7/31/02

LC020731

VAL ZAVALA>> ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT --

JESS MARLOW>> PEOPLE COMPLAIN THERE'S A HUNDRED TV CHANNELS AND STILL NOTHING WORTH WATCHING, BUT IT GETS EVEN WORSE IF THE LOCAL CABLE COMPANY GOES AWAY.

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> IN LOS ANGELES, IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE 250,000 SUBSCRIBERS WHO ARE WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT THEIR CABLE IS GOING TO BE ON TOMORROW.

>> WE HAVE NO OPTION CABLE-WISE, BUT IT'S JUST BEEN TERRIBLE RECEPTION FOR YEARS. YOU KNOW, IN AND OUT, IT'S JUST A NIGHTMARE.

VAL>> HE'S SURROUNDED BY BODYGUARDS AND CARRIES A GUN. TONIGHT WE'LL TAKE YOU INSIDE THE DANGEROUS WORLD OF A TIJUANA NEWSMAN.

JESUS BLANCORNELAS>> WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION EXISTS IN MEXICO. THE PROBLEM IS, SOMEONE HAS TO EXERCISE IT. THE PROBLEM IS, WHEN YOU EXERCISE IT, YOU FACE RISKS.

JESS>> YOU'VE HEARD OF THE BIG FILM FESTIVALS AT CANNES AND SUNDANCE, BUT THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF LESSER-KNOWN EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD THAT PROVIDE CINEMATIC JEWELS IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK. TONIGHT WE GET AN INSIDER'S TOUR FROM THE LOS ANGELES TIMES RESPECTED FILM CRITIC, KENNETH TURAN.

VAL>> THESE STORIES COMING UP NEXT ON LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE FOLLOWING FOUNDATIONS:

THE L.K. WHITTIER FOUNDATION
DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE BY SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENDEAVORS IN THE FIELDS OF MEDICINE, HEALTH, SCIENCE AND EDUCATION.

AND THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT
THE STATE'S LARGEST HEALTH FOUNDATION SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS THAT DIRECTLY IMPROVE THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIA'S DIVERSE COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ENDOWMENT, A PARTNER FOR HEALTHIER COMMUNITIES.

VAL>> GOOD EVENING, I'M VAL ZAVALA.

JESS>> AND I'M JESS MARLOW.

HATING THE CABLE COMPANY IS SOMETHING OF AN AMERICAN TRADITION. IN MOST CITIES, THEY HAVE A MONOPOLY AND, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE SERVICE YOU'RE GETTING, IT'S TOO BAD. BUT THOUSANDS OF CABLE SUBSCRIBERS IN LOS ANGELES AND THE SURROUNDING AREA ARE WONDERING WHETHER THEY'LL EVEN HAVE A CABLE COMPANY.

VAL>> THEY'RE THE PEOPLE WHO GET SERVICE FROM ADELPHIA, THE CABLE TV GIANT THAT'S BEEN HAMMERED BY SCANDAL. THIS WEEK THE COMPANY FACES ANOTHER MAJOR HURDLE: CONVINCING THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES THAT ADELPHIA IS STILL A VIABLE OPERATION IN THE WAKE OF THE COMPANY'S MASSIVE PROBLEMS. GAY YEE HAS OUR STORY.

GAY YEE>> IT WAS A GRIM AND EMBARRASSING DAY FOR THE FOUNDER OF ADELPHIA AND HIS SONS. FEDERAL AUTHORITIES HAULED THEM OFF TO JAIL FOR STEALING.

LARRY THOMPSON>> THE COMPLAINT ALLEGES THAT MEMBERS OF THE RIGAS FAMILY THAT CONTROLLED ADELPHIA SYSTEMATICALLY LOOTED THE CORPORATION. IN LESS THAN FOUR YEARS, THE COMPLAINT ALLEGES, THEY STOLE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AND, THROUGH THEIR FRAUD, CAUSED LOSSES TO INVESTORS OF MORE THAN $60 BILLION DOLLARS.

GAY YEE>> THE RIGAS FAMILY HAD ALREADY LOST CONTROL OF ADELPHIA CABLE. THEY WERE FORCED OUT BY SCANDAL IN MAY. BUT FOR THOUSANDS OF LOCAL ADELPHIA CUSTOMERS, THE ARRESTS AND THE COMPANY'S CHAPTER ELEVEN STATUS OFFERED REAL CAUSE FOR CONCERN.

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> WE HAVE A CRISIS OF CONFIDENCE WITH RESPECT TO ADELPHIA AND THAT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE UNLESS ACTIONS MAKE THAT GET BETTER.

GAY YEE>> L.A. CITY ATTORNEY, ROCKY DELGADILLO, SAYS ADELPHIA'S CUSTOMERS DESERVE SOME ANSWERS.

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> IN LOS ANGELES, IN PARTICULAR, WE HAVE 250,000 SUBSCRIBERS WHO ARE WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT THEIR CABLE IS GOING TO BE ON TOMORROW.

