Among the shows with violent overtones mentioned are "ThunderCats," ''G.I. Joe," and "The Transformers," all of which air weekdays afternoon on Channel 29.
"It's the tail wagging the dog when the merchandising is put first and the show is designed to sell it," said Judy Price, vice-president of children's programs and daytime specials for CBS.
"There's nothing wrong with merchandising. But when merchandising winds up being the primary motivation, the viewer is the loser."
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
"I have tried to go slow, stick to the back roads, take time to meet people, listen to yarns, notice the countryside go by and feel the seasons change," Charles Kuralt said of his two decades of traveling America's byways.
To celebrate the anniversary, Kuralt's put together a one-hour special titled "Twenty Years on the Road with Charles Kuralt" (June 17 at 8 p.m. on Channel 10).
"I've attempted to keep 'relevance' and 'significance' entirely out of all the stories I send back," he said. "If I come upon a real news story out there on the road, I call some real reporter to come cover it."
CHANGING CHANNELS
Even though she was dressed in a clown outfit, 6-year-old Joy Segal was nobody's fool. Performing since the age of 2 (when she first appeared on the ''Al Alberts Show"), Segal charmed high scores out of the judges as she lip-synched Georgia Gibbs' version of "Tweedle Dee" to come in first in a field of 13 vying for a spot on "Puttin' on the Hits," which airs Saturdays at 8 p.m. on Channel 29. The contest was held Saturday at the Oxford Valley Mall. A video of Segal's performance will be sent to the "Hits" producers, who will then choose from other contestants around the country those good enough to compete on the show later in the year.
