Series: The Ten O'Clock News
Date: 1989-12-12
Duration: 00:03:20

Subject: Urban poverty; Infant mortality
People: Kelly, Hope; Kurland, Judith; Mulligan, David; Spivak, Howard;

Clip Description
Hope Kelly reports on an increase in the infant mortality rate since last year. Kelly reviews statistics on the infant mortality rate in Massachusetts and in Boston. Kelly notes that there is a wide discrepancy between the infant mortality rates in the white and African American communities. Kelly reports that two out of three infant deaths in Boston are African American infants. Kelly interviews David Mulligan (Commissioner of Public Health) and Howard Spivak (Deputy Commissioner of Public Health) about the rising infant mortality rate. Kelly reports that the state of Massachusetts has implemented prenatal care programs for all pregnant women. Kelly interviews Judith Kurland (Commissioner, Boston Health and Hospitals) about the prenatal care programs. Kurland says that the programs do not reach the women who are most in need of them. Kurland says that an increase in poverty has resulted in an increase of the infant mortality rates. Kelly reviews statistics concerning teenage pregnancy in the state. Kelly notes that teenage pregnancy is becoming increasingly common. Kelly's report is accompanied by footage of infants in a hospital nursery and footage of a doctor examining a baby.

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/6945_02