TELEVISION - April 12, 1994

Clinton Back on MTV: President Clinton will return to his former campaign stomping ground--cable’s MTV--for a forum about violence in society. Two hundred young professionals and high school and college students will participate in a question-and-answer session with Clinton, which will be taped in Washington next Tuesday. The program airs that same night at 10 p.m. as part of MTV’s ongoing anti-violence campaign, “Enough is Enough.”

*Backing ‘Tales’ Sequel: Arthur J. Kropp, president of the 300,000-member nonpartisan group People For the American Way, has denounced PBS for its decision not to co-finance a sequel to Armistead Maupin’s popular “Tales of the City” series. Said Kropp: “It’s a bad omen for free speech when a few angry activists are allowed to control what the rest of us can watch on TV. We call on PBS to reconsider this decision, which amounts to blatant self-censorship.” Maupin has said PBS balked from funding the sequel because of opposition from the Religious Right; PBS said the funds are needed for other programming.

*Reitman Works ‘Late Shift’: Film producer Ivan Reitman, whose credits include “Dave,” “Ghostbusters” and “Kindergarten Cop,” has signed to produce “The Late Shift” for HBO Pictures. The cable movie, based on the book by New York Times reporter Bill Carter, details the behind-the-scenes battle between Jay Leno and David Letterman to succeed Johnny Carson as the “King of Late Night.” . . . And speaking of Leno, the “Tonight Show” host will kick off Sunday’s “Earthwalk ‘94,” an environmental benefit beginning at 10 a.m. on the back lot of Burbank’s Universal Studios and passing through the nearby studios of Disney, Warner Bros., NBC and Sony Pictures. Other celebrities taking part include Chevy Chase, Ted Danson, Leslie Nielsen and “Beverly Hills, 90210’s” Ian Ziering.

*Leaving KABC: Roger Bell, the KABC-TV news director who helped “Eyewitness News” maintain its dominance among local television news outlets, was fired Monday, sources said. He joined Channel 7 in 1989. Bell’s departure follows the resignation of Terry Crofoot, who was president and general manager of KABC until last October.

JAZZ

Fitzgerald Operations Confirmed: A spokeswoman for jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald has confirmed rumors that the singer last year had both legs amputated below the knee because of complications from diabetes. The “first lady of song,” who turns 76 on April 25, underwent the operations several months ago, but no announcement was made. The spokeswoman said Fitzgerald is “in really good shape and good spirits.” No future public appearances are scheduled, however.

MOVIES

No Cuts for ‘Schindler’s’: Distributors of Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List” are standing firm, saying they will not release the film in Malaysia following that country’s governmental requirement that several scenes depicting sex and violence be cut. The Malaysian censorship board had originally banned the film in its entirety because of what it called Jewish propaganda but later agreed to allow it if the offending scenes were cut. Spielberg has refused any cuts in his Oscar-winning film.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Tchaikovsky’s Return: Russia’s prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition, which was believed to have folded after the breakup of the Soviet Union because of lack of funding, will return to Moscow this year as scheduled. Japan-based Pioneer Electronics contributed $600,000--more than 60% of the event’s costs--to facilitate the June resumption of the world’s most famous classical competition for piano, violin and voice. Pioneer said the sponsorship is its way of helping “in Russia’s difficult times,” although an official told the Soviet news agency ITAR-Tass that Pioneer is wary about publicizing its role. Four years ago, the firm was accused by some Russians of having influenced the awarding of the first prize in the violin competition to a Japanese musician. The competition--held every four years--began in 1957.

QUICK TAKES

As part of a new agreement, PBS and Turner Home Video will create a joint fund of up to $20 million to develop PBS programming for home video. The first new programs to be distributed by Turner Home Entertainment will be Ken Burns’ upcoming series on baseball, which will air on PBS and come out on home video in September. . . . Today’s “Geraldo” show focuses on pop star Madonna--and whether the controversial star is now “over the hill.” . . . Actor Mickey Rourke (“The Pope of Greenwich Village,” “Diner”) charges on today’s “Front Page” newsmagazine that he has been blacklisted by the film industry because of reports that he’s difficult to work with.