Subject: "MEDIAlert!" - June 30, 1997
From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 1997 02:08:06 -0400 (EDT)

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INDEX:  "MEDIAlert!" - 6.30.97

-ITEM 1:  "Look Who's Talking" [CNN & Company; MSNBC; Disney].

-ITEM 2:  "Oh, Boycott" [Southern Baptists; Disney; Newsweek; UPI; GLAAD;
NGLTF; National Hispanic Media Coalition; Americans for Democratic Action].

-ITEMS 3 to 6: "Media Briefs" [California Dept. of Justice; The Drefus
Affair; Rupert Everett; My Best Friend's Wedding; P.S. I Love You; Asian
American International Film Festival; HIV InSite].
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M   E   D   I   A   l   e   r   t   !
_________________________

June 30, 1997   Al Kielwasser

[1]

L O O K  W H O ' S  T A L K I N G

On June 18, delegates to the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting
launched a sweeping boycott against the Walt Disney company, urging their 15+
million members to protest Disney's "promotion of homosexuality."  The
boycott effort has received wide-spread media coverage, and provided
immediate fodder for "news-talk" reviews on both the CNN and MSNBC networks.

"CNN & Company" (June 18) included a brief segment on the boycott, consisting
of a discussion amongst several regular panelists -- none of whom were openly
gay or lesbian.  Unfortunately, the host framed the debate with a misguided
(and misleading) question:  "Is Disney moving from family-friendly to
gay-friendly?"

Parroting the homophobic rhetoric of the Southern Baptists, such a question
assumes a primary distinction between "gay" and "family" values.
 Consequently, the CNN panelists tended to treat "gay-friendly" programs as
something that Disney offered IN ADDITION TO -- rather than AS PART OF -- the
company's "family-friendly" fare.

CNN's rival network offered similarly disappointing coverage.  On MSNBC (June
18), the "news chat" question-of-the-day asked if the Disney boycott was :
 "God's work or a Mickey Mouse protest?"  In addition to audience calls and
e-mail, a roundtable discussion featured three "MSNBC contributors" --
Lawrence O'Donnell (who was identified as a "former Congressional aid"),
Rosemary Bray (a liberal staffer from "On The Issues" magazine), and Joseph
Perkins (a conservative commentator).  The "chat" was hosted by MSNBC anchor
John Gibson.

At his only high point, the host at least attempted to challenge one
homophobic caller -- who complained that she would not want her children
around "those kind of people."  Gibson replied:  "What do you mean, 'those
kind of people?'  'Those kind of people' are around you everywhere."  

For the most part, however, Gibson seemed uninformed at best and dismissive
at worst.  Repeatedly, he urged callers as well as contributors to consider
why "American parents" should have to "countenance a gay parade in front of
their little kids."  Gibson's apparent (and fallacious) assumption was that
such parades are inherently 'adults-only" affairs.  Moreover, the host never
considered the rather relevant fact that not all "little kids" are (or will
be) heterosexual.

One angry MSNBC caller -- "Ruby" -- complained that, in reaction to the
company's recent "pro-gay" actions, "Walt Disney would spin in his grave."
 In response, Gibson laughed aloud and replied:  "Ruby, that's very
funny...."

Typical of journalism's tendency to dismiss homophobia as a "matter of
opinion," Gibson's levity would be deemed an inappropriate response to other
instances of bigotry.  If "Ruby" been a neo-Nazi spewing about Hitler
spinning in his grave, for example, it is likely that Gibson would have found
the comment to be more caustic -- and NOT "very funny."

Gibson's performance could be excused, however, IF the network had bothered
to include even one openly lesbian or gay person amongst the three MSNBC
panelists.  Indeed -- whatever the news topic happens to be -- the network
systematically fails to include lesbian, gay, or bisexual representatives
among its roster of regular "MSNBC contributors."

Though attempting to include a balance of "pro," "con" and "neutral"
perspectives, this Disney discussion repeatedly missed key points that a
lesbian or gay commentator would probably have raised.  Without challenge,
for example, MSNBC contributor Lawrence O'Donnell warned of "a very serious
problem" --  that unsuspecting parents might bring their children to
Disneyland on "Gay Day."

