Congressional Record, Volume 134, Number 4, January 28, 1988

United States of America Congressional Record PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 100th CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 134 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, JANUARY 28, 1988 No. 4 Senate "48 HOURS" WORTHLESS ? Mr. HECHT. Mr. President, it seems somewhat ironic that only 24 hours after Dan Rather was "only doing his job" on the Vice President, he did another job on a program ironically called "48 Hours." His latest target was Las Vegas, my hometown, and Mr. Rather neglected to tell the whole story. Those who watched the CBS profile of Las Vegas might have thought they were watching the travel channel. There were neon lights, blackjack players, show girls, 24-hour wedding chapels, and therapy sessions with compulsive gamblers. I can understand why a news organization would focus on the Las Vegas strip and downtown casinos, but there's so much the program missed. In all fairness, CBS is not the first news organization to stress only one aspect of Las Vegas, which is very much like other cities of comparable size. Of course, there are bright lights and show girls. But there are churches, all types of recreational opportunities at nearby Hoover Dam and Mount Charleston, and a growing high-tech-nology industry. We have the free world's largest laboratory in the Nevada test site, and Nellis Air Force Base provides the finest training available for our pilots and those of our allies. Mr. President, as a long-time resident of Las Vegas, I understand why my constituents feel the national news media seems to always take a superficial look at our fine community. I wonder if Dan Rather were to profile New York City, whether he would only focus his cameras on Times Square for an hour? Surely New Yorkers would wonder why CBS would not also include a look at Wall Street, Rockefeller Center, the Statue of Liberty. or Central Park. "48 Hours" should spend a little more time to provide the entire picture. For Dan Rather it seems to be either hit or myth. Mr. President, I ask that an article entitled "48 Hours Worthless" which appeared in today's Las Vegas Review Journal by John L. Smith be printed in the Record. The article follows: [From the Las Vegas Review, Jan. 28,1988] "48 Hours" Worthless (By John L. Smith) Television journalism smeared another pie in its face Tuesday night when CBS news aired "48 Hours in Las Vegas." Inu^ine collecting all those cliches in two days or less. It must have been difficult. Why, rumor has it that next week "48 Hours" and Dan "Seven Minutes" Rather will go undercover at Disneyland to find out whether Mickey and Minnie Mouse are married or living in sin. This so-called news program was filled with the stuff usually reserved for television detective shows. In "Vega$," for instance, Dan Tanna drove his convertible up Fremont Street, then turned left and suddenly was halfway up the Strip. The city was far more than the neon and craps tables portrayed in "Vega$," but it was fiction and such editing was understandable. To interview a few teen-age ragamuffins in their rebel-without-a-cause mode was inaccurate and damaging to a city overrun by critics. Las Vegas isn't Mayberry, but every American city has its share of troubled youth. The program missed a great opportunity to do something fresh. This city's many problems, peculiarities and positive qualities could have been illuminated. Instead, it was neon stereotypes and degenerate gamblers. The biggest theme of all?old Las Vegas emerging into corporate Las Vegas?was glossed over with a sad superficiality. Even brief mention of a few news items would have made the picture clearer: The recent trial of three Binion's Horseshoe security guards involved in the beating of two blackjack card counters. The Binion family is a Las Vegas institution, and only a few years ago such back-room brutality never would have come to trial. The face of the gaming industry is chang- -ing rapidly, and Japanese investors are a big part of the story. Las Vegas is an atomic boomtown that has grown far faster than even city planners of vision could have anticipated. "48 Hours" could not use fictional license as an excuse. Its lack of perspective and reporting was shocking. Its credibility is questionable. The hour-long puzzle included snippets on sports betting, professional gambling, compulsive gambling, troubled teens, wedding chapels and Leroy's book joint downtown. They even did the showgiri-is-really-a-good- mother-at-heart story. Like many tourists, and the producers of "Vegas," the "48 Hours" crew didn't leave the bright lights. That's no sin. But the program's flawed theme?have camera, will travel for two days?is no excuse for representing the youth of this city as a bunch of misguided party animals. Yes, some gamble, drink and?worst of all-violate curfew. With the exception of the Gamblers Anonymous and sports betting segments, the program added little more than cliches. The show not only failed to answer basic questions, it failed to ask them. It could have been produced by any tourist. It had all the journalistic rewards of Al Capone's safe. Perhaps it should have been titled, "Two Nights on the Las Vegas Strip," or maybe "A 49-cent Breakfast in Las Vegas." After watching "48 Hours in Las Vegas," one question remains: what did you guys do with all that extra time??