March 10, 2001

Sue Schudson, a mother of three, had no plans to watch the special "turn off the TV and talk to your kids" programming last night on KGTV/Channel 10.

Those who did tune in found the ABC affiliate had pre-empted some of their favorite shows in the wake of Monday's shooting at Santana High School.

"We (the media) get blamed for youth violence; the gun manufacturers get blamed for it," said Darrell Brown, Channel 10 vice president and general manager. "We believe it really starts in the home with the parents. We promote ourselves as leaders, so what would a leader do?"

Instead of "Judge Judy," "Inside Edition" and the sitcoms "Two Guys and a Girl" and "Norm," Channel 10 aired live a memorial service at Santee's Sonrise Community Church and afterward a segment of messages for parents.

"I don't need a television station to tell me to talk to my kids," said Schudson of Carmel Valley. "I have a kid in high school, a kid in middle school and a kid in elementary school. We have talked and talked about this."

Media experts were kinder.

"Far be it from me to attack when a station decides maybe it should do something nice for families," said Peggy Charren.

The Cambridge, Mass., woman, whose name is synonymous with the campaign for quality children's programming, closed her organization, Action for Children's Television, in 1992 after 24 years. But Charren, who is the architect of the Children's Television Act of 1990, is still working on the issue.

"A program like this could, theoretically at least, reach the one, two or 10 families where something's about to blow and this message comes at just the right time," Charren said.

Elizabeth Thoman, president and founder of the Center for Media Literacy, saw the programming as a first step: "I see the station trying to take some responsibility, and that I applaud. But I'd like them to do more than put a couple things on the air after a tragedy."

Among the black-and-white messages viewers were expected to see last night: "The solution starts with you at home. Turn off the TV;" "Tips for talking with your kids. Start early. Make it a conversation, not a lecture. Listen. Address all their fears."

Brown, who credited the station's director of creative services (and former Channel 10 news director), Don Wells, with the idea, said, "We thought this was a very powerful way to make a statement that parents need to take the time and sit down and connect with kids."

Brown said advertisers who bought time between 7 and 9 p.m. are having their spots moved to other program dates and times.

Despite his urging, no other TV station followed Brown's lead.

"We were going to carry the memorial service, but decided not to because of viewer backlash we've been getting about excessive (TV) coverage of the Santana story," said Fred D'Ambrosi, KFMB/Channel 8 news director.

At least two San Diego area radio stations joined in Channel 10's effort last night. KSON/FM 97.3 didn't broadcast country music, instead carrying the Channel 10 "talk with your kids" messages. And KyXy FM 96.5 had a minute of silence at 8 p.m. in honor of the slain Santana students.

While Brown characterized Channel 10's special as unprecedented in local television, MTV paved the way.

On Jan. 10, the cable channel pre-empted programming for 17 hours as part of its "Fight For Your Rights" campaign against hate and violence. During that time, MTV did not air any music videos. Instead, it showed the names and faces of many victims of hate and violence.

"There's all sorts of programming stations could do," said Charren, now a visiting scholar at Harvard University's Graduate School Education. "The Children's Television Act said to stations: As part of your public interest obligations, you greedy grinches, you have to provide some meaningful educational programming for kids.

"Where is that programming?"