Expectedly, conservative commentator Joseph Perkins ranted in support of the
boycott, arguing that homosexuality is not "morally equivalent" to
homosexuality.  Yet, throughout the discussion, no one directly or seriously
raised the issue of homophobia per se.

Rosemary Bary (the "liberal" in the group) did come close, however.  Bary not
only opposed the boycott but chastised the Southern Baptists for "trying to
marginalize a group of people who are citizens [of this country]."
 Furthermore, she suggested that -- rather than any Gay Day at Disneyland --
the way Baptists raise their children is really "offensive."

While hardly the worst, both MSNBC and CNN did far less than their best.
 Consistently -- in their "news-talk" coverage of lesbian, gay and bisexual
issues -- these networks have failed to include lesbian, gay or bisexual
"news talkers."

***  ACTION ALERT!   Encourage MSNBC and CNN to add openly lesbian, gay and
bisexual contributors to their roster of panelists and contributors
(especially when the issue at hand concerns homosexuality or homophobia).
 Contact:  Cable News Network, 1 CNN Center, Atlanta, GA 30348-5466, tel.
404-827-1700, fax 404-737-3323, e-mail [email-masked];  MSNBC, 2200
Fletcher Ave., Fort Lee, NJ 07024, tel. 888-MSNBC-USA, e-mail
[email-masked] (additional feedback can be sent to MSNBC's contributing
homophobe Joseph Perkins, in care of the network, or e-mail
[email-masked]).

[2]

O H ,  B O Y C O T T

As if following the media's coverage, much public reaction to the Disney
boycott has been widespread -- yet not very "deep."  Public opinion polls
have led to some confusion, while the progressive community's support for
Disney has been shallow at best, however well-intentioned.

In a poll conducted by "Newsweek" (June 30), less than a third of those
surveyed -- 29 percent -- indicated they could support the boycott.  In its
interpretation of these results, United Press International (June 21)
suggested that "few Americans agree with the Southern Baptist church's
criticism of the Disney Company's policy toward gays."  According to UPI:
 "The church declared war on Disney, a company that has long supported the
rights of its gay employees.  But the 'Newsweek' poll shows few Americans
agree with the church's beliefs."

UPI's slant is not just simplistic; it's simply wrong.  In fact, Disney was
one of the LAST studios to extend health benefits to same-sex partners -- and
then only reluctantly. 

Disney's response to the boycott flap was also slightly less-than-admirable.
 The media frenzy provided Disney with an opportunity to affirm the value of
(and need for) fair, accurate and diverse images of lesbians and gay men.
 The company COULD have challenged the pervasive rot of homophobic
censorship, but instead choose to downplay -- and even duck -- the issue.

When the boycott story broke, Disney spokespersons were oddly unavailable for
comment.  Instead, the company issued an indistinct, two-sentence statement:
 "We are very proud that Disney creates more family entertainment of every
kind than anyone else in the world.  We and we plan to continue our
leadership role and, in fact, we will increase production of family
entertainment."

Sincere or not, Disney's response to other protests have been more forceful
-- vowing to stand with this or that contingent.  In this situation, by
contrast, Disney did not offer any express support for the lesbian and gay
community.  Typically, in fact, Disney did not even use the words "lesbian"
or "gay."

Ultimately, the futility of the Baptist's boycott has nothing to do with the
"principle of the matter."  Their effort will fail NOT because homophobia is
small-minded, but because Disney is big business -- VERY big business.  In a
story for Reuters (June 19), for example, Jerry Dubrowski observed:  "When it
comes to Walt Disney Co., there's no such thing as a small, small world....
 In fact, it's virtually impossible to escape Disney's reach for long; which
is why many experts wonder how much damage the boycott launched by Southern
Baptists could do to Disney's $21 billion a year business."

If the Baptist's are defeated, it will not be at the hands of "gay power."
 Rather, it is the unchecked power of over-concentrated media monopolies --
like Disney -- which can render lesbians and gays as POWERLESS as Southern
Baptists.

What's right about certain Disney programs or policies does not change what's
wrong with monopolistic excess.  Yet, community response in support of Disney
tended toward a superficial call to "buy Disney!"  As broad as the Baptist's
boycott, this response not only overlooked the dangers of media monopolies,
but utterly ignored a host of other progressive issues involving Disney, Inc.

For example, the director of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
(GLAAD), Joan Garry, advised "the American public" to "enjoy Disney's wealth
of creativity and expressions of diversity, as they have for decades."
 "Disney should be recognized and applauded for its stance on domestic
partnership," said Green, "and for treating their employees with dignity and
respect."

Kerry Lobel -- executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
(NGLTF) -- also seemed to gloss a tad to thinly over Disney's perfect record.
 "Disney is modeling good citizenship and good citizenry through its
policies, said Lobel.  "Walt Disney and his characters taught us that it's a
small world after all, where every person is welcome."

One wonders what Lobel would say to Arab-American groups, who have found
fault with certain portrayals in the Disney movie "Aladdin."  Likewise,
GLAAD's response hardly resonates with reports from Americans for Democratic
Action, which suggest that "Disney exploits cheap labor overseas" (Associated
Press, June 21).

Both GLAAD and NGLTF poorly prefigured the response of certain Latino groups.
 Just a week after the Baptist boycott was announced, some 30 organizations
launched a boycott of Disney, to protest the companies apparently racist
hiring practices.  Alex Nogales, chair of the National Hispanic Media
Coalition (NHMC), has charged that "fewer than 1% of those in creative and
policy-making positions at Disney-ABC are Hispanic despite the fact that
Latinos represent 42% of the population in Los Angeles County and 35% in
California."

In the strategic short-term, it seems, lesbian and gay organizations might
find ways to support PARTICULAR media programs or policies -- without the
GENERAL praise that appears to forget other problems and practices.  If
long-term success in media advocacy can be achieved, it will require that
progressive communities work together to demonopolize the power that --
finally -- threatens us all.

***  ACTION ALERT!   The Institute for Alternative Journalism is one media
advocacy group that has challenged the power of media monopolies; for more
information; contact IAJ/Alternet, 77 Federal Street, San Francisco, CA
94107, tel. 415-284-1420, fax 415-284-1414, e-mail [email-masked],
web-site www.alternet.org (or www.igc.apc.org/an/).  Doing related work are
the members of the Cultural Environment Movement; contact CEM, 3508 Market
Street, Philadelphia PA 19104, e-mail [email-masked] (or
[email-masked]), web-site ccwf.cc.utexas.edu/~cmbg/cem/index/html.

Additional contacts:  National Hispanic Media Coalition, 3550 Wilshire Blvd.,
Suite 670, Los Angeles, CA 90010, tel. 213-385-8573, e-mail
[email-masked], web-site www.latinoweb.com/nhmc/;  GLAAD, 8455
Beverly Blvd., Suite 305, Los Angeles, CA 90048, tel 213-658-6775, e-mail
[email-masked];  NGLTF, 2320 17th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009, tel.
202-332-6483, e-mail [email-masked].

On the web, "Corporate Watch" [www.corpwatch.org] offers information on the
condition of Disney workers in Haiti.  Corporate Watch is project of the
Transnational Resource and Action Center and the Institute for Global
Communications.

_________________________

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

[3]

***  BROAD BASE . . . .    Described as "one the most aggressive attempts yet
to keep people informed of sex offenders in their midst," a new CD-ROM
provides the names, addresses or photographs of "64,000 people in California
who have committed a broad 
range of sex crimes since 1944" (Associated Press, July 1).  The database is
available for browsing at local police departments and other government
offices.

According to critics, the CD-ROM is ripe for misuse.  "It's much too broad,"
says Michael McGlinn, an attorney for two men included in the new registry.
 One of McGlinn's clients is "a 63-year-old gay man arrested in the 1950s for
having oral sex with another sailor in a parked car."

