Interactive television is one of the industry`s newest crazes, with a number of programs allowing viewers to participate via 900 phone numbers. But one of the most unusual uses of interactive TV takes the concept a step further, inviting viewers to use modem-connected personal computers instead of telephones.
Since last September, some viewers of ”Network Earth,” a show on TBS cable, have been able to communicate directly with the program`s producers, guests and other viewers. This unique access is available to members of CompuServe, a computer data base with 750,000 subscribers, based in Columbus, Ohio.
Hosted by George Lawes and seen in Chicago at 10 p.m. Sundays, ”Network Earth” is a fast-paced program providing practical information on
environmental issues. Recent shows have covered the effects of the Persian Gulf war on the environment and reported on the dangers of electromagnetic radiation and lead faucets.
Because of its 30-minute format, the program often is limited in the depth of its treatment of complex issues. As a partial solution, the producers have set up their own special-interest area or ”forum” on CompuServe.
”We wanted to give viewers a way to talk back to television,” said the show`s associate producer, Staffan Sandberg, who conceived the idea for the forum and remains the show`s primary liaison with CompuServe. ”It was intended to give them a way to ask questions about the stories we air.
”It`s also a source of information about news affecting environmental issues, and it creates a link between people to help strengthen grass-roots environmental movements.”
As with the dozens of other special-interest forums on the service, CompuServe users pay only for the connect time, which, depending on the speed of their modems, ranges from $6 to $12.50 an hour.
One of the unique ways CompuServe users communicate with the ”Network Earth” staff is through the on-line ”conference” that immediately follows the program each Sunday.
Hosted by Sandberg, the conference makes available for questioning at least one guest associated with the program`s lead story. CompuServe subscribers type their questions into their computers and await replies from the guest or from other users.
Guests have included the authors of the book ”50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth,” and representatives of the National Wildlife Federation and the Citizens Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste.
Viewers unable to plug into the ”real time” post-show conference can still communicate with the producers and other viewers on the forum`s message system. There are 17 message sections, including those for eco-consumerism, air and water pollution, alternative energy, and animal and wildlife concerns. Judging from the activity on the forum, the two-way flow of information envisioned by the ”Network Earth” staff seems to be materializing.
Sandberg says the show`s production staff regularly discusses story suggestions posted by viewers.
Equally important, the forum has fostered give and take among its members.
A Mt. Prospect mother-to-be responded to a ”Network Earth” segment on the environmental benefits of using cloth over disposable diapers. A Du Page County resident who lives near the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory discussed her concerns about the high cancer rates in her area.
An Ohioan was told how he could check the environmental voting records of his state legislators, and a Montreal resident reported on the dumping of raw sewage into the St. Lawrence River.
The forum also serves a professional purpose. Brian Wood, the environmental reporter for Seattle`s KIRO-TV and a ”Network Earth” forum regular, says he has found it invaluable in covering his beat. And educators are using the forum`s ”Just for Kids!” and ”Teacher`s Workshop” sections. ”In general this whole `Network Earth` show and forum is exactly the direction I see education heading,” said Joe LeDuc, a Lincoln, Neb., junior high school teacher. LeDuc and his students watch ”Network Earth” on videotape in class every Monday.
”Network Earth” and its forum may not change the world overnight, but this link between different electronic media has quickly proven its viability.