GAY YEE>> THE ANSWER FROM ADELPHIA IS YES, THEY ARE STAYING IN BUSINESS. THE COMPANY HAS TAKEN OUT NEWSPAPER ADS IN HOPES OF REASSURING CUSTOMERS AND THEY'RE AIRING TV SPOTS FEATURING ADELPHIA INTERIM CEO, ERLAND KAILBOURNE.

ERLAND KAILBOURNE>> "ADELPHIA HAS RECENTLY EMBARKED ON A REORGANIZATION PROCESS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE FINE SERVICES THAT YOU EXPECT FROM THIS COMPANY. WE ARE WORKING HARD TO RESTRUCTURE OUR COMPANY FOR THE FUTURE."

GAY YEE>> ADELPHIA'S CURRENT FIFTEEN-YEAR AGREEMENT TO OPERATE IN FIVE AREAS OF LOS ANGELES ENDS THIS FRIDAY AND THE COMPANY IS DESPERATE FOR AN EXTENSION. BUT WHEN THE CEO CAME HERE LAST WEEK, CITY OFFICIALS WERE SKEPTICAL.

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> WE'RE GOING TO DO ALL WE CAN TO PROTECT THE CONSUMERS AND WE'VE STATED PUBLICLY OUR POSITION THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REALLY TOUGH ON ADELPHIA.

GAY YEE>> ONE BIG QUESTION, CAN ADELPHIA STILL UPGRADE ITS SYSTEM TO PROVIDE LOS ANGELES CUSTOMERS WITH BROADBAND AND INTERNET SERVICES AS THEY'VE PROMISED TO DO? AFTER THE COMPANY FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY, ADELPHIA WAS ABLE TO OBTAIN LOANS THAT WERE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THE CRISIS. ADELPHIA'S REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENT SAYS THAT WILL ALLOW THE COMPANY TO COMPLETE THOSE LONG-PROMISED UPGRADES.

LEE PERRON>> THE FACT THAT WE NOW HAVE FINANCING THAT GIVES US OPERATING CAPITAL, THAT GIVES US FUNDING TO PERFORM REBUILDS, THOSE ARE ALL VERY POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE THINGS THAT HAVE OCCURRED JUST RECENTLY AND WE REALLY PLAN ON TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF THOSE GOING FORWARD.

GAY YEE>> LEE PERRON SAYS UPGRADES ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY IN VENTURA, SIMI VALLEY, ANAHEIM AND, AS OF THIS WEEK, IN WEST LOS ANGELES. BUT CITY OFFICIALS STILL AREN'T CONVINCED.

ROCKY DELGADILLO>> THE PROOF IS IN THE PUDDING. IN OTHER WORDS, ARE THEY ACTUALLY DOING IT? THEY CAN TELL US ALL THE NICE AND SWEET THINGS THEY WANT, BUT UNLESS THEY ARE ACTUALLY UPGRADING THE SYSTEM, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE SATISFIED.

GAY YEE>> ANOTHER ISSUE FOR ADELPHIA? BASIC CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. IN THE SILVER LAKE NEIGHBORHOOD, WE DIDN'T FIND EVEN ONE HAPPY SUBSCRIBER.

>> WE HAVE NO OPTION CABLE-WISE, BUT IT'S JUST BEEN TERRIBLE RECEPTION FOR YEARS. YOU KNOW, IN AND OUT, IT'S JUST A NIGHTMARE.

>> JUST RECENTLY ON SATURDAY, THIS PAST WEEKEND, IT WAS OUT FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS. I COULDN'T GET THROUGH TO CUSTOMER SERVICE. I FINALLY CALLED THE NATIONAL NUMBER. ALL THEY COULD TELL ME WAS THE SERVICE WAS OUT.

>> WE BUY THE CHEAPEST BOTTOM OF THE LINE ADELPHIA AND, BELIEVE ME, WE'RE GETTING BOTTOM OF THE LINE.

>> WHAT DO I THINK OF ADELPHIA? I HATE IT. I'M REALLY, REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO MAYBE GETTING A DISH.

GAY YEE>> GETTING A DISH. THAT'S WHAT FOLKS AT DIRECTV HOPE PEOPLE WILL DO. THE LOS ANGELES-BASED SATELLITE OPERATOR IS CAPITALIZING ON ADELPHIA'S SCANDAL TO ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS. "SATISFIED WITH ADELPHIA CABLE? WE DIDN'T THINK SO". THAT'S HOW THE AD READS IN THE L.A. TIMES OFFERING NEW SUBSCRIBERS A HARD-TO-BEAT PRICE.

STEVE COX>> WE PUT THAT SPECIFIC OFFER IN THE MARKETPLACE HERE IN LOS ANGELES REALLY JUST RECOGNIZING THE FACT THAT ADELPHIA HAD CREATED A LOT OF AWARENESS OF ITS OWN PROBLEMS.

GAY YEE>> BUT LEE PERRON SAYS ADELPHIA IS READY TO FIGHT TO SURVIVE HERE AND HE INSISTS THE COMPANY HAS NO INTENTION OF SELLING OFF ITS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSETS IN SPITE OF WHAT THE RUMOR MILL SAYS.

