Variety, August 22, 1990

By J. MAX ROBINS

New York "A Current Affair," the show that brought a brash tabloid style to the tv magazine genre and hit syndication gold, will attempt to go upmarket.

"Affair's" new topper, Anthea Disney, is telling associates that she's been given the directive from 20th Century Fox corporate chiefs Rupert Murdoch and Barry Diller to make the show "more 'New York Magazine' and less 'New York Post.'"

Although Diller declined to talk about the developments at "A Current Affair," it's been an open secret at Fox that Diller is no fan of the show. The layoff of a dozen people in New York, as well as two "Affair" producers in Hollywood, was said by show staffers to reflect Diller's feeling that the show was "too tabloid." And it was Diller, according to several sources, who issued the directive that nobody tainted by "Affair" would be hired to work on the company's new syndicated property, "Personalities."

"'A Current Affair' has on occasion offended some people at Fox," admits Peter Brennan, the program's creator, who recently left "Affair" for Paramount's "Hard Copy." "When we first started we did things in a cheap, expedient fashion and the wrong image took hold. The program has changed appreciably since then, but the old image still holds and that's not an image that fits in with the corporate image Fox wants."

A Current Affair" has been a cash cow for Fox. Produced on a budget of about $350,000 a week, the program turns an estimated $25 million a year in profit. But the program's earnings still pale against more benign syndicated fare with lesser ratings.

Despite strong ratings and demographics, "A Current Affair" still scares off a long list of national advertisers; only "Geraldo" has prompted more advertisers to refuse to buy time.

"Affair" (which will soon launch a one-hour weekend version of the show to run in addition to the weeknight strip) has slightly higher numbers than its syndicated rival, "Entertainment Tonight." But a 15-second commercial spot on "E.T." fetches $50,000 compared to $30,000 for "Affair."

Disney denies that the Fox major domos have commanded her to overhaul "Affair," but she does admit that the program has an image problem that her bosses want her to fix. "Diller and Murdoch want a successful show," she says. "The just want the perception of it to match the reality of what it's about.;"

Disney says she personally will be wooing reluctant advertisers to take another look at the show and will actively seek their input about content. But she doesn't want to go too far in sanitizing "Affair."

"If you have a marketing campaign that says we're cleaning up our act, you admit you were doing something wrong in the first place," says Disney. "I'll show advertisers the program, listen to their problems about content, but we can't afford to be a kinder or gentler, duller 'A Current Affair.' "The stories on 'A Current Affair' will always be about people who toy with the Ten Commandments and the Seven Deadly Sins, Disney continues. "You can have a lot of fun with stories of crime and passion. But you shouldn't feel like you have to wash your hands after you watch it."

Since Disney, a veteran magazine and newspaper editor in her first tv slot, took the helm at "Affair" last June there has been an exodus of key staffers to tabloid rival "Hard Copy." Brennan, show producer Burt Kerns, and veteran correspondent Rafael Abromovitz have all ankled for the Paramount syndicated strip. The departure of the tabloid trio follows last May's bombshell announcement that "Affair" anchor Maury Povich would be joining Paramount to develop a new talkshow.

Povich is under contract with Fox until next June, but the search for his successor is well underway. Insiders expect his exit will take place by year's end. "They'll keep Maury on until after the November sweeps to keep the program directors at the local station happy," says a Fox higher-up. "But there is already a short list for his replacement."

Sources at Fox say veteran New York anchorman Jack Cafferty is the frontrunner to replace Povich. Cafferty currently anchors a 7 p.m. newscast and the latenight public affairs program "Newsline New York" at WNYW, Fox' New York owned and operated tv station.

Disney and "Affair" executive producer Ian Rae are keeping mum on Povich's replacement. They are also downplaying the impact his departure will have on the show. They both repeatedly point to the show's strong July sweeps performance - "Affair" was the fourth-rated syndicated show, despite the fact that Povich was no vacation all month.

"When Maury came here, nobody knew him form a bar of soap," says Rae. "We promoted the hell out of Maury. The show drove Maury. Maury didn't drive the show.'

Some are skeptical.

"If they don't get the right anchor, the show could crash and burn," says Michael Linder, the former executive producer of "America's Most Wanted," currently holding the same title at "The Jesse Jackson Show." "A lot of the show's appeal after all is Maury Povich - the guy with the best eyebrows in show business. You need somebody like Maury who can take you through this delightfully sleazy world and bring you back alive."

"When Povich leaves the show will take on water but continue to float," says Katz TV v.p. and director of programming John Van Soosten. "The danger is in the cumulative changes."