Week of June 15, 1987

The Reagan administration plans a huge increase in U.S. firepower in the

Persian Gulf.

Tens of thousands of students seize the heart of Seoul, South Korea during

street battles that erupted after police used tear gas to break up marches by

people demanding a ban on tear gas.

Representatives of major Jewish organizations demand a meeting with Pope

John Paul II to discuss his agreement to receive Austrian President Kurt

Waldheim whom they called “an unrepentant Nazi.”

Subway gunman Bernhard H. Goetz is acquitted of

all major charges. He was convicted of only one count

of illegal possession of a handgun.

A federal judge orders Lt. Col. Oliver L. North to testify

under a limited grant of immunity from prosecution,

before the congressional committees investigating the

Iran-contra affair.

Faulty repairs are blamed for he worst single airplane

disaster in history after 520 people died in the crash of a Japan Air Lines jumbo

jet in 1985. JAL’s failure to detect cracks in a bulkhead during regular

maintenance inspections “had a part” in the accident. A report blamed the

accident on a rupture in the rear pressure bulkhead on which it said Boeing made

faulty repairs in 1978. The rapid release of pressurized air into the plane’s tail

section destroyed its vertical tail fin and all four hydraulic systems.

President Reagan vetoes legislation to turn into law the 38-

year-old “fairness doctrine.” Instituted by the FCC as public

policy in 1949, the doctrine requires the nation’s radio and

television stations to ”afford reasonable opportunity for the

discussion of conflicting views on issues of public importance.”

Said President Regan - “this type of content-based regulation by

the federal government is in my judgment, antagonistic to the

freedom of expression guaranteed by the first amendment. In

any other medium beside broadcasting, such federal policing of

the editorial judgment of journalists would be unthinkable.”

Newsman Charles Glass is kidnapped by 14 gunmen in a suburb of Muslim West

Beirut along with the son of Lebanon’s defense minister.

Week of June 15, 1987

AIDS update - Federal health officials say they are supplying a series of

advertisements on AIDS to about 12,000 radio and television stations around the

country. Say the public service ads - “Aren’t we over-reacting on AIDS? Isn’t it

more hype than health threat? The truth is AIDS is the most serious health threat

facing out nation…”

Gannett’s USA Today turned a profit in May for the first

time.

Weekly radio address - President Reagan lashes out

against a $1 trillion spending plan proposed by

Congressional democrats, saying the budget “is as bad

as they come.” Among other things, the budget would

raise taxes by $64.3 billion over three years. “Almost everyone can agree, things

will be much more pleasant when the cicadas go back underground. Well, I’m

afraid… the big spenders are hatching out again and threatening to overrun

Congress. For a while they seem to have gone underground. Now, however, the

tax-and-spend crew is back and they seem to have lost all embarrassment about

taking your money on a spending spree.”

Perrier says it will purchase Arrowhead which will create the No. 1 water

company in the U.S.

Passing - Earl Madman Muntz - former LA used car dealer whose late-night TV

ads began a trend of wacky, zany late night car commercials across the country.

Sports - Passing - Dick Howser - beloved manager of the

Kansas City Royals. He was 51… of brain cancer.

John McEnroe, saying he didn’t want to play if he was not

100% healthy, withdraws from Wimbledon because of a sore

back. The three-time Wimbledon champ, a first-round loser in

his last two grand Slam appearance, said he was “tired of

waling onto the court worried whether I shall be able to give it

my best effort.”

Michael Spinks drops Gerry Cooney in the fifth round in Atlantic City.

Technology - Super VHS tape is debuting. An S-VHS VCR will run $1,200 and

blank tape - $20 each. But, the picture is high quality.

Week of June 15, 1987

Entertainment news -

President Reagan, declaring that the arts are “reflections of freedom’s light”

presents seven artists and four arts patrons with the National Medal of Art at a

White House luncheon. Singer Ella Fitzgerald, philanthropist Dr. Armand

Hammer and America’s first poet laureate, Robert Penn Warren, were among

those honored.

Three Saturday Night Live cast members

are taking their acts on the road after the

regular SNL TV season. Look for Dana

Carvey (Church Lady), “Weekend Update”

anchor Dennis Miller and Kevin Nealon are

assembling a national tour and it begins in

July in St. Louis.

Music news -

“The Cutting Edge Happy Hour” debuts on

MTV. Look for an eclectic array of artists such as Donny Osmond, Frank Zappa,

Roy Orbison, the Balancing Act, Ladysmith, Black Mambazo and Mantronix -

and that’s the first show. It use to be called just “The Cutting Edge” and is

produced by I.R.S. Records.

Lots of, well, protection at a Run-D.M.C. concert in Portland (OR) with airport-

style metal detection. There’s concern over the tour dates/gang violence at Run’s

concert last August at the Long Beach (CA) Arena and the reports of ill-tempered

behavior at recent Beastie Boys shows in England.

A tape of an edited version of George Michael’s “I Want Your Sex,” with the

word “love” replacing “sex” is being played at

some radio stations. The singer stresses

though, that his song is meant to promote

monogamy. MTV rejected both the original and

an edited version of the “I Want Your sex” video.

Refusing MTV’s request to make a second edit,

Michael and his management agreed instead to

record a 15-second “explanatory statement” to

recede the video every time it airs.

David Bowie’s “Glass Spider” tour hits the U.S.

later next month.

]

Now touring - “The Moody Blues.”

Week of June 15, 1987

“Whitney” - Whitney Houston becomes the first female in pop history to debut an

album at #1 on Billboard.

Kenny G.’s “Songbird” is in the top-10, making it the highest-charting

instrumental that didn’t originate in a movie or TV series so far this decade.

