Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

TV/RADIO

Diana Mixes: Elton John’s rewritten “Candle in the Wind” isn’t the only memorial to Princess Diana turning up on pop radio around the country. Many stations have created their own tributes by doing custom “mixes,” blending sentimental hits with audio excerpts of news coverage and eulogies. Among the songs being used are Eric Clapton’s “Tears in Heaven” (originally a homage to his young son who died in 1991), Boyz II Men’s “So Hard to Say Goodbye,” the Mariah Carey-Boyz II Men collaboration “One Sweet Day,” Enigma’s “Return to Innocence” and Sarah McLachlan’s “I Will Remember You.” Los Angeles’ KIIS-FM (102.7), for instance, has been playing the Carey-Boyz track with news clips mixed in since the middle of last week, as well as the MTV Video Music Awards performance of “I’ll Be Missing You” by Puff Daddy and Faith Evans with guest Sting, whose “Every Breath You Take” is the basis of the song. “The original Puff Daddy single was a tribute to [slain rapper] Notorious B.I.G. and didn’t seem appropriate,” said KIIS music director Tracy Austin, “but the MTV version was meant to honor many people who died.” Frank Miniaci, radio editor of the trade weekly Radio & Records, says the level of tribute on the music airwaves is unprecedented but appropriate. “The tragedy transcends almost all formats,” he says. “These stations wouldn’t stop to do editorial coverage, but they can pay tribute through music.” Radio consultant Jeff Pollack believes, however, that most of the custom tributes will disappear once the recording of John’s revised “Candle”--which is already being played by many stations in versions taped from the funeral’s telecast--is officially distributed. “More than any other supermix or audio invention, [John’s song] essentially captures everybody’s feeling about our loss and her tragedy,” Pollack said. “When all is said and done, that is what will be remembered.”

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Second to Gorbachev: Believe it or not, the ubiquitous coverage of Princess Diana’s death last week did not eclipse coverage of all other news stories this decade, at least not on the three networks’ evening news shows. The total of 197 minutes devoted to the story on the newscasts last week was, however, the biggest story since 1991, when 255 minutes were devoted to the Soviet coup against Mikhail Gorbachev. Among the news stories that Diana’s death did eclipse, according to the Weekly Tyndall Report, which tracks such things: the U.S. Marines’ 1992 arrival in Somalia (182 minutes), the 1993 Mississippi River floods (167) and 1992’s Hurricane Andrew (151).

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Rachtman ‘Sorry’: KLSX-FM (97.1) talk host Riki Rachtman’s job was on the line Tuesday after he allegedly punched out colleague Doug Steckler Monday morning at the station for making what Rachtman claimed were nasty and threatening comments about Rachtman and his girlfriend and for allegedly vandalizing Rachtman’s office. Though station management could not be reached for comment, Rachtman, who hosted the 7 to 10 p.m. slot, told The Times on Tuesday that he had asked his bosses what he could do to keep his job, and “they told me it doesn’t look good.” He said his dispute with midday co-hosts Steckler and Tim Conway Jr. “went too far. . . . I’m sorry I actually resorted to striking someone.” Rachtman said, however, that when he saw Steckler, he thought that he himself was about to be attacked. Steckler, meanwhile, did not go to work Tuesday so could not be reached for comment. Conway told listeners that his partner was “home in bed” with “a huge black eye” that’s “swollen shut,” as well as “contusions on his jaw and nose.” Rachtman is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 29 to face misdemeanor battery charges.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Lyric Offer Rejected: As expected, disgruntled orchestra musicians from the Lyric Opera of Chicago voted 68-1 Monday to reject what management called its final contract offer, throwing the company’s upcoming season--scheduled to start Sept. 20--into doubt. “We think our offer was fair and generous,” said Lyric general manager William Mason, noting that the proposal called for a 19.6% wage increase over three years, bringing the average musician’s salary to $66,000 by 2000. The union had demanded the equivalent of a 31.2% increase over three years. “I don’t know where we are right now, except that Lyric management will have to come back to the table if they want to have an opera this season,” said union President Ed Ward.

QUICK TAKES

Talk-show host Larry King was said to be in “excellent” condition Tuesday after a successful angioplasty procedure in New York on Monday. A CNN spokeswoman said King expects to be back on “Larry King Live” next Monday; correspondent Wolf Blitzer will fill in until then. . . . ABC News’ Peter Jennings and CBS News’ Dan Rather are scheduled to anchor live broadcasts of Mother Teresa’s state funeral from Calcutta, India, Friday night. NBC has not yet announced its plans. . . . Film director Martha Coolidge (“Rambling Rose,” “Out to Sea”) is poised to get into the TV business after signing a deal with Santa Monica’s All American Television to develop series and TV movies. . . . Ellen DeGeneres’ mother, Betty, 67, will act as a spokeswoman for the Washington, D.C.-based Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay and lesbian political group. The actress’ mother will appear in TV and print public service announcements for the organization’s National Coming Out Project, which lobbies against discrimination. . . . Octogenarian raconteur Quentin Crisp (“The Naked Civil Servant”) will perform “An Evening With Quentin Crisp” at Santa Monica’s Highways next Monday and Wednesday. Tickets are $15.