TELEVISIONLeaving KCOP: Jeff Wald, who came to...

TELEVISION

Leaving KCOP: Jeff Wald, who came to KCOP Channel 13 nearly five years ago with hopes of building a formidable news operation, told his staff Wednesday that he is stepping down as news director. Wald’s lucrative contract expires at the end of this year, but he has agreed to stay on until the station finds a replacement. While KCOP invested millions of dollars in the operation over the past several years, including construction of a new newsroom and studio and the hiring of dozens of additional staff, Wald’s “walk around” newscast was hamstrung by the lack of a big-name anchor and meager promotion, which resulted in floundering ratings. Earlier this year, the station cut back its newscast to just a half-hour each weeknight, a fraction of Wald’s initial dream of competing with other local stations that offer several hours of news each day. Wald, 42, a native of Los Angeles who previously was news director at top-ranked KTLA Channel 5 and worked for years at then-KNXT Channel 2 in the 1970s, said he is undecided about future plans.

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Celebrating at the Opry: Former President George Bush and wife Barbara are planning a country-style 50th wedding anniversary next month at the Grand Ole Opry. “With Love, From Nashville . . . A Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of George and Barbara Bush” will take place Jan. 8 with the Oak Ridge Boys as hosts and will air later on the Nashville Network, the Opry announced. Scheduled to perform during the two-hour show are Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Charlie Daniels, Lee Greenwood and Loretta Lynn. Bush, whose appreciation of country music is well known, held a campaign rally at Nashville’s Roy Acuff Theater in 1992. Proceeds from the Bush anniversary show will go to charity.

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‘Baywatch’ on Video: The sun-and-skin series “Baywatch” has filmed a direct-to-video movie that will be in stores June 1 (via LIVE). “Baywatch: Forbidden Paradise” features the lifeguard regulars--David Hasselhoff, Alexandra Paul, Pamela Anderson, David Charvet, et al--experiencing new lifesaving and romantic adventures while on a training assignment in Hawaii. An edited version--with a couple of modeling sequences toned down a bit--will air as a two-part episode on the syndicated series in November, says co-producer Kevin Beggs.

POP/ROCK

Gee, Kenny: Garth Brooks’ new “The Hits” album sold a whopping 520,000 copies in its debut week but could not catch Kenny G or Pearl Jam in last week’s holiday race where total sales exceeded an estimated $331 million--up 6% over the same period last year. Kenny G’s “Miracles” sold a spectacular 719,000 units and will recapture the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s national pop album chart, dethroning Pearl Jam’s “Vitalogy,” which slips to No. 2 with sales of 584,000. Brooks’ greatest hits collection will place No. 3. The Top 5 also includes the Eagles’ “Hell Freezes Over” (428,000 units) and Mariah Carey’s “Merry Christmas” (404,000 units).

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Rancid Nixes Epic: In a last-minute change-of-heart, the touted punk band Rancid has decided not to sign a big-bucks deal with Epic Records and will remain instead with L.A.-based independent Epitaph, best known as the home of the multimillion-selling Offspring. A statement from Rancid, a Bay Area quartet that had been courted by several major labels before reportedly reaching an agreement with Epic, called the choice to stay with Epitaph “a spiritual decision.” The group will record its third album in early ’95.

MOVIES

‘Seduction’ Nixes Golden Globes: As makers of “The Last Seduction” mounted a court battle in an attempt to qualify the film for the Academy Awards, they confirmed that they never bothered to submit the critically acclaimed movie for this year’s Golden Globe nominations. Attorneys for October Films and ITC Entertainment Group have in recent days blasted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for making the thriller ineligible for Oscar nominations because the movie first aired on cable television, a violation of academy rules. Attorneys for the filmmakers explained that they sued the academy because it represents the movie industry, adding that the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., which sponsors the Golden Globes, is entitled to wider discretion in devising its eligibility rules. Nominations for the Golden Globe Awards will be announced today in Beverly Hills. Sources say that had the film been submitted for Golden Globes, there is a good chance it would have landed in the TV category.

QUICK TAKES

Ex-UCLA and pro basketball player-turned-actor Nigel Miguel has been named Goodwill Ambassador by his native Belize. His mission is to attract business ventures to the Central American country. . . . The Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace in Yorba Linda announced that it has added a three-volume video series on the late President’s life to its gift catalogue. . . . Robert Altman, whose “Ready to Wear” opens on Christmas Day, was named filmmaker of the year by the American Cinema Editors. Altman will be given the ACE Golden Eddie award at the group’s annual ceremonies on March 18 at the Beverly Hilton. . . . Actress-model Anna Nicole Smith was granted a temporary restraining order against her former bodyguard, Pierre DeJean, whom she alleged made physical threats and demanded money. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Jack Newman ordered DeJean to stay 500 yards away from the former Guess jeans model and her family pending a hearing Jan. 5. . . . A memorial celebration for veteran TV director E.W. (Swack) Swackhamer will be held at 1 p.m. Dec. 29 in the Doolittle Theater in Hollywood. Swackhamer, 67, died of a ruptured aortic aneurysm Dec. 5 in Berlin while preparing to film a movie of the week, “High Command.”