The last two original MTV VJ’s are leaving early this summer. Say goodbye to

Alan Hunter and Mark Goodman. The other members of the current MTV VJ

roster are expatriate Britisher Julie Brown, ex-Colorado DJ Carolyne Heldman

and regular guest VJ Dweezil Zappa. MTV says China Slick Kantner will fill-in for

the summer until two full-time replacements are found. Both Hunter and

Goodman are heading to Hollywood to break into acting.

Where are the other three original MTV VJ’s?

Martha Quinn - is trying to break into acting.

Nina Blackwood - music news correspondent

and interviewer for “Solid Gold,” “Entertainment

Tonight,” and United Stations’ syndicated radio show

“Entertainment Express.”

J .J. Jackson - is heard part time on KROQ radio Los

Angeles.

Radio news - Album rock station WXRK (Howard

Stern mornings) is adding more classic rock - more

than rival WNEW-FM. Looks like it’s looking at Los

Angeles’ KLSX - LA’s classic rock station as an

inspiration. WNEW-FM beats WXRK in all dayparts except mornings.

Television news -

On Saturday Night Live - Willie Nelson and Danny DeVito.

Battle of the daytime talkers - Oprah Winfrey had an average

10.7 rating compared with Phil Donahue at 7.9 - the first victory

for Winfrey since her show went national last year. King World,

which distributes the Oprah show, says many stations have aired

the show in the mornings, but will switch to afternoons, and the

ratings should be even higher. Oprah - produced in Chicago, is

seen on 145 stations. “Donahue” - which moved from Chicago to New York in

1985, is seen on 200 stations.

Week of June 15, 1987

Wednesday night television -

CBS - Twenty Years on the Road With Charles Kuralt ,

Shell Game, The Equalizer

NBC - Highway To Heaven, The Facts of Life, Night Court,

St. Elsewhere, Tonight Show

ABC - Perfect Strangers, Head of the Class, MacGyver,

Hotel

PBS - Discover, Mark Russell Comedy, Not Your Average

Russian

Showtime - Women in Rock, Paper Chase

Shell Game - Jennie and John get involved with a murder investigation by way of

an undeserved parking ticket.

Tonight Show - Magic Johnson, Bernadette Peters, Bill Alexander and Raphael

Sbarge.

Top Country -

You’re Never Too Old For Young Love- Eddy Raven

You’re My First Lady - T.G. Sheppard

Forever And Ever, Amen - Randy Travis

That Was A Close One - earl Thomas Conley

All My Ex’s Live in Texas - George strait

Chains of Gold - Sweethearts of the

Rodeo

Love You Ain’t Seen the Last Of Me -

John Schneider

It’s Only Over For You - Tanya Tucker

Another World - Crystal Gayle and Gary

Morris

Top Hits In Britain -

Hold Me Now - Johnny Logan

I Wanna Dance With Somebody -

Whitney Houston

Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now - Starship

Jack Mix II - Mirage

I Want Your Sex - George Michael

Goodbye stranger - Pepsi & Shirlie

Week of June 15, 1987

Shattered Dreams - Johnny Hates Jazz

I Still haven’t Found What I’ Looking For - U2

Wishing I Was Lucky - Wet Wet Wet

Nothings Gonna Stop me Now - Samantha Fox

Top Album Rock Cuts -

Don’t Mean Nothing - Richard Marx

Seven Wonders - Fleetwood Mac

Shakedown - Bob Seger

Alone - Heart

Give to Live - Sammy Hagar

Runaway Trains - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Hearts On Fire - Bryan Adams

Sentimental Hygiene - Warren Zevon

Something So strong - Crowded House

Time Will Crawl - David Bowie

Who Will You Run To - Heart

Bullet The Blue Sky - U2

Top Albums -

Girls, Girls, Girls - Motley Crue

The Joshua Tree - U2

Slippery When Wet - Bon Jovi

Tribute - Ozzy Osbourne/Randy Rhoads

Look What The Cat Dragged In - Poison

Graceland - Paul Simon

Duotones - Kenny G.

Tango In The Night - Fleetwood Mac

Bad Animals - heart

One Voice - Barbra Streisand

Licensed To Ill - Beastie Boys

Jody Watley - Jody Watley

Into the fire - Bryan Adams

Keep Your Eye On Me - Herb Alpert

Invisible Touch - Genesis

Crowded House - Crowded House

Let Me U (I’ve Had enough) - Tom Petty & The

Heartbreakers

All In The Name Of Love - Atlantic Starr

Control - Janet Jackson

Sign O’ The Times - Prince

One Heartbeat - Smokey Robinson

Week of June 15, 1987

Into the Light - Chris de Burgh

Back in The Highlife - Steve Winwood

Hot Hits -

Always - Atlantic Starr

Head to Toe - Lisa Lisa & The Cult Jam

Diamonds - Herb Alpert

In Too Deep - Genesis

I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who

Loves Me) - Whitney Houston

Alone - Heart

Songbird - Kenny G.

Just To See Her - Smokey Robinson

Wanted Dead Or Alive - Bon Jovi

In Too Deep - Phil Collins

Meet Me Half way - Kenny Loggins

Shakedown - Bob Seger

The Lady In Red - Chris De Burgh

Don’t disturb This Groove - The System

Lessons In Love - Level 42

Something So Strong - Crowded House

Point Of No Return - Expose

Jammin’ Me - Tom Petty & The

Heartbreakers

Funky Town - Pseudo Echo

With Or Without You - U2

Every Little Kiss - Bruce Hornsby & The Range

At the movies -

The Witches of Eastwick

Beverly Hills Cop II

Ishtar

Project X

Gardens of stone

Lethal Weapon

The Secret of My Success

The Untouchables

Ernest Goes To Camp

The Believers

Harry and the Hendersons

Predator