U.S. TURNS TO OUR STATE FOR PERRY MASON MOMENTS.

Byline: Joseph Honig

IN forlorn fiscal times, California soldiers on, entertaining the world with feature films, television series and real-life courtroom dramas.

High-profile, high-interest cases cram our legal backlot: Michael Jackson. Robert Blake. Phil Spector. Scott Peterson. Defendants sure to spike news ratings. Meanwhile, local jurisdictions say splashy trials are money-losing propositions. This despite charging thousands for satellite truck parking, hundreds to the pencil press for simple work spaces.

Big-ticket advertisers, though, will spend seven figures pushing deodorants and soft drinks in between sizzling testimony. Money always changes hands when celebrities or notorious names are in jeopardy.

Like networks and studios, our courts are now content providers. There is, however, one crucial difference: Paramount, Fox and Sony earn millions for stories of mystery and murder. (And we're not even talking DVD sales.) California, home base to nonfiction blockbusters, always runs a deficit on fact-based productions.

So would anyone blame us for making crime pay?

Maybe, maybe not. Though awash in multibillion-dollar shortfalls, it could be time to tell networks and cable news services there is a price for courtroom coverage. No, we're not asking for back-end dollars. Not even residuals. And no, we don't much care about movie-of-the-week revenues. Just pay reasonable rates for reality programming, say, $300,000 to $600,000 per trial hour. By the way, we'll eat the parking.

Want a discount on courthouse coverage? We'll talk. Could be we'd chop 10 percent off broadcast bills in exchange for commercial time; tourism's hurting and we're always eager to sell ourselves. Especially with millions of high-income news viewers hooked on legal cliffhangers.

Concerned about First Amendment compromises? Who's kidding whom? We're not restricting the free flow of information; a public trial is still public when any and all comers are welcomed as spectators. We just want equal treatment as producers of dramatic content rivaling ``Law And Order.''

Remember, we are the ones in the red. Not the media giants. They have multiple outlets, synergy and reruns. We have bills for bailiffs, lights and, oh yes, judges. We can't sell beer or frozen dinners to offset the price of justice. All we can do is raise taxes, a nonstarter in this and most other states. So many of us remain economically punch drunk in this still-recovering economy.

At the same time, all those television trial watchers, the commentators in custom-tailored suits, have never looked better. They glow and gleam at the prospect of arraignments, motions and cross-examinations. Throw in a hostile witness or two and legal analysts almost jump from their chairs with glee. When it comes to courtroom theatrics, California is Spielberg with a gavel. We are, like it or not, in the accidental business of creating stars and conversation, driving newsstand sales and cocktail talk. The book business, too, is a beneficiary, what with true crime authors and mystery writers cashing royalty checks inspired by our cases.

California, a bored and gossipy nation turns to you for Perry Mason moments. You rarely disappoint.

For pain, anguish and homicidal intrigue never fail to divert millions - and make millions. While Californians subsidize compelling justice - live and in color.