Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.trends From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: trends Mon, Mar 23 1992 Date: Mon, 23 Mar 92 05:45:26 EST Message-ID: 03-23 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update March 23, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network MORE WOMEN HEAD MUTUAL FUNDS: Women are in charge of one of 12 stock mutual funds, according to a survey for USA TODAY by Morningstar fund research service. Morningstar found that 69 women are stock-fund managers of 808 portfolio managers. They run 88 of 1,200 funds. Only one of the women was at her job before 1983. At 80% of the women-run funds, the current manager has been in charge for five years at most. ANOTHER STATE FOR GAMBLING: Oregon Monday joins a growing list of states that have legal video gambling when a test of the system takes place, with full operation starting Tuesday. It is one of five states to approve "video lottery" as a new revenue source in these cash-poor days. At least 17 other states are considering it. "We're riding a national gambling wave," says Kansas state Sen. Ed Reilley. VIDEO GAMBLING PAYS OFF: Legalized video gambling is paying off for states. Even while paying back 90% of the money bet, South Dakota's video lottery games collected $107 million last year, the first full year. After paying off operators and administrative costs, the state's share amounted to $46 million. Officials estimate this year a take of $150 million, second only to sales tax as a revenue source. DIGITAL HDTV TO BE TESTED: Washington's WETA-TV will test the first over-the-air transmission of a digital high definition TV signal Monday at noon. The broadcast, which will originate in nearby Bethesda, Md., will be the first test of a technology that could radically alter the TV industry. The 15-minute program will test whether a system can send a nearly flawless TV picture using language computers understand. PICTURE IS NEARLY FLAWLESS: A digital high definition broadcast Monday in the Washington area will originate in Bethesda, Md. It's the first test of a technology that could change the TV industry. High definition TV features pictures as sharp as 35mm photographs. It is already on the air in Japan. But the Japanese HDTV system uses analog waves, the same as regular TV and subject to the same interference. `GLADIATORS' GOES GLOBAL: The syndicated "American Gladiators" is going worldwide come May. The show will travel to Cologne, Germany; London; and Tokyo ("Gladiators" airs in all three countries) to recruit gladiators for a special program next year that would pit world vs. American gladiators. Fall may also give way to "British Gladiators." CHEAPER MOVIE CHANNEL COMING: Some pay cable channels are losing subscribers in the wake of consumers' shrinking dollars. So Showtime has decided to launch a lower-priced service. HBO and Showtime cost about $12.95 each a month, but the new channel, dubbed Flicks, could be available for as little as 50 cents-$1. That would make it somewhat cheaper than Encore, another low-cost pay channel that launched last year. U.S. CARMAKERS MAY DISAPPEAR: By 2000, all three U.S. carmakers may disappear, a senior executive at Germany's Volkswagen told French TV Sunday. Daniel Goeudevert predicted Japanese firms will expand their share of the U.S. market to 40%. He says VW, which has seen its U.S. market share shrink, plans to boost its share. In 1995 or 1996, he says, VW will build a range of vehicles in Mexico for North America. FEWER FURLOUGHS ALLOWED: Fewer furloughs are being granted to federal prisoners, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons. In 1987, 1.33 furloughs were granted per 100 inmates in federal prisons. By 1989, that number had dropped to fewer than 1 per 100 inmates. Last year, just 0.59 furloughs were granted per 100 inmates. ANKLE BRACE A NEW APPROACH: A new study is making more doctors rethink the way ankle injuries are treated, according to John McDermott, M.D., of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society. April's Glamour magazine reports that in a Danish study, those with an orthopedic brace returned to work and sports earlier than those in a cast. With early mobilization ankle stability was achieved in 95%. TEACHING GETS SHORT SHRIFT: Faculty and administrators say universities are paying more attention to research at the expense of teaching, according to a survey of 23,000 by Syracuse University researchers. Findings from the survey of 47 top research schools: 69% of faculty, 61% of department chairs, 59% of deans and 51% of administrators think their schools are increasingly emphasizing research. BLACK-CONTROLLED BANK OPENS: The first black-controlled bank in Philadelphia since 1957 opens its doors Monday. The United Bank of Philadelphia is owned by about 3,000 small investors, mostly black, who contributed more than half the $6 million used to start the bank. COMPATIBLE SOFTWARE COMING: Apple Computer is expected Monday to unveil a laser printer and picture scanner that work with Microsoft's popular Windows software. The move is part of Apple's effort to sell its Macintosh computers and related products, popular in homes and schools, in the office-computer market dominated by IBM. CALPERS TO QUIET DOWN: The California Public Employees Retirement System is planning to be less confrontational than in the past with companies in which it has invested. The $68 billion CalPERS will not use shareholder proposals in battles with corporate boards to get what it wants. The fund instead has been negotiation with companies for more non-executive directors on boards and other matters. Trends & Marketing Editor: Beth Mann. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM