News Round-up

As hunger rises in US, so do creative ways to help
With a big spike in the number of Americans heading to food banks, people who want to help are getting creative – from corporations to state governments to individuals.

Even soap operas are in on it. Characters in GUIDING LIGHT and THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS are holding V8 Juice-sponsored food drives for Feeding America.

VHS era is winding down
Pop culture is finally hitting the eject button on the VHS tape, the once ubiquitous home video format that will finish this month as a creaky ghost of Christmas past.

MARK HARDING: Myrtle's Farewell
"I have no complaint about the way Myrtle was honored per se, but I find myself reacting to the fact that I think this funeral was actually a fair demonstration of the relatively poor health of ALL MY CHILDREN these days."

Edutainment soaps combine values with appeal
India's first major soap opera with a social theme was the 1985 production, HUM LOG. The 156-episode, 17-month series promoted issues such as family planning and education for the girl child.

Then there was RAJINI, NUKKAD and KYUNKI JEENA ISI KA NAAM HAI, all only on Doordarshan. But now, various satellite channels are also breaking away from saas-bahu sob stories and are telecasting serials on serious issues.

Also described as 'edutainment', current social soaps include BALIKA VADHU on Colors, which is seeing high TRPs with messages on child marriage, female foeticide, widow remarriage and girl education.

Cope calls for honor for CORONATION STREET veteran
A CORONATION STREET veteran should be given a damehood, according to a current Weatherfield star.

Kenneth Cope, who recently returned to the soap to reprise his role as Jed 'Sunny Jim' Stone, has called for Eileen Derbyshire to be given the prestigious accolade in the New Year honours list.

Cope told Digital Spy: "[Eileen] is a very, very old friend. We've been friends for ages. I really do think she should receive a damehood. She's done so much for television."

Derbyshire, who plays Emily Bishop, has been in Coronation Street for 48 years.