NETWORKS GOT FINANCIAL CREDIT FOR ANTI-DRUG MESSAGES IN SHOWS

PASADENA, Calif. -- The federal government used financial incentives to get
television networks to work anti-drug messages into the scripts of some
popular TV shows. The White House drug office even got the opportunity to
review scripts before the shows aired.

The arrangement, first disclosed Wednesday by the online magazine Salon.com,
raised questions about the independence of networks and their willingness to
let others influence what goes on the air.

Among the shows reviewed by the government were NBC's top-rated "ER," CBS'
"Chicago Hope" and "Cosby," ABC's "The Drew Carey Show" and "The Practice"
and Fox's "Beverly Hills 90210," according to Salon.com.

The arrangement stemmed from Congress' 1997 approval of a program to buy
anti-drug ads on television. Networks were asked to match each commercial
spot bought by the government with a free one. Since the program started,
however, commercial time has become more valuable with the rising demand for
ads by Internet companies.

The government has since agreed to give up some of its ad time -- as long as
the networks demonstrate that some of their programs convey anti-drug
messages, said Rich Hamilton, CEO of Zenith Media, the ad buying firm that
helped develop the idea as a go-between for the networks and the White House
Office of National Drug Control Policy.

That freed up advertising time that the networks could then sell to other
clients at steeper prices, Hamilton said. The White House drug office valued
the programming messages it had approved at $22 million.

"I'm fairly amazed that there has been any concern expressed about this,"
Hamilton said. "It has been so above board and clearly voluntary on the part
of everyone involved."

Yet an expert on media ethics said it raises questions about the motives of
the entertainment industry.

"What it can do for the networks is make it seem that they are only going to
run those messages or shows that have prior government approval," said Aly
Colon, a professor at the Poynter Institute. "That may not be reality, but
at least it can become a perception."

Networks submitted scripts or tapes of completed shows for the government
drug office's review, said Alan Levitt, director of the national youth media
campaign at the White House drug office. At no time did the office suggest
changes or rewrite the scripts, he said.

"All we said was, if you believe that a certain program that you intend to
broadcast delivers our message -- essentially that drugs can kill you --
submit it to us for an evaluation and we may decide that we can credit you
for a pro bono match," Hamilton said.

Fox said it had received financial credit for episodes of "Beverly Hills
90120" and "America's Most Wanted." The episodes were aired in lieu of
public-service announcements, but did not necessarily free up air time for
Fox to sell to other businesses, spokesman Tom Tyre said. The WB network
received credit for an episode of "7th Heaven," a spokesman said.

In at least 24 instances over the past few years, networks or producers have
come to the federal drug office for advice on how to portray substance abuse
situations, Levitt said. This was independent of the deal offering financial
credit, he said.