3/27/88-News Events Have Many Sides

By VICTOR STREDICKE March 27, 1988 -If you were alarmed when David Brinkley delivered news with a wrinkled brow _ or if you never did believe Walter Cronkite was the most trusted man on television, this ought to wrinkle your prune.
There are not two sides to every news story. There are many as a pentagon, or trilligon. The 90-second broadcast report is only a common denominator, not a way to supply serious opinion.

“The Pacifica News,” a weekday half hour, begins on a three-hour-delay basis at 5:25 p.m. April 4 on KCMU, 90.3 mHz. If you tune in, you’ll get a point of view _ especially on such predictable subjects as the nuclear industry, contra connections, racism and the environment.

“Pacifica does perceive things alternatively,” said David Salniker, executive director of Pacifica Foundation. “We do not hesitate to ask a reporter to analyze the situation.”

The program is produced by Pacifica Foundation, of North Hollywood, a national non-profit network. Daily reports originate from Pacifica News headquarters in Washington, D.C. (There also are Pacifica stations which carry the news, as well as arts and cultural programs, in Berkeley, Los Angeles, Houston, New York and Washington.)

The Pacifica half-hour newscast might carry only seven to 10 reports. A five-minute program produced locally rounds out the presentation. KCMU station manager Christopher Knab said he had missed Pacifica since moving here from San Francisco three years ago.

KCMU is a UW campus station, but with its transmitter on Capitol Hill, its 400-watt signal runs to Everett and some of South Seattle.

A STEREO FIRST

Next Sunday, “Weekend Edition”, becomes the first radio-news program to be transmitted completely in stereo.

“Use of stereo will noticeably enhance our reporting of the arts,” said Adam Powell, National Public Radio’s president for news and information. “It also will enable `Weekend Edition’ to utilize experimental production techniques that will intrigue and excite our Sunday-morning audience.”

“Weekend Edition” is designed for the person who takes a light, leisurely breakfast with the news, maybe someone who works the Sunday-newspaper crossword puzzle. It is, clearly, the only morning news review with a resident pianist.

The program is hosted by Susan Stamberg. It appears on KPLU 88.5 mHz. at 8 a.m. and KUOW, 94.9 at 9 a.m.

TWISTING THE DIAL

– New news director and afternoon-news voice at KJR, 950 kHz., is Bill Rice, who has been at the station four years. Chuck Knopf, who previously had a night air shift, is new morning newsman.

– New 6-10 p.m. disk jockey at KJR is Mark Christopher, a weekender there, but previously a featured personality at KLTX.

– “Northwest Computing,” weekly computer interview and news show on KING-AM, 1090 kHz., expands to two hours again, beginning April 3. After today’s hour session at 9 a.m., it moves to Sunday afternoon, 4-6 p.m.

– Douglas Edwards, 70-year-old CBS newsman and, for the past 22 years, host of the daily “The World Tonight” at 6 p.m. weekdays on KIRO, 710 kHz., will retire April 1. Edwards completes 45 years in broadcasting, with highlights including a stint as World War II news correspondent in London and the first anchor of CBS-TV evening newscasts.

– A series of brief interviews with artists, funded by the Seattle and the King County Arts Commissions (and others), will air on at least three stations for 12 weeks. Air times for “Private Talks With Public Artists” include 8:30 a.m. Mondays on KUOW, 94.9, 4:50 p.m. Wednesdays on KPLU, 88.5, and 11:50 a.m. Thursdays on KIRO, 710