MEDIA / KEVIN BRASS : Funky View of San Diego Provided by Channel 39

Last year, KNSD-TV (Channel 39) underwent major changes to establish a new identity for the station, and now it has one. It has firmly established itself as The Station with the Funky Station Breaks.

Of course, the verdict is still out on the rest of the station, but it’s time to acknowledge that the new station breaks may be the most interesting thing to happen on local TV since future Professional Television Journalist Bree Walker did a heart-stopping commercial, showing nothing but her lips, for a local radio station. Each station break is its own pleasant vignette. A pretty picture of San Diego is shown--a picturesque shot of the bay, people at work, a sunset. The picture is always a live shot, provided by cameras situated around the county. With the station logo prominently displayed, they are complete with the station’s theme music, which makes viewers feel as if they’re in an elevator watching the sunset.

Breaking from television tradition, Channel 39’s station identifications actually give viewers real information. Each one displays the time and the current temperature. Every day people throughout San Diego say things like, “Gee, it sure is cold.” Then they turn on their television sets and Channel 39 tells them that, yes, indeed, it’s 42 degrees outside, or whatever temperature it happens to be.

Bringing these little moments to San Diegans every half-hour is a major endeavor for the station. Two cameras are mounted on tall buildings in San Diego and guided by remote control. One is atop the San Diego Gas & Electric Building; the station won’t divulge the location of the other camera for fear it will be vandalized. The station periodically moves the other camera, just to provide a little variety in the pictures.

The station has established strict rules for using the cameras, primarily that they not be aimed at people. Channel 39 doesn’t want to be known as The Peeping Tom Station.

In addition to the remote cameras, Channel 39 has an employee, dubbed the “Community Camera,” whose sole responsibility is to wander around San Diego seeking pretty pictures from 3 p.m. to midnight each day.

The station breaks only last for a few seconds, but they still have some entertainment value. When it rains, the remote cameras tend to provide surreal pictures, sort of like looking at San Diego in a dream sequence. Occasionally, a blissful shot of the bay from the camera atop the SDG&E; building will suddenly be interrupted by a huge 727 landing at Lindbergh Field.

Channel 39 executives believe this is the first time a station has attempted live station breaks. The idea was the product of Ivan Ladizinsky, a consultant and longtime cohort of station general manager Neil Derrough.

“One of our grand themes is to become the San Diego television station people couldn’t mistake,” Channel 39 director of broadcast services Doug Dougherty said. “We consider (the station breaks) to be a distinctive and integral part of our identity.”

Hopefully, The Station with the Funky Station Breaks will take this concept a step further, showing all aspects of San Diego life. Maybe the “Community Camera” can set up in Southeast San Diego and provide live glimpses of gang activity. A camera could be mounted inside Mayor Maureen O’Connor’s kitchen, so people could watch the mayor eat breakfast. Or perhaps a camera could be placed in the County Jail.

Then people would really remember The Station with the Funky Station Breaks.

The results of a poll of subscribers conducted by Southwestern Cable TV are a little less than fascinating and bordering on the strange. It is a poll only of Southwestern subscribers willing to put a stamp on a questionnaire and return it to the station. In other words, we’ll give the benefit of the doubt to the majority of Southwestern Cable subscribers.

Of the 125,000 questionnaires sent out, 11,000 were returned, a healthy number.

Asked to list their favorite channels, the 11,000 chose the Arts and Entertainment Network, followed by the Discovery Channel--impressive choices. It’s a little strange that “Headline News” finished fourth, ahead of ESPN, but, remember, we’re giving them the benefit of the doubt. Asked what services they would like added, the response was “Bravo,” a fine choice, followed by--and this is really strange--the Weather Channel. The Weather Channel?

Prompted by the poll, Southwestern is leaping into action. Bravo will be added, Arts and Entertainment will be expanded to 24 hours and--drum roll please--the Weather Channel will return.

Somewhere there is a hall of fame for cheesy TV. Paul Bloom’s “Crime Watch” reports on Channel 39 are long overdue for membership. Not only does Bloom often come across like a shill for the police department, there is nothing cheesier than Bloom’s dramatic re-creations of crimes. Last week, impeccably dressed in a double-breasted suit, he charged up the stairs in front of a house, fiercely pantomiming a criminal with a machine gun, looking like a very well-dressed 10-year-old playing G.I. Joe. . . . “Break of Dawn,” the film biography of San Diegan Pedro Gonzalez produced by the San Diego-based Cinewest, will finally get its Los Angeles debut March 8. . . . Yes, it is sweeps month, which explains the current avalanche of tacky, well-advertised television news “special reports.” . . . Executive producer Mel Buxbaum said Channel 10 has committed to 13 weeks of the Roger Hedgecock Show. Channel 10, though, was not so definite. Details are still being worked out, program director Don Lundy said. But the station has slotted the show on Sundays at 6 p.m. for the next few weeks. Sunday’s show is scheduled to be on animal rights.

Chris Turner of KSON-FM (97.3) thought he had been nailed for speeding last week when he was stopped while driving the station’s van on the way to a charity radiothon sponsored by the station. Instead, the La Mesa police officer gave him a $5 donation for the radiothon, which raised $150,000 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Disc jockey Mike Brady offered to mow the lawn for anybody who donated $150. One caller offered $75 if Brady promised not to come over. A few minutes later, a caller bid $120--if Brady didn’t come over to his house, either. . . . Union-Tribune editors were scheduled to meet Sunday for another “test” workshop, designed to give editors a chance to practice putting out the paper in case of a strike. Last year’s workshop resulted in the infamous mock edition, featuring a bogus headline proclaiming a new Jesse Jackson and Pat Robertson coalition, which was accidentally delivered to about 100 subscribers.

Cheryl Steele, the new CEO of the California Theater, is a little frustrated in her attempts to build a movie audience at the theater, which is primarily used as a concert hall. An unadvertised Humphrey Bogart double-bill two weeks ago attracted no more than half a dozen people. The following week, after running ads in three local newspapers, a screening of “From Here to Eternity” filled about 10 seats. Steele hopes to develop the theater as “an all-around entertainment venue,” including movies.