In the News
Encyclopedia
In the News was a series of two-minute televised
video segments that summarized topical news stories for children and pre-teens. The segments were broadcast in the United States
on the CBS
television network from 1971 until 1986, between Saturday morning animated
cartoon
programs, as were the arguably better-remembered Schoolhouse Rock and One to Grow On
segments on competing networks ABC
and NBC
, respectively. NBC would also go on to produce its own competing version called Ask NBC News.
The "micro-series" (as it would be labeled today) had its genesis in a series of animated interstitials produced by CBS and Hanna Barbera Productions
called In The Know, featuring Josie and the Pussycats
narrating educational news segments tailored for children. This was eventually metamorphosed into a more live-action-oriented micro-series produced solely by CBS' news division
.
In the News segments attempted to explain the essence of complex news stories to children, and to do so in a way that might engage a young audience. Video clips of national or world events and special-interest stories were shown with voice-over narration specifically written with children in mind. Although news stories deemed to be inappropriate for children were not covered on In the News, the series did feature a wide range of then-current events.
On occasion, a special mini-documentary segment, In the Future, would be presented, examining events and technology that may exist in the near future.
CBS News
journalists Christopher Glenn
and Gary Shepard narrated the segments.
. The series aired irregularly from 1978 to 1982, with only a handful of repeating episodes; factors that kept the show from catching on widely. Christopher Glenn co-anchored 30 Minutes.
News Washington Correspondent Dan Raviv
.
Repeats of the original In the News were seen during commercial breaks on TV Land
in the late 1990s.
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
video segments that summarized topical news stories for children and pre-teens. The segments were broadcast in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television network from 1971 until 1986, between Saturday morning animated
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
programs, as were the arguably better-remembered Schoolhouse Rock and One to Grow On
One to Grow On
One to Grow On is an educational public service announcement that broadcast during NBC's Saturday morning line-up from 1983 to 1989 when the network ran cartoons. One to Grow On focuses on ethical and personal safety dilemmas and attempts to teach viewers how to solve them...
segments on competing networks ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, respectively. NBC would also go on to produce its own competing version called Ask NBC News.
The "micro-series" (as it would be labeled today) had its genesis in a series of animated interstitials produced by CBS and Hanna Barbera Productions
Hanna-Barbera
Hanna-Barbera Productions, Inc. was an American animation studio that dominated North American television animation during the second half of the 20th century...
called In The Know, featuring Josie and the Pussycats
Josie and the Pussycats (TV series)
Josie and the Pussycats is an American animated television series, based upon the Archie Comics comic book series of the same name created by Dan DeCarlo....
narrating educational news segments tailored for children. This was eventually metamorphosed into a more live-action-oriented micro-series produced solely by CBS' news division
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
.
In the News segments attempted to explain the essence of complex news stories to children, and to do so in a way that might engage a young audience. Video clips of national or world events and special-interest stories were shown with voice-over narration specifically written with children in mind. Although news stories deemed to be inappropriate for children were not covered on In the News, the series did feature a wide range of then-current events.
On occasion, a special mini-documentary segment, In the Future, would be presented, examining events and technology that may exist in the near future.
CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
journalists Christopher Glenn
Christopher Glenn
Joseph Christopher Glenn was an American radio and television news journalist who worked in broadcasting for over 45 years and spent the final 35 years of his career at CBS, retiring in 2006 at the age of 68.-Early life:...
and Gary Shepard narrated the segments.
30 Minutes
In the late 1970s, CBS News produced a Saturday afternoon news magazine for young viewers, 30 Minutes, which was along the same lines as In The News and the nighttime news magazine, 60 Minutes60 Minutes
60 Minutes is an American television news magazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation....
. The series aired irregularly from 1978 to 1982, with only a handful of repeating episodes; factors that kept the show from catching on widely. Christopher Glenn co-anchored 30 Minutes.
Revival and rebroadcasts
The series was briefly revived as part of CBS's all-"educational/informational" Saturday morning lineup during the 1997-1998 season, but without the involvement of original narrators Glenn and Shepard. Three new one-minute segments were produced each week, narrated by CBS RadioCBS Radio Network
The CBS Radio Network provides news, sports and other programming to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by CBS Corporation, and operated by CBS Radio ....
News Washington Correspondent Dan Raviv
Dan Raviv
Dan Raviv is an American journalist. He is a national correspondent for CBS News, heard regularly on the CBS Radio Network. He has also done TV reports from Washington, D.C...
.
Repeats of the original In the News were seen during commercial breaks on TV Land
TV Land
TV Land is an American cable television network launched on April 29, 1996. It is owned by MTV Networks, a division of Viacom, which also owns Paramount Pictures, and networks such as MTV and Nickelodeon...
in the late 1990s.