Series: The Ten O'Clock News
Date: 1987-08-03
Duration: 00:03:09

Subject: Discrimination
People: Crossley, Callie; Gold, Paula; Polk, Donald;

Clip Description
Callie Crossley reports that the state of Massachusetts has decided to allow businesses and insurance companies to test people for the AIDS antibody. Crossley reports that critics complain that the proposed policy favors insurance companies over patients. Crossley's report includes footage of Paula Gold (Secretary of Consumer Affairs) at a press conference. Gold says that testing will be allowed under limited circumstances and controlled conditions. Crossley notes that the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts is a strong opponent of the policy. Crossley's report includes footage of Don Polk (Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts) at a press conference. Polk condemns involuntary testing except for clear public health reasons. Crossley reports that Polk believes that the policy does not contain appropriate measures to ensure patient confidentiality. She adds that Polk believes the policy to be discriminatory against African American life insurance policy holders. At the press conference, Polk says that the proposed policy fails to take into account the discrepancy in life expectancy between African American AIDS victims and white AIDS victims. Crossley reports the Urban League believes that the new state policy de-emphasizes public health education campaigns, which are important in minority communities. Crossley's story is accompanied by shots of public health informational brochures and by shots of African Americans at a bus stop. This tape includes additional shots of public health education literature.

This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following item:
Boston City Council has delayed voting on the school reform package proposed by Ray Flynn (Mayor of Boston)
Boston City Council delays vote on school reform

Series Description
A local program aimed at the Boston audience, The Ten O'Clock News debuted on January 15, 1976. Its two immediate predecessors were The Reporters and Evening Compass. A news and public affairs show focusing on neighborhood, local and state issues, The Reporters was produced and broadcast on WGBH from 1970 to 1973. The Reporters was then replaced by Evening Compass, which expanded into a twice-nightly news broadcast during the tense moments of Boston's busing crisis. On the air from 1973 to 1975, Evening Compass found an audience through its in-depth coverage of school desegregation in Boston, which began in 1974. The Ten O'Clock News stood out as an in-depth news program. It strove for a balance between local and national stories, between politics and the Arts. The last The Ten O'Clock News program was broadcast on May 30, 1991.

See also: http://main.wgbh.org/ton/programs/5205_01