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North Carolina Central University
November 14,1990
'Central Issues': NCCU's best kept secret
By Kimberly Thornton
Campus Editor
One of the best kept secrets
around campus is North Carolina
Central University’s television pro
gram, “Central Issues.”
The program airs on Thurs
day at 8:30 p.m. on Channel eight
and is produced by some faculty
members. One of the producers,
as well as host and creator of
“Central Issues,” is Joanne Car
ter. Carter, a home economics
instructor at NCCU, said she felt
that there was a need for a pro
gram like “Central Issues” for the
university.
“I was looking around at op
portunities that the university had
in this community for telling the
good things that we do and the
chance for showcasing some of
those positive things to the com
munity. I did not see the kind of
program at NCCU that is fairly
commonplace with the universi
ties how, which is broadcasting.”
Carter came up with the idea
of a television program over the
Christmas holidays last year and
discussed it with others. She said
that Central was not approached
for financial support for the pro
gram.
She produces “Central Issues”
with two other faculty members,
Larry Lovette and Dr. Marvin
Duncan from the Learning Re
sources Center.
Carter is also working with
Dr. Donnell Lewis, director of the
telecommunications project When
she discussed her idea for a televi
sion program with Dr. Lewis, they
both realized that they could help
each other. Dr. Lewis’ telecom
munications project is working to
wards creating a television studio
on campus and “Cenu-al Issues” is
just one step in achieving that
goal, as well as establishing the
much rumored radio station.
While working with Dr. Le
wis, Carter hopes to produce two
to three shows a month instead of
one. “Central Issues” is taped at
the studios of Durham Cable.
Also working behind the
scenes with “Central Issues” are
NCCU students:Terry Steed, Amy
Franks, Albirda Jackson, Carlton
Forrest, Earnest Batts and Herb
Delany. These students received a
crash course in television produc
tion from Janet Evans, production
director at Durham Cable.
Carter said the students were
excited about working behind the
scenes, especially the students
whose major is media-journalism
because this gives these students
the opportunity to put to use what
they have learned in the class
room.
Although she isn ’ t able to hire
extra students. Carter does hope
that she will be able to involve
more NCCU students in the fu
ture.
One problem “Central Issues”
has is getting access to the stu
dents. Since the program is on
Cable Channel 8, the students liv
ing in the dorms cannot watch the
program.
Carter has been trying to work
out a time to show “Central Is
sues” in the Student Union.
She encourages all of the
students to ask that a vcr be as
signed to the student union so that
tapes of the program can be shown.
Carter feels that if the students
actually see the program then they
will feel free to come to her and
give ideas for upcoming shows.
The first show dealt with black
student activism 20 years later.
The panel featured Dean Milton
Lewis of Student Life, Dean Irv
ing Joyner from the law school
and students from NCCU.
Other shows dealt with the black
male crisis, promotion of various
programs around campus such as
summer school, Edu-care, the
evening degree program, etc.
Carter hopes to cover other
important issues like the contro
versy of the First Amendment and
its relation to popular music, as
well as program on the Drama
Department and the NCCU Dance
Troupe.
In November "Cental
Issues'Vill be moved to Tuesdays
at 8:30 p.m. on Cable Channel 8.
B5^S}£Coming Rap Extravaganza
Miss NCCU, Terri Rowland, waves to the over 13,000 fans at the
homecoming game. For more pictures rf Homecoming 5M)' ,see .,
pages 5 and 6.
By
Staff Writer
What is unique, original, hip-
hop, suave, slammin’ and crea
tively revolutionized by our Afri
can-American culture? Yes, you’ve
got it right, rap!
The homecoming rapping
extravaganza was outta sight! The
North Carolina Central Univer
sity Homecoming show consisted
of five of the most popular groups
in the country. Urban contempo
rary group Today headlined the
show, but the rap groups: A Tribe
Called Quest, X-Klan, D-Nice and
Special Ed held their own while
entertaining a screaming crowd of
5,000 in McDougald Gymnasium.
They call Derrick Jones who?
Jones, better known as D-Nice, is
a 20- year- old resident of Man
hattan, New York who is also
known as the D.J. for KRS-1 and
Boogie Down Productions, via New
York. Derrick is known for his
current hit “Just Call Me D-Nice”
and other video hits such as
“Glory.”
Derrick has been a single artist
for two years now with many hopes
and dreams for his future. He’s
created the 40th Street Black Music
Inc. and is happy to call it “his
own recording company.” He hopes
to expand his company and con
tinue to write music as well as
produce more acts. Derrick has no
musical idols but he “respects other
entertainers,” and doesn’t feel as
if he has to idolize them.
“I idolize my mother; she’s the
one I look up to,” he reveals. O-
Tip, Jarobi, Ali and Phife are the
eccentric members of A Tribe
Called Quest who stress “unity
through rap.” Their first album is
titled Peoples Instinctive Travels
And The Paths Of Rhythm, and
their first single was “Description
of a fool.” The follow up was the
high selling “I Left My Wallet In
El Segundo,” which is a unique
song that enhances their peculiar
but “hyped” style.
Who? Brother J, Professor X,
Isis... it’s X-KIan, the group that
emphasizes the richness of the
African heritage and the pride of
Afnca through draping themselves
in the red, the black and the green,
and ethnic, striking attire. Cur
rently, X-Klan is receiving much
attention for they have a militant
impression that some people tend
not to understand.
NCCU junior, Robert “Earth
quake” Thornton feels that X-Klan
“is very misunderstood. Many of
people are turned off by their (X-
Klan) methods of conveying
theirmessage,"said
Thronton.’People tend to call them
extremists, but I think that they
are just straight forward with what
they teach.”
X-Klan has definitely made their
mark on society with their music.