TV & VIDEO - Oct. 17, 1988

As the U.S. Senate hustles to complete its end-of-session business, the Washington Post points out that the senior legislative house still hasn’t acted on a bill that continues to fund the United States Information Agency’s Worldnet TV service. At issue is language in the House of Representatives’ 1988 appropriation bill that demands that the agency show an increase in European audience share if it wishes to keep receiving its current share of funds. Because the agency has fallen far short of the bill’s demands, neither the vice presidential nor the second presidential debate was shown on Worldnet--and, if the House bill is passed by the Senate as is, neither will the election coverage itself. The Senate version of the bill allows the agency to receive funding through 1989 but demands certain conditions, including frequent reports to Congress.