California Attorney General Dan Lungren has "acknowledged that the 
CD-ROM contains outdated or incomplete information on thousands of the 
sex offenders."  Lungren did not propose any remedies, however.

C o n t a c t :  Office of the Attorney General, P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento,
CA 94244-2550, tel. 800-952-5225 or 916-322-3360, web-site www.ns.net/caag/;
California Department of Justice, P. O. Box 903387, Sacramento, CA
94203-3870, tel. 916-227-3743.

[4]

***  COMING ATTRACTIONS . . . .    According to "Variety" (June 19), "The
Dreyfus Affair" -- Peter Lefcourt's 1992 novel about "a gay love affair
between the shortstop and second baseman of a Major League Baseball team --
has been optioned by Fox for Betty Thomas to direct in a deal worth in the
mid-six figures."  If all goes well, Thomas could begin work on the film
"sometime next year."  Disney had originally optioned the long-anticipated
project, but (amidst some controversy) opted not to make the film.  As
"Variety" reports:  "While the studio was moving ahead on a sequel to 'Angels
in the Outfield,' it nixed gays in the infield."

In other movie news, "Variety's" (June 26) "Dish" columnist, Michael Fleming,
reports that:  "Rupert Everett, the dashing British actor who is a
scene-stealer as Julia Roberts' gay best friend in TriStar's 'My Best
Friend's Wedding,' is in talks to become Hollywood's first gay secret agent."
 According to Fleming, "sources said TriStar's near a deal to develop a
vehicle for Everett to play a gay British intelligence officer.  The openly
gay actor pitched it to the studio and will co-write the action thriller with
writing partner Mel Bordeaux."  The film's working title is "P.S. I Love
You."

C o n t a c t :  Robert Cooper, President, TriStar Pictures, 10202 W.
Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232; Rupert Murdoch, Chair, Fox, 1211
Ave. of the Americas, New York, NY 10030, tel. 212-852-7000.

[5]

***  QUEER/ASIAN, FILM/FESTIVAL . . . .    This year's Asian American
International Film Festival, which begins its 20th season on July 18, will
honor Arthur Dong with the "1997 Asian American Media Award."  Dong's latest
documentary -- "Licensed to Kill" -- is the third in a series on
homosexuality and homophobia. His previous films include "Coming Out Under
Fire" and "Outrage '69."

The Asian American International Film Festival has become a leading exhibitor
of films by Asians and Asian Americans.  The annual festival premieres each
summer in New York, and then begins a national tour. 

C o n t a c t :  Asian CineVision, 32 East Broadway, New York, NY 10002, tel.
212-925-8685, fax 212-925-8127, e-mail [email-masked].

[6]

***  INSITE-FULL . . . .    The University of California at San Francisco
(UCSF) has launched "HIV InSite."  Billed as "the only website in existence
that contains research written, edited and maintained by frontline AIDS
researchers," the service features a state-by-state directory of information
and resources -- encompassing medical, prevention, and social issues.  Since
its recent debut, "HIV InSite" has already metered over 200,000 hits
[http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu].

[end 6.30.97]

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ABOUT MEDIALERTS

Distributed as a community press service since 1992, "MEDIAlert!" [TM] is an
advocacy-oriented column of media criticism, focused on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender issues.

Recipients may print, publish or post this material, in whole or part, under
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 Contact:  MEDIAlert!, voice-mail/fax 415-826-5203, e-mail
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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 has appeared widely, in
both mainstream and academic publications; he was twice elected Chair of the
Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/San Francisco Bay Area.

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 1997 20:03:14 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: e-mail errata ["MEDIAlert!" 6/30)

Please note the following correction to the June 30, 1997 "MEDIAlert!" (Item
6) -- 

The contact information for the International Asian American Film Festival
should read:  

Asian Cine-Vision, 32 E Broadway, New York, NY 10002-6820
Phone: (212)925-8685 Fax: (212)925-8157.

The previous e-mail address, "[email-masked]," is no longer in service.