THE ARTS

Rostropovich Successor Picked?: St. Louis conductor Leonard Slatkin is the National Symphony Orchestra’s choice to succeed Mstislav Rostropovich as music director, according to the Washington Post. Slatkin has been interviewed by members of the search committee but no formal offer has been made, two NSO sources said. Slatkin’s agent, however, said the conductor has made “no commitment” to accept any position. An agreement with a new music director is unlikely until a new contract is negotiated with the NSO musicians, who have been in bargaining sessions since last month. Slatkin, 49, the principal conductor of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, is currently in London for the orchestra’s upcoming European concert tour.

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Kids’ Theater Planned: The first of nine restoration projects planned for New York’s Times Square is the 93-year-old Victory Theater, which will become the non-profit New Victory Theater--a site for year-round children’s programming. The New Victory, which will feature local, national and international companies presenting multicultural plays, dance, film, puppetry, mime and magic for young children through teen-agers, is scheduled to open by the autumn of 1995. Said Cora Cahan, president of non-profit revitalization group the New 42nd Street Inc., “(We have chosen to begin) in the arena where (the revitalization) can have the most profound impact--on the children and families who live in and visit New York City. What better place to start the process of reinvention on this street than with our youth?” The Victory Theater was built in 1900 by Oscar Hammerstein, father of the famed lyricist.Miniature Instrument: The world’s smallest playable violin goes on sale at Sotheby’s in London next month and is expected to fetch more than $4,000. The two-stringed instrument, so tiny it fits into a matchbox, is made of varnished boxwood. It took Swiss miniaturist Cornel Schneider 70 hours to make.

TELEVISION

Stations Fined: The Federal Communications Commission has fined TV stations in St. Louis, Colorado Springs, and Huron and Sioux Falls, S.D., $25,000 to $30,000 each for airing excessive commercials during children’s shows. A 1990 law limits stations to 10 1/2 minutes of commercial matter per hour during weekend children’s programming and 12 minutes per hour on weekdays. The commission also suggested it may take a tougher stand against violators in the future.

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Family Picks: “Roseanne,” “The Adventures of Brisco County Jr.” and “Picket Fences” are the best prime-time shows for children, according to TV Guide’s upcoming “Parents’ Guide to Children’s TV.” Rounding out the magazine’s Top 10 list of family shows: “Full House,” “Home Improvement,” “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Where I Live,” “Evening Shade” and “The Partridge Family.” . . . Meanwhile, NBC’s controversial “NYPD Blue” tops the watchdog group Viewers for Quality Television’s first survey of the highest quality shows for the new season. The next highest-ranked new series is “Against the Grain,” in 12th position.

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Kudos: Fox’s “Beverly Hills, 90210,” ABC’s “Coach,” HBO’s “Dead Drunk: The Kevin Tunnell Story,” TBS’ “Between the Lines--D.U.I.” and the ABC movie “Lies and Lullabies” will receive Scott Newman Center Drug Abuse Prevention Awards at Universal Studios tonight. The annual awards honor programs that have dealt with alcohol or drug abuse in “a responsible and accurate manner.”

MOVIES

Pacific Film Festival: The 13th annual Hawaii International Film Festival, specializing in Pacific Rim films, kicks off in Honolulu Nov. 7. A total of 140 films from Japan, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia, Canada and the United States will be shown, including 22 world premieres.

LEGAL FILE

Rose Settles: Guns N’ Roses singer Axl Rose settled out-of-court with fan William Stephenson, who had sued Rose for $210,000 in damages for injuries allegedly sustained after Rose leaped off the stage during a 1991 concert in St. Louis because Stephenson was taking photographs. Thursday’s settlement came after about three hours of jury deliberations in the case. The terms were undisclosed, but Stephenson acknowledged getting an autograph from Rose.

QUICK TAKES

Pop superstar Michael Jackson, complaining of stomach problems, postponed the first of two sold-out concerts in Santiago, Chile, just hours before he was due to go on stage Thursday. The concert has been rescheduled for Monday. . . . The Make-a-Wish Foundation’s gave its annual Recognition Award to country singer Billy Ray Cyrus on Friday, honoring his work with sick children. . . . The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has sued CBS for airing clips from the Oscar broadcast without permission. Under academy guidelines, clips may be shown only during the first six days after the Oscar broadcast or within a three-day period after the death of a celebrity who appeared on the broadcast.