CABLE CUSTOMERS WANT MORE SAY ON TV CHANNEL OFFERINGS

TCI and KFVS-TV have declared a truce -- at least for two months. Cape Girardeau's CBS affiliate will remain on TCI's cable systems in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois. The agreement works to the favor of both companies.

If TCI had yanked KFVS-TV, it would have left some 45,000 TCI subscribers in Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois without a CBS station on their cable systems. That would have hurt not only KFVS, but TCI as well. But most of all the customers would have been hurt. Federal law won't allow the cable operator to carry a CBS affiliate from another city.

The dispute dates back to a 1992 federal law, which says cable companies must receive permission to carry over-the-air channels. Since the law was enacted, many of the nation's over-the-air stations have argued that cable companies should pay them a fee or some other compensation.

TCI is a big player, providing cable service across the nation. But a number of customers have long been dissatisfied about the local channel lineup, and the recent changes won't improve matters.

On Jan. 1, WGN was dropped along with the Comedy Channel and VH-1. TCI had planned to drop WGN in all its markets but changed its mind in five states due to negative customer feedback. With WGN goes the broadcast of the Cubs, White Sox and Bulls games. The decision to drop it wasn't reconsidered here. In their place came two rather questionable choices: the Cartoon Network and the Animal Planet.

The Cape Girardeau City Council Monday night issued an unprecedented but warranted censure of TCI for its failure to consult the public on program changes. The resolution passed unanimously.

The council called on TCI to reconsider its recent programming changes and to seek customer feedback before making future changes "in order to restore the goodwill and good name of TCI in this community." That is just the kind of leadership cable customers need in their corner.

Customers would be understandably upset if KFVS is removed from the local cable system. They would also like greater input on what channels are carried on the local cable system, such as WGN.

With fiber optic competition on the horizon and growing satellite television opportunities, TCI should consider greater customer participation in future channel choices.