LEE PERRON>> THAT'S OFF THE TABLE FOR US AS A COMPANY RIGHT NOW. THERE ARE NO PLANS AT THIS TIME TO TAKE A LOOK AT SELLING THE ASSETS IN THE LOS ANGELES-SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MARKET. WE ACTUALLY SEE THIS PARTICULAR MARKET IN REGARDS TO GROWTH AND IN REGARDS TO DEMOGRAPHICS AS BEING AN INCREDIBLE MARKET FOR THE COMPANY TO HAVE AND WE THINK IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT COMPONENT ON US BUILDING ON OUR FUTURE GOING FORWARD.

JESS>> LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCILMAN, JACK WEISS, IS HERE TONIGHT. HE'S BEEN KEEPING A CLOSE WATCH ON THE ADELPHIA SCANDAL AND WHAT IT ALL MEANS TO LOCAL CABLE SUBSCRIBERS. THEIR FRANCHISE RUNS OUT THIS WEEK. IS THE CITY GOING TO EXTEND THE AGREEMENT?

JACK WEISS>> WELL, IT'S A POTENTIAL DISASTER AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A VERY HARD DECISION AT THE END OF THIS WEEK. THIS IS AN ISSUE WHERE THE NATIONAL CRISIS, THE NATIONAL CORPORATE CRISIS, INTERSECTS WITH THE DAILY LIVES OF NOT JUST A QUARTER MILLION PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, BUT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER FOLKS WHO LIVE IN THE CITIES OF WEST HOLLYWOOD, SANTA MONICA, BEVERLY HILLS AND ALL THE OTHER CITIES AROUND LOS ANGELES.

THIS IS AN ENORMOUSLY PROFITABLE AREA FOR ADELPHIA. THIS IS THE CROWN JEWEL IN ANY CABLE COMPANY'S CROWN. FOR THAT REASON, I TOLD THE CHAIRMAN OF ADELPHIA WHEN HE CAME TO THE LOS ANGELES CITY COUNCIL LAST WEEK THAT IT WAS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT THERE NOT BE ANY FURTHER CORPORATE SHENANIGANS IN PENNSYLVANIA. THEY NEED TO PUT THEIR MONEY WHERE THEIR MOUTH IS HERE IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA.

VAL>> BUT TELL PEOPLE, BECAUSE WE JUST SAW THE PEOPLE SAY THEY HATE IT, THE SERVICE IS TERRIBLE, I'M SWITCHING TO DIRECTV. THEY'RE GOING TO SAY WHY DOESN'T THE CITY JUST CANCEL THE CONTRACT AND GET IN A BETTER CABLE COMPANY? WHY IS THAT NOT POSSIBLE?

JACK WEISS>> WELL, THE REASON IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER CABLE COMPANY THAT IS IN THE OFFING THAT WANTS TO STEP IN AND PROVIDE THE SERVICE.

JESS>> IF THIS IS SUCH A PROFITABLE FRANCHISE, YOU'D THINK THEY'D BE CLAMBERING TO DO SO.

JACK WEISS>> AND HERE IS WHERE THIS NATIONAL CORPORATE CRISIS REALLY HITS HOME. BEFORE ADELPHIA FILED FOR BANKRUPTCY, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER CABLE COMPANIES THAT WERE OUT THERE DOING THEIR DUE DILIGENCE INTO ADELPHIA AND LOOKING INTO A POSSIBLE --

VAL>> -- LOOKING INTO BUYING IT?

JACK WEISS>> LOOKING INTO A POSSIBLE ACQUISITION OF PERHAPS THE L.A.-BASED ASSETS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT THE STRONG SUSPICION IS THAT THEY DIDN'T LIKE WHAT THEY FOUND, THEY DIDN'T LIKE WHAT THEY SAW, THEY DIDN'T LIKE WHAT THEY LEARNED. SO THEY DECIDED THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE A RISK ON THIS HORRIBLY MESSED UP COMPANY AND ITS MESSED UP FINANCES AND THEY WOULD LET THINGS ROLL FOR A LITTLE BIT.

SO RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE ARE DOING IN THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, WHAT THE CITY ATTORNEY, ROCKY DELGADILLO, AND I ARE DOING IS MAKING SURE THAT THIS CITY ROLLS OUT THE RED CARPET SO THAT A FUTURE CABLE COMPANY WON'T FACE ANY BUREAUCRATIC HURDLES TO COMING IN AND TAKING OVER ADELPHIA. THAT WOULD BE A TERRIFIC OUTCOME, AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED.

VAL>> WHAT KIND OF TIME FRAME ARE WE LOOKING AT IT, THOUGH?

JACK WEISS>> WELL, THE SOONER THE BETTER. YOU KNOW, THEY'RE IN BANKRUPTCY RIGHT NOW. ON THE ONE HAND, THAT CAN BE A MESS, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THAT BANKRUPTCY JUDGE HAS AN INCENTIVE TO MAXIMIZE THE ASSETS FOR THE FOLKS WHO ARE HOLDING THE NOTES IN BANKRUPTCY. SO IT'S MY HOPE THAT, IF A CABLE COMPANY COMES AROUND AND IS INTERESTED IN ADELPHIA AND IF THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES TURNS ON A DIME, THAT A BANKRUPTCY JUDGE BACK EAST WILL SEE THAT IT'S IN THE INTEREST OF ADELPHIA AND ITS SHAREHOLDERS TO LIKEWISE TURN ON A DIME.

