From GLAADATL@aol.com Fri Sep 2 09:45:11 1994 Received: from vector.casti.com (vector.casti.com [149.52.1.130]) by mail1.its.rpi.edu (8.6.4/8.6.4) with ESMTP id JAA28862 for ; Fri, 2 Sep 1994 09:45:10 -0400 From: GLAADATL@aol.com Received: from mail02.prod.aol.net by vector.casti.com (8.6.9/5.931230) id JAA19044; Fri, 2 Sep 1994 09:41:27 -0500 Received: by mail02.prod.aol.net (1.38.193.5/16.2) id AA26485; Fri, 2 Sep 1994 09:44:35 -0400 X-Mailer: America Online Mailer Sender: "GLAADATL" Message-Id: <9409020944.tn187817@aol.com> To: QRD@vector.casti.com Date: Fri, 02 Sep 94 09:44:22 EDT Subject: GLAAD/Atlanta News Aug 31 Status: U GLAAD/Atlanta News August 31, 1994 by Carl Lange "Talk Back Live" What do you get when you combine e-mail, fax, telephone and CNN? - "Talk Back Live." This new CNN show, hosted by the dynamic Susan Rook, former CNN news anchor, has in its first two weeks dealt responsibly with a number of issues that concern gay men, lesbians and bisexuals. Topics have included the Cobb County, Georgia, anti-gay resolution, Georgia's racist state flag, and homophobia in the police force. On August 31, domestic partnership was the show's topic with guests Jerry Fallwell and Rev. Michael Piazza, senior minister of the Cathedral of Hope, MCC, Dallas, Texas. While Mr. Fallwell is an inappropriate guest for such a topic, his homophobic babbling and lies were sharply challenged by Rook, Piazza, members of the audience and factual information presented throughout the show. Rook, who had little tolerance for Fallwell's rhetoric, at one point cut him off completely, and switched to a break. Invited guests in the audience included Atlanta homophobe, Nancy Schaefer, president of Family Concerns, an anti-gay radical "Christian" based group, and a number of knowledgeable members of the Atlanta gay and lesbian community. CNN has attempted to make the show as accessible to as many people as possible with an "interactive town-meeting" format connecting people via the "information super-highway." There are no panelists in the studio, only guests viewed via satellite hook-up. The audience sits in a forum circle and everyone is encouraged to speak. Rook facilities between the live audience, satellite-hooked guests, and comments arriving by telephone, e-mail, and fax. CNN has typical failed miserably in its dealings with issues of gay/lesbian/bi communities. For CNN to include several gay/lesbian related topics in the first two weeks of a show is promising. The Turner Broadcasting System, parent of CNN, has also recently introduced a company-wide non-discrimination based on sexual orientation policy. The producers of "Talk Back Live" should be thanked for including gay/lesbian topics. However, they should also be told that presenting a televangelist who is clearly bent on attacking a minority "in the name of God" is not appropriate in discussing domestic partnership, a civil right's issue. Rook should be commended for her responsible handling of the issues and should be encouraged to continue hosting topics that concern the gay, lesbian and bisexual viewers. Write: Susan Rook, "Talk Back Live," One CNN Center, 100 International Boulevard, Atlanta, GA 30303; phone: 404-827-1500. Write and call Teya Ryan, Executive Producer at the same. To be on the show while in Atlanta you may pick up tickets at the CNN center or at various Atlanta hotels. The show airs daily at 1:00 ET., 10:00 PT. on the CNN channel and can also be viewed on-line by Compuserve customers. To make live comments phone 1-800-410-4CNN, fax 1-800-310-4FAX or for e-mail go to "Talk Back" while on Compuserve. We welcome and thank you for your contributions to this column. Permission is granted to distribute and/or reproduce this column in part or in its entirety provided attribution is made to GLAAD/Atlanta when appropriate. For more information about GLAAD/Atlanta write PO Box 55111, Atlanta, GA 30308; phone 404-876-1398; fax 404-876-4051; internet: glaadatl@aol.com. This column is a product of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation/Atlanta, Incorporated. ####