THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 11, 1995 TAG: 9510110002
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 41 lines
You may have wondered where, if anywhere, mass media and their audience would draw the line on O.J. Simpson. You may wonder no more. You may also marvel that there is one.
At least for the time being, pay-per-view TV giants are balking at overtures from Simpson associates to sign him up for an hour or so. The projected take: $100 million, with a $20 million guarantee to Simpson.
``You have two people who were almost decapitated, you have two families who will never see their children again,'' says Hugh Panero, president of Request Television, the largest pay-per-view firm. ``It is totally inappropriate to talk about putting on a pay-per-view event in that context. . misrepresentations he claims have been made, he has very traditional journalistic venues to discuss those things.''
Such as the exclusive right to reunion pictures with his two younger children, Sydney and Justin, which he has reportedly sold to the tabloid Star. Or the ``tele-auction'' of specially bound, autographed editions of the book Simpson wrote from Jail, I Want To Tell You. Or the chance to prove he isn't the ``No. 1 ingrate in America'' by joining in, and drawing national cameras to, Louis Farrakhan's Million Man March in Washington on Oct. 16.
``Traditional journalistic venues'' these aren't. But ``Dateline NBC'' is, and that's where O.J. will spend a ``no holds barred'' hour tonight with Katie Couric and Tom Brokaw. NBC will not pay Simpson - except in giving him an hour's TV time, free to Simpson and free of commercials, to tell the tale that went untold and therefore unquestioned by Marcia Clark, Christopher Darden and the jurors.
To put this case behind you, keep your finger on the remote, poised at OFF. by CNB