Week of June 8, 1984

The Supreme Court rules that “last hired, first fired”

seniority plans may not be scrapped to protect

affirmative action programs giving blacks and

woman special preferences when layoffs hit. Wrote

an innocent employee the benefits of his seniority in

order to provide a remedy in the pattern of practice

(of discrimination) suit such as this.”

The state Supreme Court of California rules that a

man who was run over by a stolen truck can sue

the owner for failing to prevent the theft. “All drivers

will now have some responsibility over their

vehicles outside that of just driving it. The storage of the vehicle is now part of the

responsibility. Under some circumstances, they could be legally responsible if it

is stolen.”

New York financier Soul P. Steinberg enlists the help of movie mogul Kirk

Kerkorian and other wealthy investors to make a takeover bid for Disney. The bid

could be worth as much as $2.75 billion. The Steinberg group said it is prepared

to begin a tender offer at $67.50 a share for 49% of the Disney shares, but is

willing to pay $72.50 a share for all the stock or $2.75 billion. Steinberg’s group

has formed “MM Acquisition Corp.” (borrowing from Mickey Mouse) to proceed

with the plan.

Walt Disney Productions - acting to ward off a takeover - agrees to pay $325

million for Steinberg’s stake in Disney and his promise not to invest in the

company for the next decade. Steinberg will pocket $32 million in profits and will

receive $28 million more for his expenses under terms of the deal.

U.S News & World Report is bought for $168,510,000 in cash by Atlantic Monthly

owner Mortimer B Zuckerman. The weekly news magazine has a circulation of

2.1 million.

AT&T wins approval by the FCC for its new long-

offers two options; under the first one - a customer

may place an hour’s worth of calls after 11pm and

on weekends for a monthly fee of $10.00. The

second option provides the same hour’s allotment

of calls during the night and weekend hours plus

Week of June 8, 1984

an additional 15% discount for calls dialed during evening hours from 5 to 11.

That plan costs $11.50 a month.

MCI it is starting its own long-distance information service, but unlike AT&T, will

charge less per call. MCI says it will follow AT&T’s system of allowing two free

information calls so long as the MCI network is used for regular long-distance

calls, but will charge 45 cents instead of 50 cents for each subsequent

information call. The service is set to begin July 15.

“Now You Can Send MCI Mail Anywhere In The U.S Instantly.. All you need is

the equipment that’s probably sitting right there in your office. If you’re not

hooked up to a computer - You can still create it instantly, it’s then printed on fine

quality bond paper, and delivered to the address you provide according to your

option.” Just $1.00 a message.

Southern Californian’s get their first chance this week to

use car telephones equipped with new cellular mobile

technology or “Cell Phones.” The service promises better

quality and more simultaneous calls than regular radio

telephones. 8,000 customers of the new service are

expected by year’s end and over 56,000 within 5 years.

According to the company providing the service - the initial

cost for equipment - mobile telephone unit, transceiver

and antenna, including installation is $2,500 to $3,000

with a $45 monthly charge. Calls will cost 45 cents a

minute from 7am to 7pm weekdays and 27 cents a minute

other times.

Also in California - it’s announced that the cost to call from

a pay telephone is going to double - from a dime to 20 cents. The rate increase

takes affect on July 1. It’s the first increase since 1962 - when a pay phone call

was a nickel.

gearing for stereo-audio broadcasts - it looks like sometime next

year. Currently broadcasting is stereo are MTV and The Movie

Channel. HBO expects to be in stereo by the end of the year.

Stereo televisions should make their appearance beginning later

this year. Sony Betamax already offers a VCR that records and

plays back in stereo. Yes, all music videos are mixed for stereo sound.

Week of June 8, 1984

ABC says it is shutting down its 6-month -old experimental pay television service

called “TeleFirst.” The experiment attempted to marry the technologies of

videocassette recording to pay television. Debuting in Chicago, ABC would

scramble the picture of WLS-TV (Channel 7) overnight, broadcasting feature

films and other programs during the period to subscribers who would record the

programs. They could then play back the programs anytime, unscrambled. The

service was to be expanded to other cities. TeleFirst subscribers paid $25.95 a

month for the service (plus $75 for installation) and were asked to exercise a so-

called negative option for four films offered before their availability on other pay-

TV services. If you didn’t want to receive the films (like a book or record club) -

you had to send in postcards ahead of the broadcast. ABC says the operation

attracted about 3,000 subscribers in the Chicago area, but needed 10,000 to

break even.

term contract. Frey recently won a release with his

former label, Elektra Records. Irving Azoff,

president of MCA records said, “I think everyone is

going to remember who Glenn Frey used to be, as

an Eagle and I think can be a major star again.”

