THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 5, 1995 TAG: 9505050070
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONYA WOODS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
TALK, TALK, TALK. Teens are still running their mouths. But instead of telephone conversations about who's dating whom and how the girl next door styles her hair, Hampton Roads teenagers are having serious discussions about capital punishment, homosexuality and teen pregnancy.
Through Teen Talk, a conversation line provided by The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star Infoline, young people from 12 to 20 are voicing their opinions and sharing life experiences over the telephone.
In 1991, the newspaper created a conversation line to supplement the Infoline system, which offers over-the-phone information on topics ranging from real estate to health care. The idea was to give readers a special avenue to express their views.
Teenagers were such frequent callers that they were given their own conversation line. Today, Teen Talk receives an average of nearly 800 calls each week. Callers are limited to one 30-second message a day.
The line, sponsored by United Way, is open to anyone - even some adults have called in to offer advice.
The host of Teen Talk goes by the alias Salvador. He is in charge of welcoming callers to the line with his humor and wit, deciding which messages get played and keeping order in the fictional place between telephone lines that he calls Teen Town.
Most callers use code names, he said. Under these make-believe monikers, teenagers openly talk about what's on their minds. And some use fake names for fun - names like The Captain, Giggles, Night Hawk, Ivy, Panther and Cinnamon.
``Sometimes I wish I could have had something like this when I was growing up,'' said 25-year-old Salvador, a junior at Norfolk State University. ``In a way, the line gives kids encouragement to say what they feel, and it kind of builds up their self-confidence.''
Salvador, a communications major, says the bonds formed over the telephone are incredible.
``At first, I thought the whole line would be bubble gum stuff,'' he said. ``But these kids discuss some serious topics. They show me they are all individuals.''
And callers ask questions, too. Some, for example, have called in for advice on how to cope with a friend's death. Others have sought information about the short life span of many all-black TV shows.
``People call in to say whatever they feel like saying,'' Salvador said. ``It really gives them the chance to express themselves.''
Their messages are supportive, funny and interesting.
``This is a great way for all kinds of teenagers to connect with each other,'' Salvador said.
One caller shared news of her engagement. Someone made a point about homosexuality by quoting Bible scriptures. Other hot topics: the Oklahoma City bombing, girls who ask guys out on dates and ``deadbeat'' dads who don't pay child support.
At times, the messages border on the bizarre.
``There is this one guy whose name is Monkey Lion, and he'll call in and talk about bananas,'' Salvador said.
Some of the discussion, however, is anything but funny.
One caller announced her pregnancy over the line; another discussed being infected with the virus that causes AIDS.
``Whenever we get calls like these, we have to watch out for people who want to call in and say the same types of things just to see what other people's response would be,'' Salvador said. ``It's times like these when the callers really try to be there for each other. It's good when they support one another.''
Teen Talk features different co-hosts, who help Salvador sort through the messages and welcome callers to the line. There are CD giveaways and talent showcases, for which callers get to sing, read poetry or tell jokes on the line. There was even a mock wedding last summer at the imaginary co-host mansion, where all the co-hosts of Teen Talk hang out.
The wedding took place over the phone and was attended by seven ``guardians of Teen Town.'' Salvador officiated at the ceremony.
The bride made it clear she would never cook or clean for her ``Telephone Lover,'' while the groom proclaimed his undying love, which would withstand the beeps of busy signals. by CNB