TELEVISION : The Newest MTV News Child : LIKE WE CARE

The latest product from MTV’s news department is “Like We Care,” a daily magazine for 14- to 19-year-olds that debuted two weeks ago. The title is vintage MTV: It’s a teen-age expression that can mean “we don’t care” but which can also mean “we really do care, but we’re too cool to admit it.” MTV is hoping it can tap the latter sentiment with news and information that is relevant to their lives, especially if it’s told in their own voices.

“Other than ‘Beverly Hills, 90210,’ there’s not much on TV that really speaks to teen-agers,” said Linda Corradina, vice president in charge of MTV News. “Our motto on this show is ‘about teens, for teens.’ We wanted to give kids a show that genuinely comes from the kids themselves, in their own voices.”

The show interviews teens about such topics as what their first kiss was like and what they don’t like in “preening rituals” among the opposite sex. It also touches on social issues. In one segment, high-schoolers talked about whether it is a violation of their rights for violence-plagued schools to use metal detectors to search for weapons. Another segment sought the views of parents and teen-agers on teen-agers’ rights to privacy.

“Like We Care” also strives for humor. In a segment called “What Sucks,” selected MTV viewers can contribute their own 30-second video (starring themselves) sounding off on a subject, such as “living in the most boring place on Earth”--usually the teen-ager’s hometown.

The series is produced by John Kalish, 35, a former producer at CNN and “Entertainment Tonight,” using MTV staffers and free-lancers.