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 Tue, Apr 28 1992 Date: Tue, 28 Apr 92 05:41:28 EDT Message-ID: 04-28 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update April 28, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network DOUBLE DOSE OF COUNTRY OFFERED: Country music continues to draw mainstream attention. NBC Tuesday and Wednesday gives viewers back-to-back offerings of the increasingly popular genre. Tuesday, the network will rebroadcast "This is Garth Brooks," the Jan. 17 special that drew the network's biggest Friday ratings since a 1987 "Miami Vice" episode. Wednesday it's the Academy of Country Music Awards. NETWORK MOVE UNPRECEDENTED: A network airing big country specials two nights running is an unprecedented double whammy. "What we saw in these two shows was a synergy," says NBC's Rick Ludwin. The Academy of Country Music Awards will air opposite "Batman" on Wednesday. It's unusual for a network to re-run a special so soon after its debut. But "With Garth Brooks, you throw out the rule book," says Ludwin. TUITION TO SOAR AGAIN: Tuition hikes this fall may look like a replay of last year: Double-digit increases at many state colleges and single-digit raises at private schools, two education groups predict. At state schools, increases will average 11% or 12% in states that cut budgets at mid-year, 6% or 7% elsewhere, says James Appleberry, American Association of State Colleges and Universities. CORVETTE POPULARITY CLIMBS: The Corvette has seen an upsurge in popularity, causing production for Chevrolet's one millionth 'vette to be moved up to the first week in July from early August, Chevrolet General Manager Jim Perkins said Friday. "Dealer sales of Corvette have increased steadily since the first of the year, days' supply has been dropping and dealer orders have increased," Perkins said. EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE IMPROVING: New educational computer programs are blossoming with color and graphics, singing, talking and reading to children - and perhaps most important, leading them to think and to create. Today's programs are "a reasoning, interactive framework for teaching important subjects," says Marion Blank, author of The Parent's Guide to Educational Software (Microsoft Press, 1991, $14.95). EDUCATIONAL SOFTWARE SALES UP: This year, more than 1 in every 4 U.S. households will own a computer, according to industry figures. The number of home computers sold in the U.S. increased more than 16% last year, to an estimated 6.4 million. Educational software sales, in the midst of recession, rose a robust 25.6% in 1991, to about $216 million, according to figures from the Software Publishers Association. AIRPLANES TO HAVE VIDEO SCREENS: Airlines are beginning to install high-tech video screens on the back of passengers seats in some airplanes. The screens allow passengers to watch movies and shop for duty-free goods. Interactive features let passengers order drinks and food from their seat, make telephone calls by using a credit card, make hotel and rental-car reservations, or get flight information. WE'RE BUCKLING UP: Seat belt usage is up a whopping 236% since 1984, says a survey out Tuesday. "Buckling up is becoming a modern American revolution," says Helen Petrauskas of Ford Motor Co. Despite increases in usage, the auto industry poll found some disturbing trends. Among them: 69% of all women use seat belts compared to 58% for men. CLENDENIN OPPOSES LEGISLATION: The dawning of the information age is helping create an explosive demand for communications services worldwide, BellSouth CEO John L. Clendenin told shareholders at the company's annual meeting Monday. But Clendenin warned BellSouth shareholders that proposed federal legislation threatens to stifle the introduction of information services. TALK SHOW POPULARITY CONTINUES: CNN, worried about a ratings drop-off, is jumping into the popular morning talk-show racket, maybe. It's considering gutting its daytime schedule and using half-hour talk shows in the morning to appeal to women. To that end, execs have been talking to former NBC "Today" co-anchor Deborah Norville about hosting one. CNN also would like to hire other personalities of Norville's stature. EARTH AWARENESS AIMED AT KIDS: Earth Day last Wednesday brought a flurry of new and recycled books and cassettes for kids. Among the good ones: "Grover's 10 Terrific Ways to Help Our Wonderful World," (Random House:CTW, $2.25) includes advice on planting trees and recycling. Dr. Seuss favorite "The Lorax" about greed and overconsumption, is narrated by actor Ted Danson in a book and tape duo, $13 from Random House. PATCH POPULARITY STRONG: The smoking-cessation patches hitting the market recently continue to be a growth area. Warner Lambert Monday got Food and Drug Administration to market Nicotrol. Marion Merrell Dow, American Cyanamid and Ciba-Geigy have patches out. One twist: Nicotrol is to be work for 16 hours per day. A drug industry analyst says some full-time wearers have experienced insomnia. 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