ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, February 28, 1996 TAG: 9602280113
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
U S West to buy No.3 cable system
NEW YORK - Baby Bell U S West seized a leading position in America's telecommunications future with a $10.8 billion deal to buy Continental Cablevision, the nation's third biggest cable TV system owner.
The megadeal announced Tuesday is the first under a new law that lets phone and cable companies combine more freely. Both industries are scrambling to become one-stop providers of phone service, TV programming and other services.
A takeover of Continental, based in Boston, would give U S West, of Englewood, Colo., control or a stake in cable systems serving nearly one in every three homes that get cable TV. U S West is already a major investor in the cable systems controlled by Time Warner Inc., the nation's second-biggest cable system owner.
- Associated Press
Coal production shows signs of life
U.S. coal production rose 21 percent in the week ended Feb. 17, to 21.6 million tons from 18 million tons the week before, the U.S. Department of Energy said. The industry produced 20.4 million tons in the same week last year.
Virginia mines produced 684,000 tons in the survey week, up from 511,000 tons a week earlier but down from 697,000 tons in 1995.
Production so far this year is 131.1 million tons, 6 percent behind last year's at this time.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 38 linesby CNB