o y
"Toay BrOWll' Journal" can
DO 10 be seen in tern
'cbigan
The public television station
serving Grand Rapids,
Kalamazoo, Battle Cree and
ego WGVC of
Grand Rapids --- dropped the
long-running African
�ri� �e�r�nted
w three wee ago as it
moved to cut overtime costs at
the station.
According to station
manager uck Furman, the
Journal had been aired Sun­
day nigh at 12:30, requiring
the station to pay technicians
OYa'time. To that cost, the
ti opped program-
ming at 12 midnight
Furman said the station had
received only two calls from
the public expressing regret at
the program' removal
urman said the station
hopes to return it to the air,
but in at time slot or where
room could be made to in­
elude it, is unknown at this
time.
Furman said it would be six
to eight weeks before
decision would be made.
en you displace a show
and pre-emp another, you
n'
tend to upset aDC)tbI�
group," Furnuia
ing the station's concenl about
bringing the sh b ck to the
air.
Furman . d if DOODe expres-
ses concern mer of
"Tony Brown' , J
the station ly Will not
bring the show back.
Furman also said the tation
is concerned about
not the show meets
community's needs.
seem to have adeq
to better deter'
minorities in
programming." Purman .
He said two of the statlODS
40 employees are A&ican
American, adding e is
other minority re�eseDtation.
The station two
employees in program lllUaMe
ment, both are . e, he said
"!! uld be helpful to bow
what that '- _':"'r unity C�� _,
like to see," Furmac �''; ::n
may go beyond tim specific
program. We just don't have a
good reading."
Furman said the program
managers from all public
television stations meet
regularly to discuss program­
ming and that a discussion of
the merits of "Tony Brown's
J ournal" is on the agenda of
the group's next meeting.
Viewers who wish to com­
ment OD the show's removal,
can call WGVC at a toll-free
number, 1-800-442-2n1.
PUSH ng for Blae
man gemen
In ports
z
Suit filed to aid
delinquen dad
on
Indigent fathers facing the
threat of jail for delinquent
child support payments now
have a glimmer of hope of
help on the horizon.
Southfield attorney Richard
J. Collins filed a class action
law suit June 12, in Wayne
County Circuit Court seeking
free legal counsel for indigent
parents.
The suit was filed on behalf
of Charles Turner of Detroit,
who cmorced in 1975, has
- been out of or for nine
years and spent time in
jail for faiIio& to pay child sup­
port
Turner sued when he was
notified to appear in Wayne
County Circuit Court June 24
to justify his failure to pay $50
monthly for his child
""11m' a CODStitutional ques­
tion," Collins explained in a
phone interview with the
Michigan Citizen.
According to the attorney,
there are three points provid­
ing the basis of the case.
FIrSt, if a person is poor he
is still guaranteed legal repre­
sentation when he stan to
loose his liberty, Collins said
A eries of court cases led
to the practice, Collins said,
so that, if a person is facing
even a drunk driving charge,
he stands to spend up to 90
days in jail, and therefore is
entitled to a court-appointed
attorney.
The second point Collins
made is that this country h
no debtor's prisons. "You
can't be thrown into jail for
owing money," the attorney
noted
The third point is the issue
of civil contempt. Collins ex­
plained that in civil contempt
it is said, "the person has the
keys to the jail in his po et"
As example, he cited the
case of the person who builds
a fence on his neighbor's
property. H the court orders
the fence removed, the fence­
builder has the power to
remove it Should he refuse
and be jailed for contempt, he
holds the eys to the jail --- all
he has to do is decid to
remove the fence.
In the case of indigent
parents Collins said they
don't carry the e to the jail -
-- they are not able to pay.
Continued on P ge 16
