoffed at the teenager's
claims of harassment.  Elier's reference to civil rights should offend "black
people," Kilbourn suggested.

The "Daily Show" host joked that, in response to news of the boy's plight,
efforts would be underway for "freeing the gay slave trade."  "Hundreds of
civil rights activists" are planning "to storm queer farms...  freeing
prisoners wearing zipper masks," Kilbourn quipped.

 In a final attempt at humor, Kilbourn suggested that gays coming out in high
school would entail such sporting events as "antique restoration" and an
"indoor speed record for the reach around."

C o n t a c t :  Comedy Central, 1775 Broadway, New York, NY 10019, tel.
212-767-8647, web site www.comedycentral.com.

[5]

***  UNSUITABLE RATINGS . . . .    Not surprisingly, the nation's new TV
ratings system is exhibiting a heterosexist bias.  Recent lesbian-themed
episodes of "Ellen" have been rated "TV-14," even though they contained no
more references to sex (and certainly less violence) than other shows.

The May 14 episode of "Drew Carey" -- a series that does NOT feature a
lesbian or gay character -- was given a "TV-PG" rating, for example.  Airing
on the same night, and on the same network (ABC), "Ellen" rated a "TV-14."

Ironically, the May 14 episode of "Ellen" dealt with fears about
homosexuality and children.  Instead of recommending such pro-social
programming, the unfair rating catered to parental homophobia.

As defined by the new ratings guidelines, "TV-PG" is meant to indicate:
 "Parental Guidance Suggested - This program may contain some material that
some parents would find unsuitable for younger children."  A rating of
"TV-14" advises:  "Parents Strongly Cautioned - This program may contain some
material that many parents would find unsuitable for children under 14 years
of age."

Under the current system, ratings are determined by the networks and
producers of each show (though individual stations are supposedly capable of
making their own changes).  An Oversight Monitoring Board  -- composed
largely of industry leaders --  is charged with ensuring "uniformity and
consistency" in applying the ratings.  According to the Board's mandate,
members examine programs whose rating may have been inappropriate and "will
review publicly criticized programs to ensure the accuracy of the
guidelines."

C o n t a c t :  TV Parental Guidelines, Oversight Monitoring Board, P.O. Box
14097, Washington, DC 20004, tel. 202-879-9364, e-mail [email-masked],
web-site www.tvguidelines.org; ABC, Broadcast Standards Department, 77 W.
66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6201, tel. 212-456-7777, fax. 212-456-2381,
e-mail [email-masked], web http://abc.com.

[6]

***  E-MEDIA BRIEFS . . . .    The association of Gay And Lesbian Atheists
And Humanists (GALAH) has launched a new e-mail list, which will carry
meeting announcements, press releases, and discussion posts.  Members can
join the list service by sending a message to:  aq981@lafn (with name and
e-mail address in the body of the message, and "GALAH Mailing List" in the
subject line).

In addition to supporting campaigns against homophobia and the Religious
Right, GALAH seeks to provide a forum where "people are free to express
non-religious and even anti-religious views without fear of backlash."  The
organization also "promotes lesbian/gay/bisexual visibility in national
Freethought publications, and atheist/humanist visibility in publications
within our community."

C o n t a c t :  GALAH, 1718 M Street NW, #157, Washington, DC 20036, tel.
202-262-6265, e-mail [email-masked].

[7]

***  MIND OVER MEDIA . . . .    The current issue of "Radical Teacher"
magazine (Spring 1997) is devoted to media studies, and includes several
articles of interest to lesbian and gay activists.  Among the highlights:  an
examination of AIDS activist video, by Alexandra Juhasz (author of the book
"AIDS TV"), and an essay on children's cyber-rights ("Empowering Children in
the Digital Age"), which argues against homophobic efforts to protect
"childhood innocence" by censoring the net.

"Radical Teacher" is published nationally by the Boston's Women's Teachers'
Group, a progressive nonprofit organization.

C o n t a c t :  "Radical Teacher," P.O. Box 169, W. Somerville, MA 02144.

[8]

W  E  B    W  A  T  C  H
_____________________

***  SAFER-SEX SITE . . . .    Gay Men Fighting AIDS (GMFA) has launched a
volunteer-produced web site -- "in true GMFA style...  sexy, down-to-earth
and direct."  Highlights include a safer-sex quiz and excerpts from the GMFA
newsletter, along with "safer sex pages giving you the low-down on whatever
pushes your buttons."  GMFA is an AIDS prevention and education group, based
in London  [ http://www.demon.co.uk/gmfa/ ].

***  SENIOR CLASS . . . .    Established "to enhance the aging experience of
gays and lesbians," the Gay and Lesbian Association of Retiring Persons
(GLARP) is an international, nonprofit membership organization.  The group
recently launched a web site, promising to pioneer a collection of
information for and about senior queers.  GLARP is filling a tremendous void,
according to executive director Mary Thorndal, who noted:  "Getting older is
already challenge enough -- aging as a gay or lesbian is even harder''  [
www.gaylesbianretiring.org ].

***  POSITIVE LINKING . . . .    The Ecola Magazine and Newspaper Directory
now includes links to lesbian and gay publications.  The site provides
state-by-state listings for magazines and newspapers across the country  [
www.ecola.com/news/magazine/current/gl/ ].

***  CYBER-ACTIVISM . . . .    The World Wide Web continues to offer
activists a virtual wealth of resources.  Among the sites to see:

. . .  "Online Activism"  --  a basic directory of groups and associations,
something of an activist's Yellow Pages  [
www.ai.mit.edu/projects/ppp/polact.html ].

. . .  "Feminist Activist Resources on the Net"  --  a basic resource post,
linking feminism and activism on the info-highway  [
www.igc.apc.org/women/feminist.html ].

. . .  "Activist's Oasis"  --  a site for sore eyes, this "oasis" offers help
for the harried activist in the form of "relaxation, inspiration, and tools"
 [ www.matisse.net/~kathy/activist/activist.html ].

. . .  "An Activist's Strategic Guide to the Internet"  --  a guide to using
virtual reality for creating real world change  [
workshop.matisse.net/~kathy/activist/actguide.html ].

[end]

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Next "MEDIAlert!"  =  June 6, 1997.   Contact:  A. P. Kielwasser, MEDIAction,
163 Park Street, San Francisco, CA 94110-5835, voice-mail/fax 415-826-5203,
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AUTHOR NOTES

Al Kielwasser is the editor of "Gay People, Sex and the Media" (New York:
 Haworth Press).  His media criticism and research have appeared widely, in
both mainstream and academic publications (including the "Journal of American
Culture," "Journal of Homosexuality," "Journal of Popular Culture," and
"Critical Studies in Mass Communication"); he was twice elected Chair of the
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area.