THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 20, 1994 TAG: 9410190066
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
HERE ARE local tidbits to munch on while you wait for the next unauthorized Roseanne TV biography:
If he owned a candy factory, maybe he wouldn't feel that way - Vic Fazio, the Democratic congressman from California, appeared on CNN's ``Crossfire'' not long ago to make a startling accusation: that our very own Pat Robertson wants to do away with Halloween.
The holiday popped up on CNN in a discussion about the impact of the Christian Coalition on upcoming congressional elections.
When the panel discussed religious bigotry, Fazio threw in this zinger about Robertson: ``The man wants to do away with Halloween because it leads to witchcraft.''
In Virginia Beach, CBN spokesman Gebe Kapp said that although Robertson is concerned that on Halloween there is much too much focus on the occult, witchcraft and Satan worship, he never said anything about wanting the day abolished.
If Robertson won't say it, I will: Abolish Halloween. It's a dumb and dangerous practice.
Forget what the new set looks like, let's have some help for the people who can't hear well - While your humble columnist and dozens of readers have been thrashing the designers of WTKR's new orangy and green set, we've been ignoring a very important fact about Channel 3's local newscasts.
The thousands of hearing-impaired viewers in Hampton Roads have been shut out of the words and wisdom of Ed Hughes, Tom Randles and Duane Harding.
From Rita J. Churchill of Chesapeake: ``WTKR may have a new set, fresh opening and closing to its local newscasts, but a very important feature is still missing - closed-captioning for the hearing-impaired. Without it, I can't enjoy their newscasts.''
John Dilustro in Virginia Beach wonders why WTKR spent money for a new set, weather computer and ``that other bogus stuff,'' before it put in closed-captioning on local news. WAVY and WVEC have it.
The good news for Churchill and Dilustro today comes from WTKR general manager Chris Pike. Closed-captioning for Channel 3's local news is on the way. The Rev. John W. Stallings, retired pastor for the Deaf Mission Church in Hampton Roads, said the closed-captioning is absolutely vital for keeping informed on local issues.
Ever consider how much sports programming on the tube is cut off from the hearing-impaired? Plenty of it. So there is much to rejoice about in the news that the National Captioning Institute of Vienna, Va., will soon begin captioning dozens of TV sporting events, including the Super Bowl.
Prepare to dive in search of the Loch Ness Monster - OK, the big gray National Maritime Center in downtown Norfolk isn't the prettiest building you've ever seen. But that doesn't mean you can't find a TV producer who isn't interested in pointing his cameras at it.
Just the other day, Richard Maude and a gang of Britishers from a kids show on Yorkshire Television called ``Bad Influence!'' were all over Nauticus to film a segment to be seen in the UK in December. The show deals with what is hot in computer tech and video games - a primer for kids and their parents.
Nauticus is right there in high-tech play time with a reality experience called ``Virtual Adventures.'' The show's 5 million viewers will see co-host Andy Crane in Norfolk leading a search for the Loch Ness Monster's eggs.
Maude said Nauticus is photogenic, and he was pleased to be invited to Norfolk by Adam Bush, Jim Myers and others at Nauticus. I suspect the man was being diplomatic. Photogenic Nauticus? Isn't that an oxymoron?
Mark your calendar - Next Thursday on ABC's ``PrimeTime Live,'' the newsmag will look at Pat Robertson's financial picture. MEMO: Got a question or comment about local TV? I'm all ears. Call me on
Infoline at 640-5555, press 2486.
by CNB