Morning Report - News from May 7, 1999

RADIO

Yugoslavia-Bound: Nationally syndicated radio host Doug Stephan--heard locally on KRLA-AM (1110) from 3 to 5 a.m. every day--will become the first radio host to broadcast live from refugee camps in Yugoslavia, Albania and Macedonia when he does an entire week of shows from the camps starting Monday. Stephan, who will be joined by his show’s political reporter, Ellen Ratner, plans live interviews with refugees as well as leaders and officers of the Kosovo Liberation Army and the Serb troops. “We will report the views of both sides of this conflict,” said Stephan, who leaves for Yugoslavia today. “I want to bring the stories and the people inside this conflict into the cars and homes of America like no one has before.” In addition to Stephan’s regular program, KRLA will also feature him at various times during the week as a call-in guest on the station’s morning and afternoon drive shows.

TV & MOVIES

Denver Halts ‘Atomic Train’: Believing that a tale of destruction in Colorado “is not compatible” with “the mood of the community” near the site of the Littleton, Colo., school shootings, NBC’s Denver affiliate has pulled the network’s May 16-17 miniseries “Atomic Train,” which depicts a runaway train filled with nuclear weapons and headed for Denver. Instead, the Denver station plans to repeat various movies and specials in the slot, including the James Garner Hallmark Hall of Fame project “Decoration Day” and a “Tribute to John Elway.”

Film Bio Finally Set: After years of legal wrangling among studios, Miramax has finally signed the rights to produce a movie on Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The film will star Salma Hayek as the tortured artist, and a company executive said the studio is close to signing a director for the project. The idea of making a movie about Kahlo erupted in controversy several years ago when a non-Latino actress--”Just Shoot Me’s” Laura San Giacomo--was set to star. Later on Madonna was rumored to want the part in another production, again igniting a firestorm of complaints from many in the Latino community.

POP/ROCK

Bangles Reunion: The Bangles have reunited to record a new song for the soundtrack to “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me,” and the four members--who last played together in 1988--are mulling a new album and tour. The Los Angeles group recently rejected offers to play Lilith Fair dates and the Go-Go’s summer tour, but decided to write some new songs together and see where that led. “It’s been really fun--we’ve done a lot of laughing,” says lead guitarist Vicki Peterson, describing the “Powers” track, “Get the Girl,” as a “vintage Bangles, ‘60s pop song.” The cut was commissioned too late to be included on the movie’s soundtrack album but could turn up on a tentatively planned second volume. Bangles singer Susanna Hoffs was part of the first “Austin Powers” movie as a member of star Mike Myers’ ad hoc band Ming Tea, co-writing and performing the song “BBC.”

QUICK TAKES

Game-show host Bob Barker (“The Price Is Right”) will receive the Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award for Daytime Television on May 21 at the 26th annual Daytime Emmy Awards airing on CBS. Barker--who has won 12 Emmys in his 42-year career, is being recognized for his “unparalleled professional track record” and his “outstanding contributions to community service.” . . . Columbia TriStar Television Group plans to launch in January a 24-hour cable channel, SoapCity, that will feature same-day reruns of the production company’s soap operas, including NBC’s “Days of Our Lives” and CBS’ “The Young and the Restless.” ABC recently announced plans for its own cable soap channel, which will re-air the network’s daytime dramas in prime time. . . . Judd Nelson is leaving NBC’s Brooke Shields comedy, “Suddenly Susan,” with his final appearance to be on the show’s May 24 season finale. Nelson’s departure is said to be a mutual decision between Nelson and the show’s producers, all of whom decided that his magazine editor character had “run its course.” A decision on whether to replace the character has not yet been made. . . . A New York judge said he would sentence rapper Busta Rhymes to five years’ probation after the rapper pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of gun possession. Police had arrested him after a December traffic stop. . . . Music executive Jerry Moss will receive a Hollywood Walk of Fame star today at 11:30 a.m. at 6933 Hollywood Blvd.

Quotable: “I’m not a tax cheat. . . . It’s all a misunderstanding.”--Luciano Pavarotti, at a Milan press conference Wednesday responding to a recent Italian court judgment requiring him to pay $2.5 million in back taxes. The tenor, who also said Wednesday, “I pay my taxes where I sing,” had argued during the court proceedings that his official residence is in the tax haven of Monte Carlo, not Modena, Italy, where he spends most of his time.