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‘Hie Gamecock TV networks making plans in case actors, writers strike by David Bauder Associated Press PASADENA, Calif. — Television executives are hard at work on two sched ules for their networks later this year— one they hope to use and another they fear they’ll have to. If a looming strike by actors and writ ers becomes reality, television viewers can expect a lot of game shows, Survivor knockoffs and marginal series, and less of the fictional characters they’ve grown to love. “Wfe’ve had strike-planning meetings on a bimonthly basis for about 10 months now,” said Scott Sassa, NBC West T) Coast president. “And I hope that those plans are for naught.” However, too many people have talked about the strike as an inevitabili ty. The Writers Guild of America con tract, which covers 11,000 writers, ex pires May 1. Contracts covering 135,000 actors expire on July 1. VV&lkouts would virtually shut down the TV and movie industries. A 22-week strike in 1988 cost the industries millions of dollars and delayed the start of the fall television season. In the contingency plans, nonfiction programming plays a big part. “Everybody has a lot more reality in development, which is not union-de pendent,” said Leslie Moonves, CBS Tele vision president. CBS has already scheduled its third Surw'vorinstallment for next fall. Bet on I, Big Brother coming back if there’s a strike, despite its lukewarm reception last sum mer. NBC has signed the first Survivor winner, Richard Hatch, to be host of an American version of a popular British game show, The Weakest Link. The Cube, a series where 10 strangers are locked in a room with 24 hours to figure out what they have in common, is due from the WB, along with Kiss the Bride, which films real-life wedding pro Special to The Gamecock Television viewers might be seeing more shows like Regis Philbin’s Who Wants to be a Millionaire if actors and writers decide to go on strike. Networks are preparing schedules of game shows and reali ty shows in case the walkout occurs. posals. A game show starring Paul “Pee-Wfee” Reubens called You Don’t Know Jack! is being prepared by ABC. Because Who Wants to Be a Mil lionaire already airs four times a week and could be shown more, ABC may be in a more enviable position than its ri vals. “We’re not looking to just throw something up on our airwaves that we don’t believe in,” said Lloyd Braun, ABC entertainment chief. ABC has also bought the rights to 13 classic James Bond movies that could air next fall in the event of a strike. Over all, movies on TV, which have faded in popularity this year, could become more prevalent. Expect more newsmagazines or news specials, too. “There will definitely be more of a news presence on prime-time,” Moonves said. The WB has already ordered 13 episodes of four entertainment series for the fall that will be prepared before the strike deadline, including the long-run ning comedies For Your Love and The Steve Harvey Show. For acton, the payoff for the extra work is a guarantee their shows will be around for another season. “While no one wants to see a strike happen, we have taken some steps to en sure that we are ready for the fall with original episodes that will take us through the first, of next year,” said Susanne Daniels, the WB entertainment presi dent. Some networks are shelving new se ries that they might have tried out this winter and spring in order to have them for the fall. One example: When I Grow Up, a romantic comedy from producer Glenn Gordon Caron that was ordered by Fox. Network executives would love to see their producers stockpile episodes of established series and, in many cases, have asked for extra shows. But some believe that’s an attempt to undermine the union; producer John Wfells (ER The West Wing) wrote to fellow guild members that he wouldn’t cooperate. Producer Dick Wolf has promised to help NBC by making extra episodes of Law and Order and La w and Order: SVU. NBC has also ordered 13 episodes of a third spinoff, Law and Order M: Crim inal Intent. movie' DIRECTORY DUTCH SQUARE CINEMAS All the Pretty Horses: 1:50,5,7:4C 10:15 Antitrust: 1:20,4:30, 7:20, 9:41 CastAway: 1,4,7,10:10 Double Take: 12:40,3,5:10,7:30 9:30 Emperor’s New Groove: 12:50 2:50,4:50,7:35 The Family Man: 1:20,4:20, 7:20 9:45 Finding Forrester: 12:50,4:20,7:10 10 Miss Congeniality: 1:40,4:40,7:30 9:50 Proof of Life: 9:25 Save the Last Dance: 1:30, 4:40 7:20,9:50 13 Days: 12:30,3:50, 7,10 Traffic: 12:30,3:40, 6:50, 10:1( Vertical Limit: 1:50, 5, 7:50 10:20 Wes Craven Presents Dracula 2000 1:10,3:10,5:15,7:40,9-40 What Wbmen Wint: 1:10,4:10,7:10 9:55 i PAVILION CINEMAS Antitrust: 2,5, 8,10:20 , Cast Away: 1,4,7,10 , Double Take: 2:30,4:45,7:45,9:45 ) The Emperor’s New Groove: 2:15,4:05,6:20,8:15 , The Family Man: 1:20,4:15,7:20 10:05 , Miss Congeniality: 1:15,3:45,6:45, 9:10 , 13 Days: 1:30,4:35, 7:30,10:3C What \Vbmen Want: 1:45,4:25,7:15. , 10:10 REGAL CINEMA 7 , Cast Away: 1:10,4:10,7:10,10:1C Double Take: 1:50,4:40,7:30,10:15 The Family Man: 1:30,4:25, 7:05, I 9:45 Finding Forrester: 12:50,3:50,6:50, 9:50 Miss Congeniality: 1:40,4:20,7:15, 9:40 Save the Last Dance: 1:20, 4:30, 7:20,10:05 Traffic: 1,4,7,10 NICKELODEON THEATRE Cecil B. Demented: 7,9 ST. ANDREWS ROAD MULTI CINEMAS 0 Charlie’s Angels: 2:20,4:20,6:15, 8:05 Chicken Run: 2:15,3:45 The Legend of Bagger Vance: 2:30, 7:25 Meet the Parents: 2:10, 4:10, 6:10,8:10 Man of Honor: 5 Remember the Titans: 2,4,6,8 What Lies Beneath: 5:15,7:35 Study finds science textbooks contain numerous errors Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. — Twelve of the most popular science textbooks used at middle schools nationwide are riddled with errors, a new study has found. Researchers compiled 500 pages of errors, varying from maps showing the equator passing through the southern United States to a photo of singer Linda Ronstadt labeled as a silicon crystal. None of the 12 textbooks has an ac ceptable level of accuracy, said John Hu bisz, a North Carolina State University physics professor who led the two-year survey released earlier this month. “I “These are terrible books, and they’rt probably a strong component of why wc do so poorly in science,” he said Hubisr estimated about 85 percent of childrer in the United States use the textbooks examined “The books have a very large num ber of errors, many irrelevant photographs, complicated illustrations, experiments that could not possibly work and draw ings that represented impossible situa tions,” he told The Charlotte Observer. The study was financed with a $64,000 grant from the David and Lu cile Packard Foundation. A team of re searchers, including middle school teach ers and college professors, reviewed the 12 textbooks for factual errors. One textbook even misstates New ton’s first law of physics, a staple of phys ical science for centuries. Errors in the multi-volume Prentice Hall “Science” series included an in correct depiction of what happens to light when it passes through a prism and the Ronstadt photo. Hubisz said the Prentice Hall series was probably the most er ror-filled. Prentice Hall acknowledged some errors, partly because states alter stan dards at the last minute and publishers have to rush to make changes. Ill One header Lir E opener 249 Tech Fam 1 Jan 18th, 2001 8pm RH Ballroom m Free Flip-Hop concert ^ ? far more information, call 777-7130 ADVISORY -fm JILLIAN'S 800 GERVAIS ST (COLUMBIA SC