Miami Hurricane, March 29, 1994

              UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, CORAL GABLES, FLA.
TUESDAY, MARCH 29,1994
Journalists discuss role of network news in society
Brokaw, field leaders draw crowd of 200
By MADELINE BARO
Hurricane Staff Writer
NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Brokaw and a panel of broadcast journalists discussed the role of network news in society at “A Public Forum on Network News” Saturday at the Ring Theatre.
The panel included Ed Turner, executive vice-president of CNN; Barbara Cochran, CBS News Washington Bureau chief; Kathryn Christensen, senior producer of ABC World News Tonight; Chris Cramer, head of news gathering for BBC news; and Brokaw.
Houston Chronicle television editor Ann Hodges, Miami Herald television critic Hal Boedeker and Paul Steinle, head of the School of Communication’s journalism program, questioned the panel.
Washington Week in Review Ken Bode was the moderator for the discussion, which about 200 people attended.
"I’m impressed that the University brought such a well-placed, well-connected group of journalists,” said Eddie
’Tm impressed that the University brought such a well-placed, well-connected group of journalists.”
EDDIE DOMINGUEZ UM alumna
Dominguez, a journalism student who graduated from UM in December.
The hour-long discussion touched on topics like diversity in the newsroom, sensational news reporting, network news personalities, the moral role of news in society and media coverage. The panel also answered questions submitted by the audience before the discussion.
Brokaw said network news allows people all over the country to receive the same information. He said diversity in newsrooms is also important so different views can be expressed.
Cramer offered the British perspective of television news. He said in Britain
more time is spent debating whether or not a story of questionable merit should be reported than in America. He said he was shocked by some news broadcasts he saw in Miami.
Cramer received a round of applause when he said he was worried about news that catered to the lowest common Nominator.
”1 thought it was quite informative,” said broadcast student Melissa Viscount, who said she enjoyed the discussion about sensationalism in Miami news programming. "It was amusing.”
"It was a great opportunity to meet professionals or experts in the area of journalism,” said Daniel French, a broadcast journalism student.
"It’s incredible to interact with the people that I’ve looked up to,” said Tiffany Sniegocki, a junior majoring in broadcast journalism.
C-SPAN will televise the forum, which was produced by the School of Communication’s Television News Workshop.

■ PANEL DISCUSSION: NBC News Anchor journalists discussing network news Saturday
SEAN HEMMERLE/Staff Photographer
Tom Brokaw was a member of a panel of afternoon at the Ring Theatre.
Station cuts specialty shows in half
CHRIS BERNACCHI/Pholo Editor
■ SPECIALTY SHOWS: Alex Tenta, left, and Jeff Spears host the metal specialt/show from 10 p.m. to 1 a m. Wednesday nights on WVUM (FM 90.5). Their show was not cut in half.
By MADELINE BARO
HurncaneRlaff Writer
This semester, WVUM (90.5 FM) cut several of its specialty shows from three hours to an hour and a half in order to play more alternative music, upsetting some DJs in the process.
Program Director Jason Gordon said the shows were reduced in order to make room for more alternative programming, which is WVUM's format.
Gordon said the executive board of the radio station made a decision on each show.
Nikki Tominac, WVUM general manager, said that scheduling problems also played a part in the decision to change the time allotted for some shows. She said in the spring, sports programming takes up many of the station’s prime time slots.
Some shows had to be rescheduled and about half of the shows that had a three hour time slot were given a 90 minute time slot this semester. She also said that new 90 minute shows, like a techno show and a road music show, were created this semester.
“We created as many new shows as we reduced the time on other shows,” Tominac said.
Tominac said the 12-member WVUM executive board made a decision on each show as to whether to reschedule the show or change the time allotted for the show. Listenership was part of the decision, she said.
Tominac said listenership was gauged based on a survey conducted by the Business School last spring and the number of phone calls a show received.
The goal, Tominac said, was to get as much format programming as possible this semester. She said the decisions for this semester are on a “tentative trial basis” and the station’s new management in the summer or the fall could change the schedule again. The station is open to sugges-
tions and criticisms from listeners, she said.
Rob Robbins, who hosts "Music With Meaning,” a contemporary Christian music show on Sunday mornings, said he did not like the fact that his show was cut down to 90 minutes and that he did not like the way it was handled. He said the people who made the decision were not the ones who informed him of the reduction of his show.
Robbins said he is in the process of getting a petition signed so that his show can be restored to three hours.
Avivit Ashkenazi, who hosts a show that features contemporary Jewish and Israeli music, said that she was offended when her show was reduced to 90 minutes.
“1 felt it was a slap in my face,” Ashkenazi said.
She said her show, which has been on for 12 years, is a tradi-
tion at WVUM and that it appeals to people who do not like alternative music.
"Specialty shows are there for the diversity of the music,” she said.
Gordon added that the large part of the station’s audience is not on the UM campus and said students are not in an uproar over the decisions.
"It is not that big of a deal,” he said. "It’s being made out to be a horrible huge thing and it’s not.”
Pro-life inserts destroyed in UC
‘Pissed off Wimmin’ claims responsibility
By DARIN KLAHR and JENNIFER RAMACH
Ot the Staff
Ten thousand advertising supplements from the Human Life of Minnesota, Inc., a pro-life organization, that were supposed to be included in the April 5 issue of The Miami Hurricane were vandalized sometime between 2:30 and 5 a.m. Monday.
A group calling itself P.O.W., "pissed off wimmin,” claimed responsibility for the vandalism Monday afternoon by faxing a press release to The Hurricane business office, saying “P.O.W. has stopped inaccurate antichoice propaganda from being distributed to students by the school paper, The Hurricane."
"We will not allow any person or any group to usurp or restrict our right to abortion,” the release stated. "Instead, we will unmask the ‘right to life’ hate mongers and reveal their agenda of misogyny. Tabloids such as this are teh so-called 'right to lifer’s’ desperate effort to make women feel shame or guilt for having abortions. P.O.W. says women will have abortions openly and without apology." The release further stated the abortion is a moral right, that neither churches nor people from Minnesota can stop abortions.
The release provided the Hialeah phone number of an organization called Respect Life, a pro-life organization from the Archdiocese of Miami. The header across the top of
the fax used Respect Life’s name and number.
"They’ve done that before,” Respect Life Associate Director Joan Crown said. Crown said that she was contacted by Miami Police a while back, she couldn’t remember when, after P.O.W. claimed responsbility for spray-painting a coat hanger and the form of a dying woman’s body on the sidewalk of Miami City Hall. She said that the city received a fax giving Rescue Life’s phone number.
“It shows their desperation of not wanting the truth to get out,” Crown said.
Public Safety Officer TJ. Richard said he would supplement the fax onto the existing police report. Richard said the case would be turned over to the Detective Bureau at the Coral Gables Police Department.
Replacements for the destroyed supplements will be obtained in time for distribution next week, said Julio Fernandez, business manager for The Miami Hurricane.
The supplements, a 12-page tabloid, were strewn across the floor of the back stairwell of the Whitten University Center. Red paint was poured across the supplements. Red paint was also poured on the top supplement in each box that was not emptied, effectively ruining the supplements not spread on the floor.
See page 2! VANDALISM
DARREN ARN S/Staff Photographer
■ VANDALISM: Lynette Malinger, editor-in-chief of The Miami Hurricane, looks through destroyed copies of advertising supplements sponsored by pro-life organizations.
UM’s oldest sorority to become inactive
By JASON ZDANOWICZ
Managing Editor
Alpha Epsilon Phi, the oldest sorority at the University of Miami, will temporarily close at UM, at the end of this semester.
Ann Kowel, AEPhi president, said she thinks the sorority will reopen at UM in three to six years.
The closing is the result of many factors, Kowel said, including competition caused by two new sororities, Zeta Tau Alpha and Gamma Phi Beta, that have begun at UM within the past three years and ongoing problems within the sorority, which was reorganized by its national chapter last year.
The proposal to temporarily shut down the chapter was approved by the Panhellenic Council and the sorority's national chapter.
"At a Panhellenic meeting before spring break it was brought up for a motion to allow AEPhi to close and open again in three to six years,” Kowel said.
Kowel said ten sisters have asked for alumni status because of a lack of national support.
On April 30, all active sisters who have requested alumni status will be made alumni and sisters who plan on transferring to schools with active AEPhi chapters will retain active status for the time being.
The current pledge class will have the option of pledging another sorority in the fall.
“All members in good status with the chapter can be put on alumni status,” Kowel said.
Kowel said the University would probably let the sorority return after three years, but the national organization has indicated to her that they will probably wait four or five years, anticipating a decrease in competition between the new sororities and also to ensure that all current sisters have left the University.
Kowel said no decisions have been made regarding AEPhi’s suite in the Panhellenic building. She said the suite may be reserved for the sorority’s return, or assigned to another group for the interim.
Assistant provost search begins and ends at UM
By KIMBERLY WEISSMAN
Hurricane Staff Writer
Anna Price, who is currently UM’s assistant athletic director for Academic Support and Student Services, has been named assistant provost of the University of Miami by Executive Vice President and Provost Luis Glaser. Price will hold both positions.
Glaser said the University was looking for someone who could successfully coordinate and administer the support services, primarily academic, that UM provides for undergraduate students.
However, Glaser said, he did not think a national search for an assistant provost was necessary because he felt the person best suited to fill the position was already here at UM.
"Anna Price has been extremely successful in academic counseling
of athletes, so we knew that we had a winner already without looking further,” Glaser said.
Price said her experience as assistant athletic director will help her performance the new responsibilities of assistant provost.
“My familiarity and knowledge of the various entities associated with academic support will enhance what I do in the Provost office," Price said. "In addition to working exclusively with student athletes, 1 will now provide services for all students.”
Price said her specific emphasis will be targeted towards disabled, honors and international students.
During her 22 years of experience in the area of academic support, Price taught welfare mothers and high school dropouts at
See page Z/PRICE
This Issue...]
■ ROCK ON: WVUM's fund-raising benefit is Tuesday and Wednesday night. Forget the Name is appearing.
Sm Accent, page 8.
■ Should the Student Government Elections Commission be abolished? Saa Opinion, page 4.
■	Puzzled? Check out the crossword puzzle.
Saa Accent, page 9.
■	MOVING ON UP: With wins over UConn and Boston College this weekend, Craig Brown and his Florida teammates earned the right to compete in their first ever Final Four this Saturday.
Saa Sports, page 10.


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