Tell Videon you want channels

I wrote the following letter to the editor, that was published in the Winnipeg Free Press on September 17, 1998. It's a bit dated now in context, because Videon Cable-tv was sold to SHAW in 2001, and now Much More Music has changed its name to Much More...

I am responding to the news item that appeared in the entertainment section, Shaw, CHUM reach deal on new specialty channels where Shaw Cable has decided to carry the new music video network, MuchMoreMusic. The new music video network will debut on Sept. 30.

Why must Videon Cable subscribers be left behind, yet again? If you remember, MuchMusic first aired on August 31, 1984, yet Videon couldn't carry it until September 1987. Is this about to happen again? We subscribers demand the choice to decide ourselves what cable networks we should be able to receive, as long as the programming of that network is in good taste?

Alas, there does appear to be ample room in Videon's current frequency spectrum to carry both CTV SportsNet and MuchMoreMusic networks. Videon already carries simultaneous cablescasts of TSC The Shopping Channel, currently on cable 68, and CPAC Cable Public Affairs Channel, which is duplicated on cable 71. I was talking wth one Videon representative during the week and she informed me that there is no room for MuchMoreMusic and that I'd have to wait until some fuzzy time in 1999 before it would be made available. She also said that some of their customers couldn't find TSC when it was put too high up. Well that's tough luck for them. If those people have enough spending money to purchase those items from TSC, then surely they could find enough of that same money to purchase a newer TV, VCR, or cable converter to receive TSC on cable 30. What is Videon's real agenda?

I think what really needs to be done is to have Videon Cable transformed into a co-op organization where all subscribers would have a real say in what is or isn't carried on their cable system, subject to CRTC CanCon rules. If subscribers want Videon to carry MuchMoreMusic from the first broadcast day, I highly encourage them to give Videon a call at 287-4500 and say that they, the cable customers, should have a say in what is carried on their system.

JIM JAWORSKI
Winnipeg