TCI adding three new channels

By BOB LAPHAM / Arts Editor

Families who have wanted The Cartoon Network added to the TCI cable TV lineup will get their wish - if not by Christmas, at least by the first of the year.

So will subscribers who wanted the ouster of KTVT, the seldom-seen Metroplex CBS affiliate carried on ch. 11.

Those were among the major changes TCI local manager Ruben Reveles disclosed Tuesday, when questioned about an advertisement campaign TCI had launched about upcoming changes.

"Our main focus in all this is added programing for families," said Reveles, who moved here earlier this week from region headquarters in Mineral Wells.

He also said customers have been, or are in the process of being, informed on adjustments to monthly cable bills, as required by the Federal Communications Commission.

Three new cable channels will join the Abilene TCI lineup "hopefully by Jan. 1 and possibly a day or two before," Reveles said.

n "Animal Planet," a 24-hour variety outlet parented by The Discovery Channel that includes documentaries, films, educational specials and even game shows with animal themes, will join the expanded basic lineup, probably on ch. 27.

"The Cartoon Network," 24 hours of animated shows from Turner Broadcasting, targeting children, will occupy ch. 32 as an expanded basic channel.

"plex-encore 1," a new 24-hour, commercial-free movie network, will be added to expanded basic, replacing Intro (ch. 39 on most local cable lineups). Parented by the premium channel Encore, "plex-encore" will be aimed at family units. No R- or X-rated films will be shown, Reveles said.

Besides Intro and KTVT, the third disappearing TCI channel will be the Preview Channel, mostly found on ch. 9 in Abilene.

Reveles said other channel-shuffling will be necessary to accommodate the changes. For example, USA Network will move to another TCI channel. So will Fox Sports (32 on most sets here) and The Family Channel (36).

Reveles said The Family Channel will become ch. 11, when all changes are put in place.

Ch. 11, mostly blacked out since KTVT duplicated area CBS affiliate KTAB as well as other syndicated programming, has been a sore spot for many viewers here. They objected to KTVT being retained, given the inability of TCI to add channels without removing a like number. After blackouts, KTVT has only about about five hours of daily viewing on Abilene's TCI.

Reveles said new rates will find basic service in 1997 rising 58 cents a month, from $11.60 to $12.18. Expanded basic will rise from $12.09 to $13.25.

He said the increase in basic service is justified by The Family Channel moving from expanded basic to basic.