JESS>> THAT FRANCHISE SHOULD PRODUCE REAL INCOME FOR THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES. HAS ADELPHIA BEEN PAYING ITS --

JACK WEISS>> -- WELL, AS OF YESTERDAY, ADELPHIA MADE ANOTHER LATE PAYMENT TO THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES, BUT THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF THE ANALYSIS AND NOT THE END OF THE ANALYSIS FOR ME. BECAUSE WHAT ADELPHIA HAS BEEN FAILING TO DO IS PROVIDE HIGH-LEVEL CUSTOMER SERVICE. WE SEE ENORMOUSLY LOW LEVELS OF CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND HIGHER LEVELS OF FRUSTRATION THAN EVER BEFORE.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS A MARKET WHICH WOULD BE HAPPY TO PAY FOR HIGH-SPEED INTERNET ACCESS AND OTHER SORTS OF HIGH-SPEED AMENITIES THAT YOU CAN GET IN OTHER COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE NATION. WE DON'T WANT THEM AS FREEBIES HERE IN LOS ANGELES. WE'RE WILLING TO PAY A REASONABLE EXTRA FEE FOR THEM, BUT ADELPHIA'S FAILURE TO BUILD OUT ITS SYSTEM HAS MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR CONSUMERS TO PURCHASE WHAT CONSUMERS AROUND THE NATION ARE USED TO BY NOW.

VAL>> L.A. CITY COUNCILMAN, JACK WEISS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE'RE GOING TO BE WATCHING THIS ONE VERY CLOSELY.

JACK WEISS>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

VAL>> TOMORROW ON LIFE AND TIMES, THE GANG TRUCE IS HISTORY AND SOME LOS ANGELES NEIGHBORHOODS ARE PAYING THE PRICE WITH A HUGE SURGE IN SHOOTINGS AND MURDERS. CAN A FORMER GANG MEMBER HELP BROKER A NEW PEACE AGREEMENT?

>> I'M NOT HERE TO STICK UP FOR SOMEBODY OUT THERE DOING WRONG. MY SON GOT MURDERED. IF ANYBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO HATE A GANG MEMBER, I GOT THE RIGHT TO HATE HIM. THEY TOOK MY CARBON COPY. THEY TOOK MY KID.

JESS>> MANY OF US TAKE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS FOR GRANTED, BUT JUST THREE HOURS SOUTH OF HERE COVERING THE NEWS CAN BE RISKY BUSINESS. TONIGHT WE HAVE THE STORY OF A MEXICAN JOURNALIST WHO PUTS HIS LIFE ON THE LINE EVERY TIME HE GOES TO WORK. HIS JOB? COVERING DRUG TRAFFICKING AND CORRUPTION IN THE CITY OF TIJUANA.

VAL>> JESUS BLANCORNELAS HAS SEEN HIS COLLEAGUES GUNNED DOWN AND HAS SURVIVED AN ATTEMPT ON HIS OWN LIFE. RECENTLY, BLANCORNELAS COMPLETED A BOOK ABOUT HIS CRUSADE AGAINST TIJUANA'S DRUG LORDS AND TONIGHT IN A PIECE SAUL GONZALEZ BROUGHT US BACK IN 1998, WE FIND OUT WHY BLANCORNELAS REFUSES TO QUIT EVEN IN THE FACE OF DEATH.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> IT'S FRIDAY AFTERNOON IN THE TIJUANA SUBURB OF JIBAUDRAMAU AND IT LOOKS LIKE MARSHALL LAW HAS BEEN DECLARED. BUT THE SOLDIERS ARE HERE TO MAKE SURE ONE MAN STAYS ALIVE, THIS MAN, JESUS BLANCORNELAS, WITH ALL THE SECURITY AROUND AND A PISTOL IN HIS HAND. YOU MIGHT THINK HE'S A THREATENED DIPLOMAT OR CRIME BOSS TURNED GOVERNMENT INFORMANT, BUT HE'S ONE OF MEXICO'S MOST RESPECTED JOURNALISTS AND A MAN SOME PEOPLE IN TIJUANA WOULD LIKE TO SEE DEAD.

JESUS BLANCORNELAS>> WE KNOW WE'RE SUBJECT TO A RISK. FORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SECURITY PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE GOING TO SHUT UP. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP WORKING.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> BLANCORNELAS IS THE FOUNDER AND EDITOR OF ZETA, ONE OF MEXICO'S LEADING INVESTIGATIVE NEWSPAPERS, AND A PUBLICATION REWRITING THE RULES OF JOURNALISM IN HIS COUNTRY.
JESUS BLANCORNELAS>> WE'RE DOING THIS BECAUSE WE WANT TO HEAR THE VOICE.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> TO UNDERSTAND HOW JESUS BLANCORNELAS BECAME ONE EVER MEXICO'S MOST THREATENED FIGURES, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE TOWN THAT'S HIS BEAT.

