Here And Now

Reporter-producer Andy Greenspan has done a marvelous job of pulling together disparate social issues of our day, and packaging them into top-notch 15 minute discussion starters. The four segments we reviewed were: 1) The Media and Presidential Politics, 2) Teenagers and Serious Crime, 3) Drugs, and 4) The Official English Movement. The remaining two segments (for later release) deal with animal research and a First Amendment dispute involving the Ku Klux Klan's right to use cable TV. In the segment on teenage criminals, the question of liability is put to the test: should a 15-year-old killer be treated as an adult, or as a juvenile offender (freeing him/her at the age of 18, regardless of the nature of the crime). Both sides are given an equal airing, which consists of interviews with offenders, legal authorities, and psychologists. And in the segment on English, the autonomy of separate cultures (in this case, Hispanic) is measured against the perceived needs of the nation as a whole, as the question of whether English should be the official language of the country is explored. Each segment is professionally produced, objective in its reportage, and extremely stimulating to the gray matter. Although the cost might seem prohibitive, the actual per tape cost for libraries works out to about $42 each. And the opening sequence for each tape - a color negative of a hound hitting the streets nosing for news-is great. Highly recommended. (Available from: Hound's Head Productions, 1205 Lincoln Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55403.)