MTV hasn’t been running a video of Bruce

Springsteen’s latest hit “Dancing In The Dark.”

That’s because it hasn’t been made yet and

probably won’t be until July. Instead, MTV has

been running a video of him performing “Rosalita”

in concert. With a new album and single, Springsteen and MTV have been

announcing tour dates, but still no new video.

Hollywood Henderson - former All-Pro linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys is

sentenced to four years and eight months in state prison for forcing two teen-

agers into sex acts and then trying to bribe them not to

testify against them. One of the victims is 17 year-old

quadriplegic.

In sports - the Boston Celtics take the Los Angeles

Lakers in game 7 of the NBA championships. Larry

Byrd gets the series MVP.

her new role in the television series “Dallas.” It’s a role

Week of June 8, 1984

I’ve always wanted. I felt it was for me from the beginning.” The actress plays the

recast role of Miss Ellie the head of the world-famous Ewing family. Barbara Bel

Geddes let the producers know she wouldn’t be returning for the role because of

health. Donna Reed will be first seen in the role beginning in November.

Reagan - speeds to an offshore powerboat record for

the 700-mile Inside Passage between Ketchikan,

Alaska and Seattle. Reagan completed the run in 13

hours, 55 minutes and 24 seconds.

Commissioned by the Democrats to write an election-

with the song entitled “Turn of

the Tide.” Joining her in the

session are her two children,

two sisters plus Mia Farrow (and children), Dick Cavett,

Jule Feiffer, Lou Reed; Phoebe Snow, Paul Sorvino, Mary

Travers and Marshall Tucker.

Bestsellers

Full Circle - Danielle Steel

The HAJ - Leon Uris

The Walking Drum - Louis L’Amour

The Aquitaine Progression - Robert Ludlum

The Witches of Eastwick - John Updike

Motherhood: The Second Oldest Profession - Erma Bombeck

First Lady From Plains - Rosalynn Carter

Eat to Win: The Sports Nutrition Bible - Robert Haas

Natalie: A Memoir By Her Sister - Lana Wood

The March of Folly: From Troy To Vietnam - Barbara W. Tuchman

Knock Wood - Candice Bergen

Mayor: An Autobiography - Edward Koch

Monday Night Television

CBS - Scarecrow And Mrs King, One Day At A Time, Newhart, Cagney and

Lacey

NBC - TV Bloopers and Practical Jokes, Movie

ABC - Monday Night Baseball

PBS - Frontline

One Day At A Time - Sam takes an out-of-town trip with a business associate/ex

Week of June 8, 1984

girlfriend

Hosted by Dick Clark and Ed McMahon.

Debuting this week in syndication - a look at “The

Jerry Lewis Show” for a week’s trial. It’s the first

time Jerry is hosting his own talk show. Charlie

Callas is his sidekick. The first night welcomed

Frank Sinatra and Suzanne Somers.

Pop music this week in 1984 -

Time after Time - Cyndi Lauper

Lets Hear It For The Boy - Deniece Williams

The Reflex - Duran Duran

Sister Christian - Night Ranger

The Heart of Rock and Roll - Huey

Lewis and the News

Jump (For My Love) - Pointer Sisters

Dancing In The Dark - Bruce

Springsteen

Borderline - Madonna

Self-Control - Laura Branigan

Oh, Sherrie - Steve Perry

Breakdance - Irene Cara

I’ll Wait - Van Halen

It’s A Miracle - Culture Club

When Doves Cry - Prince

My Ever Changing Moods - The Style

Council

What Is Love? - Howard Jones

Magic - The Cars

Top Albums -

Footloose - soundtrack

Can’t Slow Down - Lionel Richie

Heartbeat City - The Cars

Sports - Huey Lewis and the News

Colour by Numbers - The Culture Club

1984 - Van Halen

Thriller - Michael Jackson

Week of June 8, 1984

Seven and the Ragged Tiger -

Duran Duran

Love at First Sting - Scorpions

She’s So Unusual - Cyndi

Lauper

Grace Under Pressure - Rush

Other albums -

Into The Gap - The Thompson

Twins

Human League - Human

League

REM - REM

Touch - Eurythmics

G Force - Kenny G

At the movies

Indiana Jones and the

Ford, Kate Capshaw

Lee McCain

Rick Moranis

Beat Street

William Shatner, DeForest Kelley, James

Doohan, George Takei, Walter Koenig,

Nichelle Nichols, Merritt Butrick, Christopher

Lloyd

Footloose -

Breakin’

Niro