[FILM CLIP]

SAUL GONZALES>> TIJUANA. IT'S A CITY WITH THE REPUTATION AS AN ANYTHING-GOES BORDER PLAYGROUND, A PLACE THAT INVITES VISITORS TO LEAVE THEIR INHIBITIONS AT THE CITY LIMITS AND INDULGE IN GOOD TIMES AND A TOUCH OF VICE. TIJUANA IS ALSO A CITY DEFINED BY THE BORDER, A PLACE WHERE THOUSANDS OF MEXICANS ARRIVE EVERY WEEK DESPERATE TO FIND A WAY, ANY WAY, TO GET OVER THE FENCE TO A BETTER LIFE IN THE NORTH.

BUT IN THE NINETIES, TIJUANA HAS ALSO BECOME SOMETHING ELSE. IT HAS BECOME A BLOODY BATTLE GROUND BETWEEN RIVAL DRUG CARTELS, CRIMINAL EMPIRES BEYOND THE REACH OF THE LAW, SEEKING TO CONTROL NARCOTIC SMUGGLING INTO THE UNITED STATES. ZETA'S REPORTERS ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF TIJUANA'S DRUG WARS BREAKING STORIES THAT EXPOSE THE TRAFFICKER'S KILLERS, SMUGGLING STRATEGIES, AND CORRUPTION OF COPS AND PROSECUTORS.

JESUS BLANCORNELAS>> WE'RE JOURNALISTS AND THEY ARE NARCO-TRAFFICKERS. THEY ARE THE NEWS. WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE NEWS.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> ZETA'S HEADLINES ENRAGE THE DRUG WARS AND, ON NOVEMBER 27 OF LAST YEAR, THEY DECIDED TO STRIKE BACK. AS HE DROVE TO HIS OFFICE THAT DAY, AN ASSASSINATION TEAM AMBUSHED BLANCORNELAS. THE EDITOR'S BODYGUARD AND ONE OF THE ATTACKERS WERE KILLED IN THE EXCHANGE OF GUNFIRE. BLANCORNELAS WAS SHOT THREE TIMES, NEARLY LOSING HIS LIFE. ONE OF THE FIRST JOURNALISTS TO ARRIVE ON THE SEEN WAS HIS SON RENE, A PHOTOGRAPHER FOR ZETA.

RENE BLANCO VILLALON>> AS SOON AS I GOT DOWN FROM MY CAR, I STARTED TAKING PICTURES OF MY DAD IN THE CAR. AFTER I TOOK THE PICTURES, AFTER MY DAD WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEN I WENT BACK TO MY HOUSE TO TAKE A SHOWER, THAT'S WHEN IT HIT ME. THAT'S WHEN I REALIZED WHAT WAS GOING ON. I SAID TO MY MOM, YOU KNOW WHAT? I JUST SAW MY DAD ALMOST DYING IN THE STRETCHER.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> LIKE HIS FATHER, RENE MUST ALSO TAKE PRECAUTIONS BECAUSE OF NUMEROUS DEATH THREATS TO HIS FAMILY. WHEN HE GOES OUT ON ASSIGNMENT, HE TAKES BOTH HIS CAMERAS AND ARMED GUARDS. FORMIDABLE PROTECTION, BUT NOT ENOUGH, SAYS RENE IF THE TRAFFICKERS REALLY WANT TO KILL HIM.

RENE BLANCO VILLALON>> DEALING WITH THESE KINDS OF PEOPLE, WELL, THEY CAN DO ANYTHING THEY WANT AT THE TIME THEY WANT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW OR MAYBE THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> AS FOR JESUS BLANCORNELAS, THE DRUG LORDS HAVEN'T SUCCEEDED IN KILLING HIM, BUT THEY HAVE TURNED HIM INTO A PRISONER IN HIS OWN CITY.

JESUS BLANCORNELAS>> MY ROUTINE IS FROM THE NEWSPAPER TO MY HOME, THEN FROM MY HOME TO THE NEWSPAPER. I'M A PERSON WHO CAN'T GO TO A RESTAURANT, I CAN'T GO TO A PARTY, I CAN'T GO TO THE UNITED STATES. WHEREVER I ARRIVE SOMEPLACE, THE POLICE HAVE TO CHECK OUT THE PLACE WHERE I AM GOING TO BE.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> BUT IF THE DRUG LORDS THINK THEIR GUNS AND THREATS WILL SILENCE BLANCORNELAS AND HIS PAPER, HE SAYS THEY'RE WRONG.

JESUS >> I DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN AS A MACHO MAN, A BRAVE MAN, A SUPER MAN. SIMPLY AND SINCERELY, I JUST WANT TO BE A NEWSPAPER MAN.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> BLANCORNELAS'S REPORTERS ARE NOT ONLY TRYING TO CLEAN UP TIJUANA, THEY'RE ALSO ATTEMPTING TO REFORM THE OLD AND CORRUPT CUSTOMS WITHIN MEXICAN JOURNALISM.

RENE BLANCO VILLALON>> YEAH, I MEAN, THERE WAS A LOT OF CORRUPTION.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN? LIKE I'LL GIVE YOU MONEY AND YOU WRITE ME A GOOD ARTICLE?

