ENERATION

SINGLE LIFE

STN hosts Walt
Fredrikson and Diana
Hunt.

On the Ai r

AMY J. MEHLER

Staff Writer

my STN.
ir want
That's what the crea-

tors of the Singles Televi-
sion Network, a new TV show
for singles, are hoping
Detroiters will soon be saying.

Starting June 17, at 7:30
p.m., Detroit singles can tune
in and watch a half-hour
show, five nights a week,
devoted to stories about sin-
gles.

In most areas, STN can be
seen on Channel 38 (WADL),
which is carried by United,
Continental, Comcast and
Barden cable companies.
Viewers can also dial a 1-
900 number and leave a
message for the man or
woman they see on STN
whom they wish to meet in
person. Each call costs $1.49
and callers must be 18 years
old.
STN is the brainchild of 4-

year-old Jonathon Bray, ac-
cording to his father, Mark.
The way Mark tells it, the
two were horsing around one
Sunday morning about a
year ago when they caught a
glimpse of the "Sunday
Showcase of Homes," a mor-
ning real estate program.
"John said something like,
`I want to see that house,' "
and I suddenly realized, if
you can sell a house on TV,
you can see a person on TV,"
Mr. Bray said from his STN
studio in Sterling Heights.
Mr. Bray, the founder of
Dials Communications, an 8-
year-old Detroit business
which sold 1-800 numbers
for answering machines,
said he was in the mood for
something new.
"I'm always thinking up
new ideas," Mr. Bray said.
"But somehow, this idea
really clicked. I called up my
brother-in-law, and said,
`I've got it; I've got the next
new idea.' "
Mark Baranski, who's

Detroit's
first half•hour
TV show
for singles
begins next
week.

married to Mr. Bray's sister,
has heard this before.
Several years back, the two
brothers-in-law started a cab
company in Naples, Fla.
"Mark is always coming
up with good ideas," Mr.
Baranksi said, "but I agreed
that this was a really good
one."
Mr. Bray, who's from
Boston, said he's trying to
keep STN in the family. He
directs the creative end, his
brother-in-law manages the
finances and Angela Ditta,
Mr. Bray's assistant from
Dials Communications, co-
ordinates tapings and ar-
ranges publicity.
Since the three principals
don't have a permanent
recording studio, they tape
each episode from different
locations around town. Their
premiere edition was taped
two weeks ago at the Mar-
riot Hotel in Troy and was
hosted by Detroit radio and
TV personalities Diana
Hunt and Walt Fredrikson.

The two hosts introduce
each show and announce
weekly singles events.
Viewers have the opportuni-
ty to listen to what local
Detroiters want in their
mate and can respond im-
mediately by phone.
"It works pretty much like
a personal ad," Ms. Ditta
said. "You call the number
on the screen and punch in
your person's individual
code number. They'll either
get back to you or not."
Mr. Bray said he hopes
STN will become the eyes
and ears of the singles com-
munity. If all goes well, he
hopes to expand to East
Coast markets.
"We're here to let singles
of all ages know what's go-
ing on and provide them
with the quickest way to
meet each other," Mr. Bray
said. "We're here for the
average Jack or Jill off the
street."
For information about
STN, call 978-8655.

❑

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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