RADIO & TVKLAC Dropping Country Format: Despite...

RADIO & TV

KLAC Dropping Country Format: Despite the increasing popularity of country music, longtime country-Western station KLAC (570 AM) is poised to change to a “standards” format sometime before Dec. 5. “The bottom line is the ratings, and we weren’t gaining in our AM listenership, so we felt we had to do something to the format,” said a station spokeswoman. The new format was described as older “standards” by artists such as Frank Sinatra or “standard songs” done by contemporary artists. The station is currently setting up the new format and will make the switch in the next few weeks.

Alexander Does the ‘Duckman’: Popular “Seinfeld” co-star Jason Alexander will lend his voice to the title character of USA Network’s new animated series “Duckman,” which premieres in early 1994. Other voices will be supplied by actress Nancy Travis (“So I Married an Axe Murderer”) and musician Dweezil Zappa. . . . In other casting notes, soap star Richard Eden (“Santa Barbara”) will play the title role in “RoboCop: The Series,” a syndicated hourlong action-adventure show scheduled to debut in March.

‘Geraldo’ Tries Michael Jackson: Although no formal charges have been filed against Michael Jackson in conjunction with allegations of child molestation, a “trial” in the case takes place on Monday--a mock trial, that is, on TV’s “Geraldo.” The simulated grand jury proceeding will be conducted by a former New York judge, along with attorneys and a 12-person “jury.” Program officials claim the show will “determine whether there is enough evidence to warrant formal child molestation charges against Michael Jackson, whether Michael Jackson can get a fair trial, and whether the case is merely a crude attempt to extort money from Jackson’s celebrity.”

NBC Lineup Includes Tartikoff: The return of former NBC Entertainment President Brandon Tartikoff and a project by Emmy-winning CBS mainstays Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and Harry Thomason were among the announcements Tuesday when NBC unveiled its slate of upcoming movies and miniseries. Tartikoff will produce the miniseries “Journey Into Justice,” exploring teen-age violence in the 21st Century, and the Thomasons will develop “Widows Web,” a miniseries based on a true story. Another upcoming project: a four-hour miniseries called “Liz,” based on an unauthorized biography of Elizabeth Taylor.

THE ARTS

‘Greasing’ Up OCPAC: A Broadway-bound “Grease” revival, which lost a berth at Long Beach Civic Light Opera earlier this season because of a scheduling conflict, has found a new Southland home, Orange County Performing Arts Center, March 29-April 3. Starring Rosie O’Donnell as Rizzo, with Sam Harris, Ricky Paull Goldin and others, it’s billed as a “Tommy Tune Production”--though he isn’t directing, choreographing or producing. A tour spokesman said Tune’s concept and design ideas will be executed by others, including producers Barry and Fran Weissler, director-choreographer Jeff Calhoun and “Tommy” set designer John Arnone. The show replaces the recently canceled “Annie Get Your Gun” in OCPAC’s Broadway Series.

Spoleto Festival Forges On: The Spoleto Festival USA has decided to deal with the departure of its founder and artistic director, Gian Carlo Menotti, by not replacing him. Instead, the board split responsibilities for the annual Charleston, S.C., event, allowing it to retain overall control. It named Spiros Argiris, 45, director and principal conductor of symphonic and operatic activities. Argiris was music director of the Spoleto festivals in America and Italy from 1986 to 1992. The board must now deal with a debt of more than $900,000, a threatened suit from Menotti if it keeps the Spoleto name, and the task of rebuilding the festival’s reputation.

Home for Bernstein Archives: The original manuscript of Leonard Bernstein’s “West Side Story” was delivered to the Library of Congress on Monday as a gift from the late musician’s children. It’s the first of many installments in the archive honoring the noted composer and conductor. Still to come are more than 200 hours of Bernstein on video, more than 1,000 recordings and many unpublished musical sketches and lyrics. Thanks to technology, the thousands of items in the collection--from handwritten scores to photographs--eventually will be available to all personal computer users through the Bernstein Multimedia Archive.

QUICK TAKES

“In the Heat of the Night” actor Howard Rollins was bailed out of jail again Monday after spending the weekend behind bars in Georgia following an arrest Saturday on suspicion of driving under the influence. It was Rollins’ fifth arrest in a year and a half for allegedly driving drunk, recklessly or too fast. . . . Actor Roger Moore (a.k.a. James Bond) was recuperating at home Monday after undergoing surgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center last week to have his enlarged prostate removed. A spokesman said the 65-year-old actor did not suffer from prostate cancer. . . . Jermaine Jackson, Michael’s 39-year-old brother, cut short a trip to Switzerland, returning to the United States Monday night to see his doctor because of heart palpitations.