the LCD is blank even after inserting new batteries, a red light comes on

When i turn the camera on, the LCD remains blank but a red light comes on next to the scrolling keys.

Well, even though your batteries are new, they may be either too weak or even dead, depending on where you bought them. Today's digital cameras require a LOT of juice at their command. As such, your batteries need to push out at least 2500-3000 mAh at any given time while they hold a charge. If you use Alkaline's for example, they may not be able to provide what you need to keep the camera going. So get stronger batteries. Avoid batteries that are in bulk or even from a discount warehouse. They can literally die while in the package.

Next, try resetting the camera back to factory defaults and download and install any available firmware updates. If these don't help, then I'm betting it needs a repair.