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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 22, 1993                   TAG: 9309220254
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MELANIE S. HATTER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WSLS OKS DEAL TO STAY ON 2 MORE CABLE SYSTEMS

The pacts were reached a day after the Roanoke television station reached an agreement with Cox Cable Roanoke Inc.

As with the Cox deal, WSLS General Manager James DeScheppersaid Tuesday, it was a confidential contract that was mutually beneficial.

WSLS, an NBC affiliate, still is negotiating with other cable operators, including Simmons Cable TV in Radford and Lynchburg Cablevision. Negotiations may be held up in some cases because both broadcasters and cable operators are swamped trying to talk to everyone in their markets, he said.

DeSchepper said his goal is to have agreements with all cable systems by Oct. 5.

Under federal regulations adopted last year, television stations have until Oct. 6 to reach agreements with cable operators on what, if any, compensation they would receive in return for cable systems carrying their programs. If no agreement is reached, the station's signal cannot be carried by the cable system after Oct. 5.

Some local broadcasters have chosen agreements by which cable systems simply guarantee to carry the station's programs. Others have negotiated for compensation, either cash payment or free advertising.

"When the good people get together, things get worked out," said Richard Lesley, executive vice president of Booth.

Cable operators and broadcasters have been attacking each other through newspaper advertisements and television and radio commercials.

"We've taken a lot of bad shots lately," Lesley said. But he's pleased with WSLS' final agreement and hopes to work out a contract with WDBJ, another Roanoke station that has not yet settled with several cable companies.

"We most certainly want to carry WDBJ," he said. "It's troubling to us" that an agreement has not been settled.

WDBJ (Channel 7, a CBS affiliate) has yet to sign with Cox Cable or Booth American. Bob Lee, the station's general manager, said he doesn't feel pressured by being the last broadcaster still negotiating.

Lee said he is waiting "for the right deal." He had said he was asking for 57 cents per subscriber per month, amounting to $356,000 a year from Cox Cable and $76,000 a year from Salem Cable.

But that was a starting point, Lee said, based on what cable operators charge cable networks; for example, operators charge approximately 60 cents for ESPN.

But cable operators have told him "the only adequate price is zero," Lee said.