Cable company switching channels for local government, educational programming

A major switch of channels for Charter Communications will take place June 24 as the company moves toward standardizing its offerings in all its markets, spokesman Neil Gill said.

All local government and educational programming will move to a public, education and government neighborhood on digital channels 980 to 998. Those channels include the Cape Girardeau government programs on Channel 5, which will move to Channel 993, and Cape Girardeau School District programming on Channel 23 will move to Channel 985.

The company has been presenting those programs on the new channels since March 16 and service on the old channels will cease June 24, Gill said.

Many commercial stations will also switch channels, he said. Customers have been notified of the changes in their bills.

The move is part of a broader plan that will tie Cape Girardeau's offerings to those in St. Louis for economies of scale, Gill said. Charter will add about 60 channels, including 23 channels on pay-per-view that will bring video-on-demand services to the area, he said. Local broadcast channels will continue to be offered.

Customers who do not have digital service or who do not have digital televisions ready for digital cable can request a free converter box that will allow them to view the government channels, Gill said.

Viewers with digital cable-ready televisions can view the city government programming at 118.1.

Pertinent address:

Cape Girardeau, MO