RENE BLANCO VILLALON>> YEAH, BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE POLITICAL GUYS WHO SAY, OKAY, DON'T WRITE BAD STUFF ABOUT ME. WELL, OKAY, YOU GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY AND THAT'S IT AND I'LL WRITE GOOD STUFF NO MATTER WHAT. THAT USED TO GO ON AND ON AND ON AND NOW IT'S DIFFERENT.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> BLANCORNELAS'S LASTING LEGACY MIGHT BE HIS CULTIVATION OF A NEW GENERATION OF MEXICAN REPORTERS. THEY'RE YOUNG AND AGGRESSIVE AND READY TO TACKLE STILL TABOO SUBJECTS IN MEXICO.

ADELA NAVARO>> AFTER OUR BOSS WAS ATTACKED, WELL, JESUS WASN'T HERE. JESUS BLANCORNELAS IS THE HEAD OF THIS TEAM AND THE FIRST THING WE THOUGHT ABOUT WAS WE NEED TO GET THIS PAPER OUT BECAUSE JESUS'S WORK, EVEN IF HE'S IN THE HOSPITAL, CAN'T END. THEY CAN'T WIN. WE HAVE TO CONTINUE WITH THE NEWSPAPER.

JESUS BLANCORNELAS>> WE ARE OF THE OPINION THAT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION EXISTS IN MEXICO. THE PROBLEM IS, SOMEONE HAS TO EXERCISE IT. THE PROBLEM IS, WHEN YOU EXERCISE IT, YOU FACE RISKS.

SAUL GONZALEZ>> RISKS THAT ZETA'S REPORTERS TAKE DAILY AS THEY FIGHT BOTH FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND A MORE PEACEFUL CITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF TIJUANA. I'M SAUL GONZALEZ FOR LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT.

VAL>> JESUS BLANCORNELAS HAS JUST PUBLISHED HIS BOOK IN MEXICO. IT'S CALLED "THE CARTEL: THE MOST POWERFUL MAFIA IN THE HISTORY OF LATIN AMERICA". AND IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN READING HIS NEWSPAPER, YOU CAN FIND IT ON THE WEB AT WWW.ZETATIJUANA.COM. THE PAPER IS PUBLISHED IN SPANISH.

LIFEANDTIMES@KCET.ORG
WWW.KCET.ORG
LIFE AND TIMES TONIGHT
4401 SUNSET BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90027
(323) 953-5555

JESS>> YOU'VE UNDOUBTEDLY SEEN KENNETH TURAN'S FILM REVIEWS IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES, BUT YOU MAY NOT KNOW HE IS A REAL GLOBETROTTER AND SCREENS MANY OF THOSE MOVIES AT FILM FESTIVALS AROUND THE WORLD.

VAL>> NOW THE BIG FESTIVALS LIKE CANNES AND SUNDANCE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR DECADES, BUT TODAY IT SEEMS THAT EVERY CITY, COUNTRY AND COMMUNITY HAS ITS OWN LITTLE FILM FESTIVAL. WELL, KENNETH TURAN HAS BEEN TO MOST OF THEM AND HE GIVES US THE RUNDOWN IN HIS NEW BOOK, "SUNDANCE TO SARAJEVO: FILM FESTIVALS AND THE WORLD THEY MADE" AND TONIGHT HE'S HERE TO TELL US ABOUT THEM. WELCOME TO LIFE AND TIMES.

KENNETH TURAN>> GOOD TO BE HERE.

JESS>> YOUR SUBTITLE "AND THE WORLD THEY HAVE MADE"?

KENNETH TURAN>> WELL, IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD NOW. I MEAN, A LOT OF THESE FILM FESTIVALS EXIST BECAUSE THEATERS AREN'T SHOWING THOSE KINDS OF FILMS. PEOPLE CAN'T BE BOTHERED. THEY CAN'T WORK IT INTO THEIR LIVES TO GO TO OFFBEAT FILMS DURING THE REGULAR YEAR. BUT IF YOU HAVE A FESTIVAL, PEOPLE SAY, OH, MY GOD, IT'S A FESTIVAL, AND THEN THEY MAKE TIME TO GO. SO EVEN THOUGH THESE FILMS ARE KIND OF LANGUISHING IN THEATERS SOMETIMES, FESTIVALS ARE DOING VERY WELL.

VAL>> ARE FESTIVALS LUCRATIVE FOR ANYBODY INVOLVED?

KENNETH TURAN>> WELL, OFTEN THEY'RE LUCRATIVE FOR THE CITIES THAT PUT THEM ON BECAUSE IT'S TOURISM DOLLARS SOMETIMES. IT'S RESTAURANTS, IT'S HOTELS, IT'S AIRFARE, SO CITIES SEE THERE'S REALLY NO DOWN SIDE FOR THEM TO PUTTING THESE FESTIVALS ON. THEY REALLY ARE, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE PROLIFERATING LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS.

JESS>> ARE THESE, AS THEY SAY IN THE ART BUSINESS, JURIED FESTIVALS?

