CHANNEL CHANGES ARE A RATE INCREASE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, March 4, 1993                   TAG: 9303040426
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
CHANNEL CHANGES ARE A RATE INCREASE
THE EXTRA section on Feb. 19 contained an ad for Cox Cable headed, "Unlike Your Husband, We Always Tell You Before We Change The Channels."
The wording was clever, and it gave the reader a feeling that Cox Cable was being very nice and considerate to let us know in advance that the channel lineup "will change slightly" on March 22. But they did not bother to mention to basic-cable subscribers that effective on that date there would be several channels taken away from them. Basic subscribers will no longer be able to get the Weather Channel, Headline News, the Discovery Channel and the Learning Channel. This means that we have, in effect, been given a rate increase, since we are paying the same rate for fewer channels. I was under the impression that rate increases were only allowed with some sort of governmental review.
I am concerned about this for myself and for others. I work at a retirement home where people are on a fixed income. Most of our residents get the basic service for $10.95 per month. Most of them watch the Weather Channel and Headline News more than some other channels. Now they must pay $19.95 to see these channels. I know that the additional $9 will get them several other channels, which they do not want, and in the past have not had to pay for. (MTV is not a big hit with them.)
I do not know which governmental agency controls Cox Cable, but I would hope that those responsible would look into this change, which is merely a poorly disguised rate increase. KEN SCHOFF ROANOKE

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB