C-SPAN PRE-EMPTION IRKS CABLE VIEWER

Suzanne Graham looked forward to an evening watching her federal government at work Wednesday. Instead she got University of Missouri basketball.

C-SPAN coverage of the opening day of Washington politics was preempted by taped coverage of the Cape Girardeau City Council meeting followed by a Mizzou basketball game.

On the Cape Girardeau cable system, C-SPAN and the community access channel share time on Channel 5. Community programming takes priority.

Graham had looked forward to watching government in work Wednesday as Republicans took control.

"It was a historic day," she said. "I think a lot of people, myself included, were interested in viewing the day's events. I didn't get to do that."

TCI Cablevision Manager Roger Harms said the local cable company plans to expand the system, but wouldn't give an exact date for work to start.

"All our channel space is taken up right now," Harms said. "If we do anything, we would have to drop a channel."

In the meantime, he said, Cape Girardeau's City Council has given permission for the local access channel to be time-shared with C-SPAN.

The time-share agreement was approved as a temporary solution.

"There are a lot of people who like C-SPAN, but there are a lot of people who like other channels," he said.

Upgrading the system will include running all new lines and other equipment upgrades. "It won't happen overnight," Harms said.

Graham, a regular viewer of C-SPAN, questioned why the upgrade is taking so long.

"I really feel like we in rural Missouri appreciate information," she said. "I feel I've been denied the services that I pay for."

Cape Girardeau City Attorney Warren Wells said he will ask city council members if they continue to support the decision for time-sharing.

"The council has the ultimate authority," Wells said.

"It was a bad time to preempt C-SPAN because a lot of people were interested in watching what was happening," Wells said. "But I'm sure there are people who like to see the ball games."

Negotiations for a cable operating agreement between the city and TCI are ongoing. Wells said the areas of differences have narrowed, but an agreement hasn't been reached.