HOW CAN WE FOREGROUND IMPORTANT ISSUES IN MASS MEDIA? NOW FOR ME THIS IS THE PROBLEM ALLAN SIEGEL SAYS " The networks create media events such as town hall meetings in order to sustain an illusion of democracy. As they fetishize the Simpson case <under the guise of news reporting> the networks further trivialize the social context of domestic violence and its victims. Could you imagine what would happen if a fraction of the time and money spent on this case was devoted to a coordinated national discussion on health care reform?" BUT EDMOND CHIBEAU SAYS MY CONCERN IS THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE WOULD WATCH BECAUSE THERE WOULD BE NO GALVANIZING EVENT OR TRAGI-HEROIC INDIVIDUAL AT THE CENTER OF ALL THIS TO GIVE IT THE DRAMA THAT IS NEEDED TO HOLD AN AUDIENCE I DON'T MEAN TO SAY THERE IS NO WAY AROUND THIS ,I MEAN TO SAY LET'S FIGURE IT OUT IF WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY HOW COULD WE PROGRAM THE NATIONAL MEDIA TO FOREGROUND ISSUES SUCH AS FAMILY VIOLENCE RATHER THAN O J's GREAT CHASE SCENE OR A COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH POLICY RATHER THAN THE ADOPTION OF BABY DOE IF THE THREE BDCST NETS AND SEVERAL CABLE NETS ALL HAD SOME POLICY WONK (OR EVEN THE PRESIDENTIAL GRAND WONK HIMSELF) TALKING ABOUT HEALTH CARE MOST PEOPLE WOULD SURF-ON TO THE NEXT CHANNEL OR LOOK FOR A COMMERCIAL WITH A CATCHY JINGLE. BUT IS IT THE NETWORKS PLACE TO BUILD EXCITEMENT AND PROMOTE HEROES AROUND THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE ? ( SHOULD THE HERO BE PRO OR CON?) I THINK THERE ARE QUITE A FEW "EQUAL TIME" PROVISIONS THAT WOULD COME INTO PLAY IF THE NETWORKS DECIDED TO BUILD INTO THEIR DISCUSSION OF HEALTH CARE THE DRAMA AND HEROICS NECESSARY TO HOLD AN AUDIENCE PERHAPS MAYBE TED KOPPELS"S NIGHTLINE IS A STEP IN THIS DIRECTION ALTHOUGH I HAVE MANY PROBLEMS WITH NIGHTLINE, FOR INSTANCE THE FACT THAT THE MOST FREQUENT GUEST IS THE WAR CRIMINAL HENRY KISSINGER ISSUE CENTERED BROADCASTING IS NEEDED BOTH IN NEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT BUT I AM NOT QUITE SURE HOW WE ARRANGE FOR IT C-SPANN IS A GOOD IDEA BUT IT DOESN'T REALLY RACK UP THE BIG NUMBERS AGIT PROP LEADS TO FLAMES ON THE INTERNET AND GOVERNMENT INVESTIGATION IN BROADCASTING TO ME THE FOURTH AMENDMENT IS A SPECTACULAR THING BUT WE DON'T SEEM TO CONSIDER IT UNLESS IT IS ATTACHED TO A SPECTACULAR HIGH PROFILE BLEEDS/LEADS JOURNALISM EVENT IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO SIMPLY DEDICATE EQUIPMENT OR AIR TIME THE AUDIENCE WOULD TURN AWAY BUT TO DEDICATE CREATIVITY AND STORY TELLING SKILLS TO THE FOREGROUNDING OF IMPORTANT ISSUES RATHER THAN CONTINUING ON WITH BLEEDS/LEADS JOURNALISM