Channel 68

[Joe Hironaka <j.hironaka@unesco.org>]

Hi list:

FYI, I found this article at the Providence Journal website.


1.27.99 00:19:53
CELTICS
Celts fans could end up in the dark

By BOB McGARRY
Journal Sports Writer

First, Boston Celtics' fans had to deal with a lockout. Now, many of
them may be faced with a blackout.

With the announcement that Channel 68 (WABU-TV) is taking over for
Channel 38 (WSBK-TV) as the new TV home for Celtics road games in this
shortened season, basketball fans will become familiar with a problem
that area Red Sox fans have faced the past few years. Channel 68 is not
part of the programming lineup of Cox Communication, by far the largest
cable service in the state.

But unlike what was done for Red Sox fans, where a method was worked out
through WLNE-TV's (Channel 6) low-power UHF station (Channel 48) to
televise Red Sox road games on Cox's Community Programming Channel,
little or nothing has been accomplished so far for the fans of the
``Green'' in this area. It appears as though many Rhode Island Cox
customers may have to be satisfied with Celts' home telecasts on Fox
Sports New England and the handful of national telecasts on NBC, TNT and
TBS during this season.

However, Channel 68 is optimistic that all 22 road games will also be
carried on the cable system in this area, some way, some how.

``We sent out notices last week to all Rhode Island stations that we
would be willing to work with any of them in trying to get these games
on in that market,'' said Bill Spitzer, vice president of development at
Channel 68.``We are still waiting for any of them to respond.''

Spitzer's hope is that the entire package of games will air on a full
power station, but if a procedure can be worked out similar to the one
where the Channel 68 and Channel 6 combined efforts to air the Red Sox
games, that would also be acceptable. ``Our interest is to get the games
on in all New England TV markets, no matter how its done,'' he said.

Cox, which supplies the Channel 68 feed to many Massachusetts customers
close to Rhode Island (North Attleboro, Franklin, Millis, Norton,
Plainville and Taunton) because they are part of the Boston market, is
also hopeful that a Rhode Island station steps up and nets the games so
that all their subscribers will be happy.

``There is the opportunity for one of our local broadcasters to make
these games available so that we would be able to work with them and
pick them up for our Rhode Island customers,'' said Pat Sylvia,
community relations manager for Cox Communications. ``We are hopeful
that happens, but unfortunately, we don't control this type of
programming. We have to work with what we have and look at all our
options.''

Of course, the easiest way of solving this problem is for Cox to add
Channel 68 to its lineup. But Sylvia said Cox's hands are tied when it
comes to deleting stations in order to add other stations. ``We have
contractural obligations to the local broadcast stations as well as the
national stations and (Cox) can't just randomly drop a station and add
another in order to carry certain programming,'' she said.

Sylvia went on to explain that within the last year or two Cox has
lopped two Boston stations (Channels 56 and 7) from its programming menu
in favor of two new stations (WLCW-TV-Channel 28 and WPXQ-TV-Channel
69). But the new stations are what are referred to in the cable industry
as ``must-carries,'' local stations that cable systems are required to
carry by law.

So while Cox and Channel 68 are weighing their options on if and how
they can satisfy their Celtics' viewers, it would seem that Celtic fans
will be shut out until a third party gets involved.