KOPPEL REPORT, THE: REVOLUTION IN A BOX (TV)
Summary
One in this occasional series of news/public affairs programs hosted by Ted Koppel. This program explores the way that the widespread use of the hand-held video camcorder has affected news coverage. Topics include the use of the camcorder by amateurs to record events of national and international importance; advantages and disadvantages of the use of such footage by news media; the benefit of camcorders in situations where industry news teams are not present or permitted; some of the ways that television images can be technically altered and used as a means of promoting or undermining political causes; and underground production teams that circulate banned videotapes in areas of political conflict. The program also explores the ways that the U.S. has used the government-controlled network, "Worldnet," to promote sales of American programs; featured are clips from "The Cosby Show," with Bill Cosby and Keshia Knight Pulliam, dubbed in French and Spanish, and "Dallas," with Larry Hagman and Linda Gray, dubbed in Spanish and Japanese. Also featured are clips from CNN programs that have been transmitted around the world; footage of an international convention in Cannes, France, where people buy and sell television programs; and a comparison of the game show, "The Price is Right" with a Spanish program, "Precio Justo." The program also features footage of Grace Kelly's marriage; the assassination of John F. Kennedy; a WRC-TV promotion; looters at Virginia Beach; New York City's Tompkins Square Riot; and Daniel Ortega after he had been denied a visa into the U.S. Also featured is underground videotape from Hungary, Czecholsolvakia, Chile, and Poland; footage about the Gaza Strip that was aired on ABC and recorded by a Palestinian; Soviet television clips in Russian, including a program on faith healing, segments from "Viewpoint" and "600 Seconds," live coverage of the Soviet Congress of People's Deputies with member Yuri Vlasov, and an ad for Teflon pans; and a montage of newsworthy events that were recorded on camcorder. Appearing in interview segments are James Meigs of Video Review magazine; Marv Rockford, news director for KCNC-TV of Denver; Everette Dennis of the Gannett Center for Media Studies; biologist and environmental activist Samuel LaBudde; videographer Paul Garrin; Don Browne, executive news director for NBC; ABC Middle East correspondent and former hostage Charles Glass; Solidarity leader Lech Walesa; Polish cameraman Tadeusz Rusinek; exiled Polish producer Tomasz Labedz; journalist Andrew Nagorski; Roger Ailes, communications consultant; Soviet TV commentator Vladimir Pozner; Mikhail Nenashev, Soviet chairman of the state committee for TV and radio; U.S. Ambassador to the Soviet Union Jack Matlock; Alexander Nevzaro, host of Soviet program, "600 Seconds"; Gary Burandt, CEO of the Soviet Union's advertising firm, Young and Rubicam/Sovero; U.S. Deputy Sec. of State Lawrence Eagleburger; social commentator Ben Wattenberg; Ed Turner of CNN; media critic Jonathan Alter; Bruce Gelb of the U. S. Information Agency; Rep. Larry Smith of the House Foreign Affairs Committee; and Bernard Kalb, former State Dept. spokesperson. The program concludes as Koppel demonstrates various new instruments that will increase the use of television airwaves by amateurs. Includes commercials.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by a grant from the Times Mirror Foundation.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: September 13, 1989 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:58:02
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:15292
- GENRE: Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Mass media and technology; Television and politics; TV - Social aspects; TV - Technology; Industrial television; Soviets (People) in television; Europe, Eastern - Politics and government; Palestinian Arabs; Nicaragua - Foreign relations - U S; Riots - New York (state)
- SERIES RUN: ABC - TV, 1989
- COMMERCIALS:
- TV - Commercials - AT&T
- TV - Commercials - Actifed nasal decongestant
- TV - Commercials - Ford automobiles
- TV - Commercials - Minwax wood finish
- TV - Commercials - Murphy's oil soap
- TV - Commercials - Oldsmobile's Cutlass Ciera
- TV - Commercials - Phillip's Milk of Magnesia
- TV - Commercials - Pledge furniture spray
- TV - Commercials - Shout laundry stain remover
- TV - Commercials - Smucker's Simply Fruit spread
- TV - Promos - "20/20"
- TV - Promos - "ABC's Monday Night Football"
- TV - Promos - "ABC Fall Drama Preview"
- TV - Promos - "ABC News"
- TV - Promos - "China Beach"
- TV - Promos - "Full House"
- TV - Promos - "Good Morning America"
- TV - Promos - "Life Goes On"
- TV - Promos - "Primetime Live"
- TV - Promos - "Survival Stories with Barbara Walters"
- TV - Promos - "The Young Riders"
- TV - Promos - the network premiere of "Prizzi's Honor"
CREDITS
- Phyllis McGrady … Executive Producer
- Lionel Chapman … Senior Producer
- Jay LaMonica … Segment Producer
- Susan Mercandetti … Segment Producer
- Jeff Milstein … Segment Producer
- Kathleen Pearce … Segment Producer
- Marianne Keeley … Field Producer
- Tara Sonenshine … Field Producer
- Rupin Vosigimorukian … Field Producer
- Bob McKinnon … Director, For Studio Sequences
- Ted Koppel … Host, Editorial Manager
- Roger Ailes
- Jonathan Alter
- Don Browne
- Gary Burandt
- Bill Cosby
- Everette Dennis
- Lawrence Eagleburger
- Paul Garrin
- Bruce Gelb
- Charles Glass
- Mikhail Gorbachev
- Linda Gray
- Larry Hagman
- Kelly, Grace (See also: Grace, Princess of Monaco)
- John F. Kennedy
- Bernard Kalb
- Tomasz Labedz
- Samuel LaBudde
- Jack Matlock
- James Meigs
- Andrew Nagorski
- Mikhail Nenashev
- Alexander Nevzaro
- Daniel Ortega
- Vladimir Pozner
- Keshia Knight Pulliam
- Marv Rockford
- Tadeusz Rusinek
- Larry Smith
- Ed Turner
- Yuri Vlasov
- Lech Walesa
- Ben Wattenberg