TV & VIDEO - May 8, 1989

Oprah Winfrey and her producers are scheduled to meet this week with representatives of Jewish and civil-liberties groups after the groups’ leaders and hundreds of television viewers protested allegations made last week on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” that some Jews practice ritual killing of children. During last Monday’s program, which focused on the cult murders of at least 13 people near Matamoros, Mexico, a guest said she had witnessed the ritual sacrifice of Jewish children and had been a victim of ritualistic abuse. The woman’s comments provoked hundreds of angry phone calls and letters to Jewish and civil liberties groups, spokesmen for the groups said Friday. They said viewers contended that Winfrey did not challenge the woman’s statements sufficiently. Jeffrey Jacobs, the chief operating officer of Winfrey’s production company, Harpo Productions Inc., denied that Winfrey had acted irresponsibly.