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participation in its Local Origination programming? For instance, think how many viewers would like to see a vidg!o_of activities at the recent Beaux Arts Ball at the Center for the Arts or the Wildlife demonstration presented by Wild Kingdon's James Fowler at the Windsor Polo Club or the rodeo scheduled in Felismere next month? Another cable company (one of two serving different sections of the same community) has two full-time employees to support its community affairs channel which is on the air from 2 to 11 p.m. daily presenting 20 hours of current local programming and approximately the same number of hours of reruns. Incidentally, this local community outlet of a major nationwide cable operator carries approximately 25 channels for a cost of approximately $14. It makes one wonder how much TCI would cut its rates if it had some first-class competition. Incidentally, when regulation. does take effect in a few months, will the County be able to learn just how much profit the local TCI system clears? 2) In early fall last year when Congress was debating legislation to reregulate cable companies' franchised operations,"(see Press -Journal, 9/15/92) Tele-Communications Inc. of Denver, the cable giant that owns United Artists Cable in Vero Beach (and south Indian River County) "joined other systems in an ad campaign against the reregulation bill." In fact, TCI placed six full page ads in the Press -Journal at a cost of over $10,500 filled with newspaper quotations opposing the bill and urging subscribers to write their Senators and Representatives to oppose the legislation. I would like to ask Mr. Foody how much this lobbying advertising cost TCI, whether he knows how much if any local support it generated, and whether in retrospect he thinks it was a wise expenditure. 3) Finally, I should like to ask Mr. Foody about an article in USA Today, 12/3/92 (attached) which describes recent advances in cable technology which according to John Malone, described as "the cable industry's godfather, "is yanking television into a new age of hundreds of channels. (A photocopy of the article is attached.) Quoting USA Today, "The technology will allow cable companies to deliver ten channels for every one they now carry. Most cable systems can't carry more than 75 channels. That would jump to 750. ..." "The first test likely will be in Denver, near the headquarters of TCI in Englewood, Colorado. Satellite customers wil get the service first, then other cable users beginning January 1994. "Customers will get new digital converter boxes for $1 to $2 more a month. They'll pay for the additional channels or pay -for -view events." I agree that this technology may revolutionize the communications industry. But I must ask Mr.Foody why in heaven's name do home viewers need access to 750 channels? Presently TCI has about 50 channels. I wonder if Mr. Foody has asked viewers which channels they now watch on a regular basis and which ones they could just as well do without and whether re- ducing the number of channels might reduce the cost of premium service that includes all 52 channels. Respectfully submitted, Sloan O'Donnell P4A FEB23 1993 BOOK FA,'A' J