CABLE: REFORM BILL MAY FACE VOTE LATER IN WEEK

The U.S. House and Senate will soon take final action on the Cable Television Consumer Protection Act, which is designed to bring the cable television industry under tighter controls.

The vote could come this week, according to a spokesman for Sen. John Danforth, one of the bill's principal sponsors.

"Our hope is that the legislation will be approved and signed by the president," said the spokesman.

Danforth, R-Missouri, led the measure to a convincing initial victory in the Senate earlier this year. The House also passed a version of the bill by a wide margin.

"It is my hope that the Senate and House have reconciled their differences in the bill and the president will not veto this much-needed legislation," said Danforth. "I think people have had it

with cable television monopolies."

One of the provisions contained in the Senate-passed version of the bill was that of retransmission of signals.

Under deregulation, which took place in 1984, cable companies can retransmit broadcast signals without permission.

The new provision will require cable TV companies to negotiate with local broadcast stations for the right to retransmit their signal. The bill would also restore rate regulations for basic services.

A check with area legislators Tuesday revealed that all supported the first round of bills and that three of them support the bill that has come out of the conference committee.

Danforth is satisfied with the current bill.

"The bill promotes competition in several ways," said Danforth. "It will prohibit cities from denying franchises to second cable operators and will give local broadcasters a choice and the right to negotiate with cable operators. We believe that unregulated monopolies are not in the best interest of consumers."

Sen. Christopher Bond's office said Tuesday the senator, a Missouri Republican, had voted for the measure earlier and will support it again.

Glenn Poshard, a Democrat from Southern Illinois, said he would support the bill.

"A lot of people in my district have expressed dissatisfaction with the service provided by the cable system," said Poshard.

Bill Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau) said he voted for the bill the last time out but has some reservations about it.

"We've received some letters and comments both for and against the bill," said Emerson. "Right now, I'm looking at all sides of the bill before making a decision."

Howard Meagle, general manager of KFVS-12 in Cape Girardeau, and Stevem B. Engles, president and general manager of KBSI-23 in Cape Girardeau, are vocal in their support of the bill.

"I can't believe that the cable companies are getting by with what they are telling their customers," said Meagle. "They're telling everyone that the bill will result in increased charges for the customers. This will be decided by the government.

"We're pleased with what Congress is doing," added Meagle. "Congress is returning the signal to me that they took away in 1984. I feel that ownership of our signal is very important."

Meagle added that the new regulations would allow him to negotiate before being placed on cable.

"I would prefer to be on Channel 12 on cable," he said. "We spend a lot of money advertising KFVS-12, then we wind up on some other cable channel."

Engles added, "This is a great bill. It will control cable rates, increase the competition of cable and help strengthen the ability of local TV stations like mine to serve the public.

"The bill says we will have a choice. We won't have to give cable our signals free of charge. And, the cable rates will be regulated."

Meanwhile, Roger Harms, manager of TCI Cablevision of Missouri's Cape Girardeau and Jackson offices, said the Senate measure was a "bad bill" that will restrict development of new cable television technology.

Harms say he could live with the House bill, which did not include the retransmission provision.

"What a lot of people don't understand is that part of the money we charge the customers goes for new technology," he said. "I don't agree with the Senate bill. It will hurt the industry because it will curtail technology."

Harms added that the bill could result in cable cutting back on services. "It would most certainly curtail the growth in quality programming that consumers have come to enjoy," he said.

In presenting the Senate bill, Danforth said the top complaint about cable television is price, citing the U.S. General Accounting Office report that basic cable rates have risen an average of 56 percent since cable was deregulated.

"Cable operators spent about 25 cents of each subscriber dollar on programming in 1984," said Danforth. "They spent even less, about 21 cents, in 1990."

Word from Danforth's office Tuesday was that the cable industry was conducting an irresponsible campaign about the bill.

"The reason for this is that cable would like to remain a monopoly," said the Danforth spokesman. "We feel that the cable industry's primary concern is maintaining its profitability in monopolistic ways.

"A number of provisions in this new bill will act to contain rate increases," added the spokesman.