TCI MAKES PROGRAM CHANGES, PLAN MORE

TCI Cable's new channel lineup made an early debut.

Cable customers noticed Wednesday that the new channel lineup slated to start at the beginning of March got here early.

"We had everything ready. When we notified our customers of the changes, we said on or about March 1," said Roger Harms, general manager of the Cape Girardeau-Jackson TCI system. "We met our time schedule and decided to launch it early to allow people to enjoy WGN."

WGN, the Chicago-based superstation, is returning to the local TCI lineup after being removed in late 1996.

Basketball fans will especially enjoy seeing WGN back in the cable lineup, Harms said.

WGN is being seen on channel 17, but that will soon change. On March 5, WGN will move to channel 21; UPN 49 WDKA, now on channel 20, will move to channel 17; and QVC, now on channel 18, will move to channel 20.

Eric Dahl of UPN 49 WDKA said the station is excited about the move down the dial.

"The lower channel number you get, the better off you are," Dahl said, adding viewers tend to watch lower-numbered channels more often than higher-numbered ones.

The move is especially good, he said, "because Cape Girardeau is one of the largest viewing areas."

Rearranging the channel lineup was necessary to make way for the addition of TCI's digital entertainment system, which will become available April 1, Harms said.

The digital system will make 19 new channels, eight new premium channels and nine additional pay-per-view channels available to viewers.

The digital system was part of the cable franchise agreement approved by TCI and Cape Girardeau in November.

New channels will include such offerings as the Sci-Fi Channel, the History Channel, Home & Garden TV, BBC America and the Game Show Network.

Harms said TCI listened to city officials and public complaints about the removal of WGN in deciding what new channels to offer.