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

DATE: THURSDAY, September 16, 1993                   TAG: 9309160063
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

FCC PROBES `CREATIVE PRICING' IN CABLE LAND

Federal regulators are surveying the top seven cable TV companies - including the parent of Cox Cable Roanoke - to determine where rates have gone up and what is to done about it.

"There's been some creative pricing going on," Federal Communications Commission Chairman James Quello said Wednesday.

New rules governing rates went into effect Sept. 1. In many places, instead of going down as intended by Congress, the rates went up.

Quello said the survey would be completed in time for action, if necessary, at the FCC's Oct. 15 meeting.

"There is a lot of recourse we can take," said Quello. "We will take whatever action is necessary."

He said the FCC will reconsider the formula it established for rates if the survey reveals it has been ineffective. The formula required cable companies to base rates on a benchmark that varies with the number of subscribers.

If consumers are unhappy with basic cable rates, they should inform the local franchising authority. If they are dissatisfied with other rates, they can file a complaint with the FCC, the chairman said.

The FCC could order rebates if it finds the benchmarks failed to achieve the intent of the law, Quello said.

The top seven cable companies, serving about half of all subscribers in the country, are Tele-Communications Inc., Time Warner, Continental Cablevision Inc., Cablevision Systems Corp., Comcast Corp., Cox Cable Communications and Storer Communications Inc.

by CNB