Week of August 8 1986

The Democratic-controlled House votes to slash President Reagan’s funding

request for “Star Wars” missile defense system to $3.1 billon and force him to

abide by the ungratified 1979 strategic arms limitation treaty.

The Senate Judiciary Committee give President Reagan a double victory in his

efforts to remake the Supreme Court in his image by approving William H.

Rehnquist as chief justice and Antonin Scalia to replace him as associate justice.

The Senate approves $100 million in aid for the Nicaragua (contra) rebels. It

opens the way for the CIA to resume control of the war against the Sandinista

government for the first time in several years.

Nancy Reagan’s Paraguayan-born personal maid, who

traveled with her to meet the Pope and Queen Elizabeth I,

has been charged with helping to smuggle small caliber

on administrative leave after being charged with

gunrunning along with two Paraguayan nationals. I

After a four-month nationwide search to replace ousted

film critic Gene Siskel, the Chicago Tribune names Dave

Kehr as its new movie reviewer. Kehr had been with the

Chicago Reader for 12 years. The newspaper’s sister

company, Tribune Entertainment, syndicates “At the

Movies,’ a weekly television program that for four years, featured Siskel and

Chicago Sun-Times movie critic Roger Ebert. Siskel lost his job as film critic at

the Tribune shortly after it was learned that he and Ebert were taking their

television act to rival Disney Domestic Television.

Transformer toys - First a toy, a TV cartoon - a now a movie, “The

Transformers: The Movie.”

Music news -

several British shows.

Week of August 8 1986

Singer David Crosby, imprisoned for five months on narcotics and weapons

charges, is paroled from prison and said he was glad to be off drugs.

On MTV Friday night - Friday night video fights followed by REO Speedwagon in

concert.

On MTV Saturday Night - Huey Lewis & The News in concert.

The Grammy Awards will be adding a new category - “New Age Music.” Among

the best-known New Age artists are George Winston, Will Ackerman and

Andreas Vollenweider.

Trends - Bonus songs to stimulate sales

of CD’s and cassettes… For example - If

you purchase Lionel Richie’s “Dancing

on the Ceiling” on either cassette or CD,

you’ll get a double bonus - an extra song

and longer renditions of several other

songs. Vinyl is left a little high and dry.

Other artists are offering bonus cuts on

the formats as well. Amy Grant’s

“Collection” feature more bonus songs on

cassette and CD’s as well. And more

artists are doing the same.

Sports -

Kelvin Bryant, the United States football

League’s second all-time leading rusher, signs a four-year contract with the

Washington Redskins for $3 million.

The Dallas Cowboys reach agreement with running back Herschel Walker on a

five-year $5 million guaranteed contract.

Television news -

Looks like Tom Snyder’s KABC-TV program is out - and in will be a new

syndicated show called the “Oprah Winfrey Show.” Snyder says the station was

committed to carrying the Oprah show - back when his started - in February.

Showtime is ending “The Paper Chase” with a special two-hour segment titled

“The Graduation.” Don’t miss it this week. There will be no new episodes but in

September, Showtime will repeat the series in its entirety - all 58 episodes.

Saturday night on HBO - On Location: Billy Crystal.

Week of August 8 1986

Must carry - The FCC requires most U.S. cable-TV companies to continue

carrying some local-over-the-air TV stations and non-commercial TV signals for

the next five years. Controversial rules that directed cable companies to carry the

signals of all local TV stations had been required for more than 20 years until

they were ruled unconstitutional by a federal appeals court in July 1985. The new

FCC ruling includes a modified version of a compromise worked out earlier this

year by cable and television broadcasters. Essentially, if a cable outlet has more

than 21 channels, some of those channels must include over-the-air channels.

Wednesday night television -

CBS - Charlie Brown, Rita, Big Gamble in Atlantic

City

NBC - Highway to Heaven, Gimme a Break, You

Again? Phil Donahue Examines The Human

Animal, Tonight, David Letterman

Hotel, Nightline

PBS - National Geographic, Great Performances

Showtime - Honeymooners Lost Episodes,

Brothers, The Frantics

Big Gamble in Atlantic City - Bill Moyers examines

the changes in Atlantic City since the introduction of

gambling in that city.