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

DATE: THURSDAY, May 6, 1993                   TAG: 9305060472
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-16   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

COX CABLE PLAYING `SHELL GAME'

YOUR CONCERNED subscribers appreciate this newspaper's reporting the Federal Communications Commission's action on April 1 regarding cable television's pricing practices. Assuming that cable subscribers in the Roanoke Valley fit those represented in the bar graph published with that news story, approximately one-half of them are seriously affected by the recent basic-rate changes in this area. For example:

In January, basic-cable television subscribers with Cox Cable Roanoke experienced an increased cost of about .044 cents per channel for 18 channels when that company raised its monthly charges from $11.45 to $12.25 (fees included). In a March 16 letter, that cable company notified such customers of a planned rate change to become effective March 22 that would decrease the monthly cost from $12.25 to $11.66 (fees included), with an even greater decrease in service from 18 to 12 channels for a resulting charge of 97 cents per channel. As this change was made, the company offered an expanded basic service with a total of 30 channels for $16.30 (about 55 cents per channel) over a four-month period, after which the rate would increase to $19.95 (plus additional fees) at a cost of 67 cents plus per channel.

The above figures show that what the right hand gives the left hand takes away. Such figures do not take into consideration that many current basic-service subscribers have neither viewing time nor budget to justify expanded basic service. The subscriber is left with the feeling of being asked to participate in a shell game. AUDREY G. GUTHRIE ROANOKE

by CNB