KENNETH TURAN>> OFTEN NOT. YOU KNOW, I MEAN, OFTEN THEY'RE NOT JURIED FESTIVALS AND FILMMAKERS PREFER THEM NOT TO BE JURIED SOMETIMES BECAUSE THEN THEY WON'T LOSE. YOU KNOW, YES, THEY WON'T WIN, BUT THEY ALSO WON'T LOSE. SOMETIMES THEY'RE JURIED. YOU KNOW, THEY JUST MOSTLY SHOW A LOT OF FILMS AND THEY REALLY MOSTLY BENEFIT THE PEOPLE IN THE TOWN THAT THEY'RE TAKING PLACE IN. THEY'RE VERY RARE IS THE FESTIVAL THAT PEOPLE COME FROM OTHER STATES OR OTHER COUNTRIES. MOST FESTIVALS REALLY BENEFIT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING RIGHT NEAR THE THEATERS.

JESS>> SO WHEN YOUR CO-CONSPIRATOR, ROGER EBERT, HAS HIS FILM FESTIVAL IN CHAMPAGNE, ILLINOIS, THE UNAPPRECIATED --

KENNETH TURAN>> -- THE OVERLOOKED.

JESS>> THE OVERLOOKED FILM FESTIVAL, THAT DOES A BIG SELLING JOB FOR CHAMPAGNE, HUH?

KENNETH TURAN>> FOR CHAMPAGNE AND FOR CHICAGO. IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH TO CHICAGO THAT PEOPLE COME FROM THERE. YOU KNOW, THERE'S ACTUALLY REJECTS FILM FESTIVALS. THERE ARE SO MANY FILM FESTIVALS THAT THERE ARE FILM FESTIVALS WHERE YOU HAVE TO PROVIDE A LETTER OF REJECTION FROM ANOTHER FESTIVAL TO BE CONSIDERED (LAUGHTER) AND EVEN THE REJECTS FILM FESTIVALS REJECT FILMS.

VAL>> (LAUGHTER) BUT IS THERE SUCH A THING AS TOO MANY FESTIVALS? WE HAVE LATINO FILM FESTIVALS, GAY AND LESBIAN FILM FESTIVALS, THIS FESTIVAL, THAT FESTIVAL. I MEAN, IS THERE A POINT AT WHICH, I DON'T KNOW, THEY START DILUTING EACH OTHER OR THERE'S TOO MUCH?

KENNETH TURAN>> I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. WE HAVEN'T HIT THAT POINT YET, THOUGH WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING CLOSE TO IT, ESPECIALLY IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA. THERE ARE SO MANY FESTIVALS AND ALSO ALL THE BEACH COMMUNITIES HAVE THEIR OWN FESTIVALS. REDONDO BEACH, LAGUNA BEACH, NEWPORT BEACH, THEY ALL HAVE FESTIVALS. FINALLY, THEY ARE GOING TO START CANNIBALIZING EACH OTHER AND I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME GETTING SPONSORSHIP AND GETTING FANS, BUT SO FAR THAT HASN'T HAPPENED.

JESS>> BUT AS A CRITIC, YOU'RE REALLY PRETTY MUCH REQUIRED TO GO TO A LOT OF THOSE.

KENNETH TURAN>> A LOT OF FESTIVALS. YOU KNOW, PARADOXICALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT MOTIVATED THIS BOOK WAS MY BEING KIND OF TIRED OF FESTIVALS. YOU KNOW, I SEE A LOT OF FILMS. I DON'T NEED TO SEE MORE FILMS. WHAT I REALLY DECIDED I WANTED TO DO WAS GO TO FESTIVALS IN PLACES WHERE THERE WAS SOMETHING TO WRITE ABOUT BESIDES THE FILMS, WHERE THERE WAS SOME KIND OF POLITICAL OVERLAY, SOME KIND OF CULTURAL OVERLAY THAT I COULD LOOK INTO AND INVESTIGATE AND REPORT ON AND NOT JUST LOOK AT MOVIES BECAUSE I SEE ENOUGH MOVIES.

JESS>> SARAJEVO QUALIFIES IN THAT REGARD.

KENNETH TURAN>> OH, I THINK, FOR ME, SARAJEVO WAS THE MOST INTERESTING ONE OF ALL THE FESTIVALS I WENT TO.

VAL>> WHAT DID YOU DISCOVER THERE?

KENNETH TURAN>> WELL, I DISCOVERED WHAT FILM MEANT TO PEOPLE. I MEAN, WE JUST THINK OF FILM IN A VERY PARTICULAR WAY. WE THINK OF IT AS SOMETHING THAT ENTERTAINS US ON THE WEEKEND. IT'S NOT THAT THE PEOPLE IN SARAJEVO DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAY, BUT WHEN THEY WERE UNDER SIEGE, WHEN THEY WERE BOMBED AND SHELLED AND REALLY ENDANGERING THEIR LIVES, THEY WANTED TO SEE FILMS BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T WANT TO FEEL THAT THEY WERE CUT OFF FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD.

THEY WANTED TO FEEL THAT THEY WERE EUROPEANS, THEY WERE WORLD CITIZENS, THEY WERE DOING WHAT EVERYONE ELSE DID. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO FEEL LIKE THEY WERE PARIAHS AND OUTCASTS. I LITERALLY MET A WOMAN WHO TOLD ME SHE RAN THROUGH SHELLING TO SEE A CLANDESTINE SCREENING OF "BASIC INSTINCT". SHE SAID, I RISKED MY LIFE TO SEE "BASIC INSTINCT". SHE DIDN'T WANT TO FEEL THAT THIS WAS OUTSIDE HER EXPERIENCE, THAT SHE HAD BEEN ARBITRARILY CUT OFF FROM IT.

