WITH FLICK OF FINGER, YOU'RE IN CONTROL REMOTE CONTROL

Todd Runkwitz surfs through television land, changing channels with the flick of a finger on his remote control.

Zap, it's Murphy Brown in the newsroom. Zap, it's "Monday Night Football." Zap, some jewelry's being sold on a home shopping channel. Zap, zap, zap ....

Runkwitz, who lives in Cape Girardeau, is the sales/marketing manager for the area's cable television company, TCI Cablevision of Missouri Inc. He's also a channel surfer, addicted to running through the channels with his remote control -- fishing for interesting programming.

"I don't think I've watched one program in its entirety in probably three years," he said.

"A remote control is a wicked tool," said Runkwitz, who believes he's like many TV viewers when it comes to channel zapping.

The more channels, the greater the need to channel surf, he says. "We have 36 channels to watch plus pay-per-view," said Runkwitz.

"With today's technology, I am a double surfer," he confessed. "I have one of those pictures-within-a-picture televisions, so I can surf on two different waves."

Runkwitz says he's been known to try to watch two programs at the same time.

He looks longingly at the latest TV technology, which offers television sets where a viewer can watch nine different channels at the same time.

Channel surfing also is a way to avoid boredom. "If it becomes boring or it's not what I anticipated, I will definitely switch to something else," he said.

Often when he's watching a movie with his wife, he finds his hand on the up and down buttons of the remote control, wanting to switch channels. It's just a matter, he says, of "wondering what else is out there."

Runkwitz says his wife may complain about all that channel surfing, but she has ridden the waves too.

"I've caught her surfing before," he said.

Runkwitz sees a lot of comparisons between channel surfing and ocean surfing. "If you think about it, your remote control is shaped like a surfboard."

Cape Girardeau resident Jim Zieba loves to channel surf. "It bothers me not to know what is going on on the other channels," he said.

Once when his batteries went dead on his remote control, he lay on the floor next to the TV so he could push the buttons on the set and sweep through the channels.

"If the remote doesn't work, then you are in trouble," he admitted.

Misplacing a remote control is also traumatic. "You almost panic hunting for it," he said.

"I just keep the remote control in my lap," said Zieba, who at home often reads the newspaper while flipping through the channels.

Zieba, who owns Curtis Mathes Home Entertainment Center, says some people are almost in a panic when they bring in their broken remote controls to be repaired.

People, he notes, act as if someone in their family were sick. The store frequently gives out loaner remote controls.

When it comes to the remote control buttons, in many cases, the ups and downs are worn out, he points out.

Zieba says his interest in channel surfing is not unique. "Everybody does it."