Everybody's Business: America's Child­ren

The title is a clever double entendre; today's at-risk children are the business of everyone, and they are also the targets of some innovative programs involving private businesses. Host Katie Couric introduces viewers to some of these programs and their participants, and it becomes immediately apparent that this is far from the usual throw-money-at-it approach. The contrasts between the ‘suits' and the kids are startling at first, but even more interesting is how fast the barriers break down. Money is definitely at issue in many of the cases, but it's only a temporary impediment to real progress. The strength of this video lies in its ability to show how the private sector can pick up some of the slack left by government reduc­tions in social programs. Highly recommended for public and business library collections; this film should definitely spark some creative thinking in community-minded companies. Aud: P. (J. Carlson)