Loss of Creative Control?

At first, some studios were wary of including the lines of dialogue. Former chair of NBC Grant A. Tinker, who introduced Winsten to writers and producers, says, "Some took it as though we were slipping some message about Communism...Some creative people took umbrage because of loss of creative control. That's bullshit. Jay has a very reasonable approach. You know he is not selling Communism."

Now the idea is facing another unexpected difficulty. Writers and producers are not putting in any alcohol use at all into shows, and "if there is no alcohol use, there is no driving after drinking. They are having trouble finding a place to put lines about driving and drinking," he says. Basically, according to Winsten, there has been a "halo effect," as writers avoid alcohol altogether.

The Project is also using more traditional methods, by prompting an increase in public service announcements encouraging use of the designated driver. Celebrities like Sajak and Dr. Joyce Brothers will serve as "talking heads" for ads during this holiday season, says Matthew D. Margo, vice-president for programming and practices of CBS' New York broadcast group.

The networks produced the announcements with recent research by Saatchi & Saatchi DFS Compton, an ad agency, in mind. Saatchi & Saatchi's pro bono work for the Project found that young adults often view the designated driver as a "repressive parental figure." Saatchi & Saatchi suggested that the networks portray the driver as "cool...a guy who can party down," says Dr. William DeJong, director of research for Harvard's Center for Health Communication.

Right now, the networks put special emphasis on anti-drunk driving programming during the winter holidays, but the Project would like more effort made. "There's a big peak in drunk driving just before Christmas and New Year's but also around July 4 and Labor Day," says Winsten. "Our goal is to get the mass media doing this year-round...to get American society tuned to the problem year round."

Media interest in drunk driving peaked in 1983 after the fierce lobbying efforts of MADD and other groups resulted in harsher anti-drunk driving legislation and the raising of the drinking age, says DeJong. He cites work done by MADD and the Department of Transportation as "changing the way people view the problem of drunk driving, not seeing it as just one of those things that happens, no longer viewing it as much as an 'accident.'"

But, when 1986 statistics showed a slight jump in drunk driving fatalities after some years of decline, it became clear that another media campaign was needed, DeJong says. The Center for Health Communication, which specializes in using the media to combat personal health problems, decided to take up the issue.

So last December, Winsten launched the Project because he felt the "Public [was] primed and ready to respond." According to a Gallup poll, designated driving has become more acceptable in recent years. About 91 percent of Americans support the idea of the designated driver and 78 percent are willing to stay sober and drive sometimes, the 1987 poll showed. Winsten also notes the increase in taxi and designated driver use among the young.

CBS' Margo says that TV's support for the announcements and the programs is not surprising. "The record shows a very strong committment against alcohol abuse...the records show we have spent significant millions on anti-alcohol campaigns."

Television people are especially willing to participate in the Project because, "TV gets its lumps for a lot. Except for news...it really does not make contribution beyond entertainment," Tinker says.

The goal of promoting designated driver use "is achievable. It's winnable. It can actually save lives. Jay Winsten and Harvard have been very reasonable and balanced in their approach. The depth and breadth of industry-wide participation in the project is very rare," says Margo.

The industry's participation may prove especially important, because television has in the past presented alcohol and drug abuse as a normal part of life.

"There was a time when TV was somewhat irresponsible. It wasn't that long ago that we were making jokes about drugs. We cleaned up our act. It takes something like this [the Project] to get people interested," Tinker says.

Winsten says he has other campaigns in mind. He would like to create a anti-drunk driving announcement that would run during movie previews. However, the Project has not yet found funding to produce such an ad. Winsten says he also hopes to get a celebrity who has had intimate experience with the problems of drunk driving make public appearances for the campaign.

The future of the Harvard Alcohol Project is obscure. Winsten has drawn up an "early draft" of a strategic plan for addressing the entire issue of problem drinking over the next few years. But it is a long way from implementation.

For now, turn on the TV and pay attention.