VAL>> WE RISK OUR LIVES WHEN WE GO ON THE FREEWAY TO SEE A FILM (LAUGHTER), BUT IF YOU HAD TO GO TO JUST ONE FILM FESTIVAL, WHAT'S THE ONE THAT'S JUST A GEM?

KENNETH TURAN>> WELL, THE ONE THAT I REALLY LOVE IS MAYBE ONE OF THE ODDEST ONES. IT'S IN PORDENONE IN NORTHEASTERN ITALY. IT'S A SILENT FILM FESTIVAL. IT'S FILMS FROM THE TWENTIES. THE HEAD OF THE FESTIVAL SAID TO ME, ALL OUR STARS ARE DEAD (LAUGHTER). BUT, YOU KNOW, SILENT FILMS WERE WONDERFUL FILMS IN THEIR TIME. WE RARELY SEE THEM THE WAY THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PROJECTED WITH GOOD PRINTS, WITH FULL ORCHESTRAS, PROJECTED AT THE RIGHT SPEED. TO SEE THEM DONE THE RIGHT WAY IS A REVELATION. THIS IS A FESTIVAL WHERE, FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, I MEAN, FROM CHINA, FROM INDIA, FROM RUSSIA, ALL THE LEADING SILENT FILM AUTHORITIES CONVENE EVERY YEAR TO LOOK AT THE BEST STUFF THAT'S BEEN PRESERVED AND I FOUND IT SUCH A TREAT.

JESS>> WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST STUFF FOR THIS SUMMER?

KENNETH TURAN>> OH, GOSH. FOR THIS SUMMER, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF FILMS THAT I REALLY ENJOYED THIS SUMMER. THERE'S A FILM CALLED "THE BOURNE IDENTITY" WHICH IS JUST KIND OF BASICALLY A THRILLER. WE'RE SO UNUSED TO HAVING A FILM THAT ACTUALLY WORKS. IT'S ACTUALLY THRILLING AND DOESN'T, YOU KNOW, NOT BADLY WRITTEN, NOT BADLY DIRECTED. A LOT OF FUN.

VAL>> IS THAT MATT DAMON?

KENNETH TURAN>> IT'S A MATT DAMON FILM, YEAH. I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE JUST ANY OTHER FILM, BUT IT'S A BETTER VERSION OF THE FILM. ALMOST EVERYONE I KNOW WHO'S SEEN IT HAS BEEN PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.

VAL>> ANOTHER FAVORITE OF YOURS, APPARENTLY, IS, WHAT, "LILO --

KENNETH TURAN>> -- "LILO AND STITCH". IT'S A DISNEY ANIMATED FILM. WE'RE SO USED TO, AGAIN, DISNEY ANIMATION IS LIKE A FACTORY. WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE LIKE, THEY ALL LOOK LIKE THE LAST FILM. THIS HAS AN INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER. THIS REALLY FEELS LIKE ITS OWN FILM. IT FEELS LIKE SPECIFIC PEOPLE REALLY DID IT. IT'S VERY FUNNY, IT'S VERY OFFBEAT, IT'S DIFFERENT. AGAIN, I'M LOOKING AS A CRITIC WHO SEES A LOT OF FILMS. I LOVE TO SEE SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFERENT.

VAL>> AND THERE'S ANOTHER ONE. WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR A CLIP, BUT NEVERTHELESS, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT IT. IT'S FROM FRANCE.

KENNETH TURAN>> IT'S A FRENCH FILM. IT'S CALLED "READ MY LIPS". I LIKE IT BECAUSE IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE. IT'S PARTLY A CHARACTER STUDY, IT'S PARTLY A THRILLER. IT'S ABOUT TWO PEOPLE IN AN OFFICE, A WOMAN WHO'S VERY BRIGHT BUT NOT THAT GOOD-LOOKING AND IS PROFOUNDLY DEAF WITHOUT HEARING AIDS --

VAL>> -- OH, THAT'S RIGHT. SHE --

KENNETH TURAN>> -- SHE READS LIPS. SHE HOOKS UP WITH A GUY -- SHE HIRES A GUY WHO'S VERY HANDSOME, BUT REALLY DUMB (LAUGHTER). TOGETHER THEY KIND OF TAKE REVENGE ON SOCIETY. IT'S A FASCINATING FILM.

JESS>> OUR THANKS TO KENNETH TURAN, FILM CRITIC FOR THE LOS ANGELES TIMES. THE BOOK IS "SUNDANCE TO SARAJEVO: FILM FESTIVALS AND THE WORLD THEY MADE".

VAL>> WONDERFUL HAVING YOU HERE. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

KENNETH TURAN>> ALWAYS GREAT TO BE HERE. THANK YOU.

VAL>> I ALWAYS TAKE YOUR ADVICE, SO KEEP IT UP.

KENNETH TURAN>> GOOD.

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