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ABC’s ‘The Middle’ has fun Disney visit

By WTOP Staff

DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The season finale of ABC’s comedy “The Middle” proved the power of corporate synergy: the network owned by the Walt Disney Co. gave prime-time attention to an idyllic family vacation at Walt Disney World on the eve of the summer travel season.

The episode that aired Wednesday night showed the squabbling Heck family children bonding over rides at the Orlando theme park, their parents enjoying a meal at Epcot Center’s Paris exhibit and the family upgraded to a spacious suite at a Disney-owned hotel when smaller rooms were sold out.

It proved popular with viewers. The Nielsen company said Wednesday’s episode was seen by 7.5 million people, the comedy’s strongest showing in four months.

In the episode, the Indiana-based family of five won a Disney World vacation in a contest. When they arrived, the Hecks learned their tickets were instead for Disneyland in California. They pleaded for help from a customer service representative.

“There’s just no way we could … not let you have a great time at Walt Disney World!” the representative said, letting them into the park.

Once inside, teenage daughter Sue was nearly breathless from excitement. “It’s more beautiful than I’ve ever imagined,” she said. “I’ve dreamed of this my whole life.”

Then she fainted, requiring medical assistance.

After their first day, the family finds out the “garden view” hotel room they were promised wasn’t available — only to be ushered into a swanky suite. The Hecks swoon over a large flat-screen TV, a television built into a bathroom mirror, huge bed — even the plush toilet paper, which they stuff into suitcases. They sleep until 3:30 p.m. the next afternoon.

“I can’t believe we slept the day away,” the mom, Frankie Heck, said. “Damn comfortable sheets.”

Their short last day in the park was undeniably sweet: plenty of rides for the kids, a relaxing time in Epcot for their parents. They unite in the evening to watch a fireworks display. “If you can survive a family vacation, you’re doing OK,” Frankie said.

After the scene, ABC ran a commercial for Walt Disney World. Hal Boedeker, TV critic for the Orlando Sentinel, called it “redundant, because ‘The Middle’ had done a fine job of selling Disney World.”

Boedeker called the entire episode a “bracing valentine” to the park.

Product placement in entertainment programs isn’t new. In the past few years, television networks have increasingly sought creative ways to get commercial messages across at a time digital video recorders allow viewers to fast-forward through ads.

Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, said viewers should at least be told they are getting a marketing message in such instances.

There was no fee paid by Disney World for the episode, said Tammy Golihew, spokeswoman for the show’s producers, Warner Bros. Television. She said the show creators had been looking for a way to do a show where the Heck family was removed from the usual setting, at the same time Disney reached out to see if they would consider visiting a park.

It’s the second time in two years an ABC family comedy has taken its cast to a Disney theme park: the “Modern Family” cast visited Disneyland in May 2012.

____

David Bauder can be reached at dbauder@ap.org or on Twitter@dbauder. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/david-bauder .

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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