Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

LEGAL FILE

Snoop’s Turnaround: A Los Angeles judge on Friday ordered Death Row Records rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg to make three anti-violence public service announcements as part of his sentence for violating parole by carrying a weapon. The rapper, whose real name is Calvin Broadus, was also fined $1,000 and put on three years’ probation by Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Connor, who called a pre-sentencing report on Broadus “one of the most positive probation reports I’ve ever seen.” Broadus is serving probation for a 1990 drug conviction; he pleaded guilty to gun possession after being caught with a weapon during a 1993 traffic stop. Broadus has recently postponed an upcoming concert tour in the wake of the shooting deaths of fellow rappers Tupac Shakur and Notorious B.I.G. Meanwhile, the rapper has agreed to take part today in a “Peace Forum,” featuring rappers and record executives, airing from 9 a.m. to noon on radio station KKBT-FM (92.3).

Dissecting ‘Haitian Jack’: A former friend of Tupac Shakur has filed a $200-million libel suit against the late rapper’s estate, claiming that he is fingered as a federal informant in Shakur’s song “Against All Odds” from the CD “Makaveli.” The song, which tells the story of “a snitch named Haitian Jack,” says Jack is stocky, light-skinned and has a Haitian accent. Jacques Agnant, 33, says that describes him and that he fears for his life and can’t find work as a music producer because of the song. Agnant is on probation after pleading guilty to sexual misconduct in the 1994 incident in which Shakur was convicted of sexual abuse of a woman who came to his hotel room. Agnant’s lawyer alleges that Shakur falsely believed his client made a deal with prosecutors at the rapper’s expense. No one at Shakur’s record label, Death Row, could be reached for comment Friday.

The Bare Facts: A Los Angeles judge has dismissed Tommy and Pamela Lee’s invasion of privacy suit against Penthouse magazine, saying that intimate photos of the partly clad couple that ran in the magazine had been published previously in other magazines and were no longer private. The Lees had maintained the photos were stolen from their home. The judge also dismissed allegations that the magazine was using Pamela Lee’s image for financial gain, saying that the photos were accompanied by a “newsworthy” article about the couple’s marriage.

Vincent, Heard Updates: Former “Airwolf” star Jan-Michael Vincent, 52, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of misdemeanor drunken driving and driving with a suspended license, stemming from an Aug. 26, 1996, Mission Viejo auto accident that left him with a broken vertebrae. Vincent, who police said had a blood-alcohol level of .18 at the time of the accident, was sentenced to a six-week live-in alcohol program and a nine-month outpatient program in addition to a $2,000 fine and three years probation. . . . “Home Alone” actor John Heard was convicted Thursday of telephone misuse and trespassing in a case brought by “Homicide” actress Melissa Leo, his former girlfriend and mother of their 9-year-old son. Heard was acquitted of more serious charges of assault and harassment of Leo and her current boyfriend, John Russell. Heard maintains that the case is a “father’s rights issue.” Sentencing is set for May 13.

TV & RADIO

KCAL News Director: Dennis A. Herzig has been named news director for KCAL-TV Channel 9, sources said. Herzig, who will take over the position on April 14, was previously at an ABC affiliate in Miami, where he was assistant news director for more than a decade. He was also news director of KSTP-TV in Minneapolis. KCAL has been without a news director since December, when Bob Henry left the station.

Soap Bubbles: ABC will premiere its “General Hospital” spinoff, now called “Port Charles,” in prime time--from 9 to 11 p.m.--on June 1. The new soap, previously named “GH2,” will move to its regular weekday, 12:30 to 1 p.m. slot on June 2. . . . Former “Commish” star Theresa Saldana is joining the cast of ABC’s “All My Children.” Saldana debuts on the April 2 episode playing a writer looking to publish a novel about her captivity in a Central American prison. . . . NBC’s “Sunset Beach” will get a new look on Monday when it switches to the traditional taped method used on other daytime soaps. NBC said viewers didn’t like the “film” look (achieved by computer processing) previously used on the show.

KCRW Changes: Mike Morrison, former program director and deejay of the now-defunct adult alternative radio station KSCA-FM, will take over a weekend slot on Santa Monica public station KCRW-FM (89.9) starting April 5. The show, billed as “Weekend Becomes Eclectic,” will run Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 2 p.m. Longtime KCRW programmer Tom Schnabel’s “Cafe L.A.” will move to the 2 to 5 p.m. slot. KCRW is also adding a new Saturday 10 p.m. to midnight show called “Worldwide,” imported from London and featuring Giles Peterson, a label and club owner who pioneered the acid jazz and electronic dance music genres.

QUICK TAKES

Viacom Productions will develop R.L. Stine’s popular “Fear Street” books as a prime-time series described as a “frightcom.” A Fox series based on Stine’s “Goosebumps” is currently one of the top-rated Saturday morning children’s shows. . . . Actor James Brolin will return to series television with “Pensacola: Wings of Gold,” a syndicated series scheduled to premiere in September. Brolin (a.k.a. Barbra Streisand’s boyfriend) will play a military trainer. The show will air locally on KCBS-TV Channel 2.