The five-part ABC Nightline series on gay life in America, "A Matter of Choice?," will conclude with a live 90-minute town meeting anchored by Ted Koppel from Roanoke, Va. "A Matter of Choice?" takes an in-depth look at the complexities of the gay experience, from senior citizens facing unique challenges to teens grappling with issues of sexual identity.
Koppel will moderate a discussion among a panel of guests and an audience of the Roanoke-area community. Last year in Roanoke, a hate crime...the murder of a man in a local gay bar...galvanized a once fearful gay community to take a visible and vocal stand against violence. The local newspaper published a series of stories on Roanoke's gay community, which triggered strong reactions in the community, including cancelled subscriptions and lost advertising.
"A Matter of Choice?" is scheduled to air on "Nightline" Friday, Sept. 28 and Tuesday, oct. 2-Friday, Oct. 5 on ABC.
"Television has tended to focus, and Nightline has been no exception, on the issue of AIDS and on hate crimes. Television in general tends to focus only on the 'out and loud' sector of the gay community, what we have come to call the first 10 rows in the gay pride parade. This series will show a part of the gay community not often seen on television. As our viewers will see, the sexual aspect of gay relationships merely represents a small percentage of gay life. We were stunned to discover how many gays and lesbians, especially older people, spend many years of their lives in heterosexual marriages, raising children, and seeing their children have children of their own," said Nightline anchor and managing editor Ted Koppel.
"Nightline through the years has made an effort to get communities who talk past each other to talk to each other. Be it Israelis and Palestinians, or residents of Decker, Michigan and the Michigan Militia, in the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing. When we announced this series, many expressions of concern were voiced, from the gay community to the religious right. It is our firm hope that bringing people together for a town meeting will do some good," said executive producer Tom Bettag.
