ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

TELEVISION

KCET Cuts Jobs: KCET-TV President Al Jerome announced Friday that 16 positions are being eliminated immediately to save $1 million of a $1.7-million revenue shortfall at Los Angeles’ flagship public television station. The cuts include 12 current staffers and four vacant positions. Barbara Goen, vice president of communications, declined to disclose which jobs were involved, saying it was “confidential personnel information,” but she said that they cut “across many different areas.” She noted that the rest of the money would be made up in “enhanced revenue-generated activity.” Jerome cited “external factors” as the reason for the shortfall, including the merging and consolidation of major corporations, “making for a smaller pool of potential supporters.” He added that KCET has “attempted to make its corporate marketing division more responsive . . . by bringing in several new people with commercial station backgrounds.” Those, however, are replacement positions, Goen said. The action brings the number of KCET employees to 190.

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To Sing or Not: Will Barbra Streisand star in “Mame” on ABC? No one knows yet. But Barwood Productions--headed by Streisand, who is chairwoman, and Cis Corman, president--is collaborating with Storyline Entertainment to make the Jerry Herman musical into a television movie. ABC’s Kevin Brockman, vice president for media and artist relations, said the project is “still in the planning stages.” Streisand’s publicist said: “There’s no commitment for her to actually perform. When the script is delivered, she’ll read it.” However, he noted that the project does not have a scriptwriter yet, and pointed out that in Barwood’s four previous productions for television that were dramatic pieces, she did not appear. ABC’s “Mame” will also be made in conjunction with King World, with whom Barwood has an overall production deal for television.

AWARDS

‘Trailblazer’: Director Mimi Leder will receive the Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal from the American Film Institute, it was announced Friday. Leder, a 1973 graduate of AFI’s conservatory, will be presented with the award at Thursday’s AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Dustin Hoffman. Leder directed her first two features--”The Peacemaker” (1997) and “Deep Impact” (1998)--after a distinguished Emmy-winning career, directing and co-executive producing “ER,” and directing episodes of “China Beach” and “L.A. Law.” “Mimi Leder is one of the most exciting new directors working today,” said AFI director and CEO Jean Picker Firstenberg. “She is a trailblazer whose two decades of work on television and in film has helped pave the way for countless women filmmakers.”

MUSIC

Jazz Institute: The Dave Brubeck Institute for the study of jazz will soon be a reality at the University of the Pacific in Stockton. The legendary pianist and composer has discussed plans to endow a new program in jazz studies at his alma mater and donate his archives to the school, officials said. “Dave and his wife, Iola, are both alumni, and will announce it officially next Tuesday,” said Ross Wylie, a university spokesman. Brubeck, 78, has been a major jazz star for the past four decades. His landmark 1959 album “Time Out” featured jazz’s first million-seller, “Take Five.”

LEGAL FILE

Rivera Suit Settled: NBC has agreed to pay $10,000 to a lawyer who claimed talk-show host Geraldo Rivera reneged on a promise to pay the sum to anyone who could prove a person had been prosecuted for lying about sex. Rivera issued the challenge Sept. 24 on his CNBC program “Rivera Live,” during a program about the Clinton-Monica Lewinsky investigation. An NBC spokesman called the payment to attorney Mark Bogatin “purely a business decision” aimed at avoiding a lengthy legal fight. While still maintaining that Bogatin’s submissions did not meet the criteria of Rivera’s challenge, the network said that it had, however, paid $10,000 to husband-and-wife lawyer team Joe DiGenova and Victoria Toensing for cases that they submitted.

QUICK TAKES

The Native American organization First Americans in the Arts holds its seventh annual awards presentation at the Century Plaza Hotel tonight honoring Native Americans for their work in film, television and the theater. . . . “If You Ever Leave Me . . . I’m Going With You,” a new comedy with Renee Taylor and Joe Bologna, will play at the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills March 6-April 26. The comedy covers the celebrity couple’s courtship and five marriage ceremonies, including a reception held on TV’s “Merv Griffin Show.” . . . In building toward the 71st annual Academy Awards on March 21, moviegoers will soon see a one-minute trailer featuring the five nominees in the leading actor, leading actress and best picture categories.