PANEL: CHANNEL TOO BUSY TO SHARE

Jackson needs to get its own channel if it wants to put messages on cable television, the Cape Girardeau Cable Television Advisory Committee says.

A few months ago, Jackson Mayor Paul Sander asked Cape Girardeau Mayor Al Spradling III if the Cape Girardeau would grant Jackson space on TCI Channel 5 for announcements from his city and its not-for-profit groups. Jackson would foot a proportionate amount of the bill, Sander said.

Spradling referred the letter to the advisory committee.

Teri Goodman, who runs Channel 5 as Cape Girardeau's public awareness coordinator, said at Tuesday's committee meeting that the channel's character-generator announcements have 90 message slots available, with 60 to 70 always in use.

The number of messages has increased rapidly and could fill up, Goodman said. If messages from Jackson were added, she wouldn't know how to determine which messages would be aired, she said.

"We don't want to have to turn any Cape Girardeau people away because of not having the slots," she said.

Committee Chairman Michael Maguire said he would have agreed to the proposal if Jackson had decided to work with Cape Girardeau and share the start-up expenses when it first established Channel 5.

Committee member Jim Dufek said the committee should offer to help Jackson start its own access channel. The resolution the committee passed included that offer.

Sander was not at the meeting. Told of the recommendation afterward, he said, "We weren't looking for a free ride, we were looking to pay our way."

He said Jackson residents like seeing what is happening in Cape Girardeau and would hope that Cape Girardeau residents would like to keep up with Jackson events. Jackson did not propose airing city council meetings or producing shows like Cape Girardeau does.

"Sharing a channel is in the best interest of both cities," Sander said. "We don't think our events warrant a channel of our own."

Sander said he probably will write Spradling another letter to plead his city's case.

The committee's resolution is only advisory. The final decision is up to the Cape Girardeau City Council.