Week of March 1, 1980

The Muslim militants who have held 50 Americans hostage at the U.S. Embassy

in Tehran for some 125 days ask the ruling Revolutionary Council to take over

responsibility for the captives.

Wholesale prices soar 1.5% in February, but unemployment declined .2% slightly

to 6%.

Secretary of State Cyrus R. Vance takes the blame for a

breakdown in communications that led the United States to

cast a vote condemning Israel in the U.N. Security Council.

Sen. Howard Baker Jr. withdraws from the 1980 Republican

presidential race saying, “It’s pretty clear the campaign isn’t

going anywhere.”

Officials including Press Secretary Jody Powell fail to delay

airing of segments of a CBS television program they thought might hinder efforts

to free U.S. hostages in Iran. The “60 Minutes” segment dealt with U.S. support

for the deposed Shah of Iran.

A jury in Columbus, Ohio finds Larry Flynt and his Hustler magazine guilty of libel

and invasion of privacy and awards Penthouse publisher Robert Guccione $39.3

million in damages.

The fourth policeman in five weeks is shot to death in New York City, far more

than last year.

Meet Col. Rudolph Albert Herrmann. The FBI introduces

a turncoat Russian spy to the news media and says he had

tried to disrupt an American space shot before coming a

double agent several years ago. The ruse was designed to

embarrass the Russians, particularly for their invasion of

Afghanistan.

Federal officials say for the first time, Radio Moscow’s

English-language broadcasts are being beamed into the

United States on a standard radio channel (AM-600 in this

case). The broadcasts, monitored in Florida, were relayed by

Cuban station CMCA.

Precedent setting case - In West Germany - A 20-year-old U.S. soldier is

sentenced to 30 days of hard labor for verbal sexual harassment of a female

Week of March 1, 1980

soldier. Pfc. Omester Collins of Mobile, AL was convicted of “communicating a

threat” of blackmail in an attempt to obtain a sexual favor.

Music news - Interviewed by Playboy Magazine, Linda Ronstadt, who’s dating

California Gov. Jerry Brown, says she has “never seriously considered marrying

anybody so far.”

Radio news -

New on public radio - “Morning Edition” heard two-hours weekday mornings.

Bob Edwards and Barbara Hoctor co-host. Many are comparing it to the

afternoon show, “All Things Considered.”

Entertainment news -

Passing - Jay Silverheels - best known as sidekick “Tonto” to the Lone Ranger.

He was 62.

Passing - Wilhelmina Cooper - top fashion model

and head of her own super-modeling agency is dead of

cancer at the age of 40. Her last cover photo was for

Fortune magazine on Dec. 3, 1979.

Fred Astaire (80) announces that he plans to marry

female jockey Robyn S. Smith (35) but a date has not

been set.

Television news -

After three years, Sandy Hill is leaving as co-host of

ABC’s “Good Morning America” and will

become a special correspondent for the

show and a regular contributor to 20/20.

Hill joined the show three years ago,

replacing Nancy Dussault. It is now beating the “Today” show in

the ratings. Regulars Joan Lunden, Pat Collins and Candace

Hasey will rotate as co-host with David Hartman until a

permanent decision is made.

This week, David Brenner sub-hosts for Johnny Carson on the “Tonight” show.

Cher, Loni Anderson, Chevy Chase and Jack Lemmon will be in “Tom Snyder’s

Celebrity Spotlight” special airing March 17 on NBC.

A TV channel specializing in 24-hour news is fast becoming a reality. It was first

talked about in 1978 but now, the channel - Cable News Network will launch on

Week of March 1, 1980

June 1. It’s the brainchild of Ted Turner (41). First year budget is $25 million.

Already, Turner has been signing up cable systems and has nearly 3 million

subscribers. And it has signed a major advertiser - Bristol-Myers to a $25-million,

10-year contract.

Some are wondering if the channel has a chance. CNN

says their operation will be cost-effective because cable

television transmits by satellite, as opposed to the costlier

underground telephone lines used by the major networks.

Not all of CNN’s newsgathering plans have been

completed, but options being considered are arrangements

with local stations and an overseas news service.

Turner’s WTBS superstation now reaches 7.3 million homes in 48 states. He’s

the owner of the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Hawks. Turner estimates that Cable

News Network will cost him $100 million before it turns a profit.

Sunday night television -

CBS - 60 Minutes, Archie Bunker’s Place, One Day at a Time, Alice, The