BIG BROTHER IN PRIME TIME

Rewards for anti-drug scripts are a bad idea.

THE practice of advertisers paying to prominently display their
products in a movie is well-known, but the federal government's
troubling TV version of that arrangement is only now coming to light.

The Clinton administration's policy -- to quietly give financial
incentives to networks that insert anti-drug messages into such
prime-time programs as "ER" and "The Drew Carey Show" -- may sound
innocuous. But it is blatant government manipulation of the airwaves.
The practice should be scuttled.

Here's the situation. Just over two years ago, Congress approved a
huge anti-drug advertising campaign to air on prime-time network
television -- with the proviso that for every anti-drug commercial the
federal government paid for, the networks would run a free anti-drug
public service announcement. But the broadcasters, which have had no
trouble selling the lucrative commercial spots, suggested they get
credit for putting anti-drug messages in their shows instead of airing
the public-service announcements.

As a result, the feds have quietly paid the networks $25 million to
include anti-drug themes in prime-time shows. According to Salon, the
on-line magazine that brought the practice to light, many shows have
incorporated anti-drug messages, and their networks received financial
credits in exchange.

Recently, in order to qualify for the program, the broadcasters even
allowed the Clinton White House's Office of National Drug Control
Policy to review scripts of more than two dozen shows in advance. An
official with the WB Network says scripts of at least two of that
network's shows were altered to qualify for the financial incentives.

While the subtle anti-drug message may sound like a good thing, it
sets a dangerous precedent. What if the federal government thinks
that, say, Americans should be more respectful of those in power?
Should it try to quietly reward networks for running shows that
portray the Congress and the president in a positive light? For
Congress to spend money on anti-drug advertisements is one thing. For
the White House to try to work an anti-drug theme into the programs
themselves is altogether different, and unacceptable.

This sort of practice is a blatant effort to manipulate television
content -- the type of propaganda effort associated with Third-World
dictatorships.