CABLE TV: ACCESS CHANNEL COULD GET MORE USE NEXT YEAR

Cape Girardeau's public access channel 5 isn't as widely used as it could be because people aren't aware that the service exists.

But programming could expand if people would submit it, said Tracey Glenn, public information officer for the city.

"It's not because of a lack of programming but a lack of people using it," she said.

Channel 5 provides community and city oriented programming at no charge. Programming is selected by the city but must be submitted; it is not solicited.

Cape Girardeau school officials are considering a project that could expand the channel's programming by 2000. Most of the details are still sketchy.

As part of the city's franchise agreement with Falcon Cable, another access channel for education will be allocated to the city by April 2000. The school district would like to manage the new channel's programming.

There has been no formal discussion or agreement about how the new channel would be operated or what its programming would include.

Currently city council meetings and school board meetings are aired on Channel 5. Other programming generated by the city is aired each Tuesday night from 6:30 to 9. Programming airs Sunday through Thursday each week. With the exception of Tuesday night and rebroadcasts of council or school board meetings, all other programming is submitted.

The city has no staff or equipment to produce its own shows.

"People have to realize that when you are talking about a channel, that is a tremendous amount of responsibility," said Jim Dufek, chairman of the city's Cable TV Advisory Committee.

"It takes a tremendous amount of work to produce a 30-minute show on a weekly basis," he said. The university helps with production for many of the city's programs like "City Source" or "Chamber Matters."

"You have to make sure it's something of decent quality that people want to watch," Dufek said.

Instead of submitting programs now, the school district wants to develop the new channel for promotion and public awareness, said Randie Fidler, principal at Cape Girardeau Central High School.

"We want to let people know what goes on at school and keep them informed of what's going on, whether that is on video or shown live," he said.

Some scattered announcements about fund-raising events, school concerts and special programs are listed on the Channel 5's bulletin board service. But nothing is programmed on a consistent basis, Fidler said.

With the addition of an education channel on the cable system, that could change. Programming could include daily activity highlights, sports highlights and student programs.

Most of the programming would be student-generated, Fidler said. But the district is still looking at ways to fund such a project, including buying equipment. Grants are available, he said.

"We would have to start small and work larger."

The public access channel is shared in part by Jackson. Both Cape Girardeau and Jackson use the bulletin board service for announcements.

Jackson also has a franchise agreement for its own public access channel but hasn't exercised its used, said Roger Harms, manager of Falcon Cable in Cape Girardeau.