New Channel Not Available on O.C. Cable

Orange County comedy fans shouldn’t wear out their remote controls searching for HBO’s new Comedy Channel. It’s not there.

Local cable operators, citing a lack of channel capacity, are taking a wait-and-see approach to the newest 24-hour specialty channel, which will be launched today.

“It’s a product that has potential. It hasn’t been proven, however,” said Navarra Williams, vice president and general manager of Paragon Cable. “Every time we add something, we have to drop something”--and the company is not willing to take a chance with an unknown quantity.

Cablevision of Orange also has filled its channel capacity. Dropping an established channel for a new one is “a balancing act, a juggling act,” said general manager Steve Everett. “Nomatter what you take off, someone’s not going to be happy.”

Popular demand could make a difference. “Our programming is pretty much determined by what people want to see,” Everett said. “If it becomes a very popular service, if lots of people ask for it,” it may be added.

One company, Copley Colony Cablevision (covering Cypress, La Palma, Irvine and Costa Mesa), is negotiating to add the channel but has not yet signed on. “We’re trying to cut a deal,” said John Hauenstein, regional marketing manager. “Right now channel space is a big consideration in some systems.”

John Kelley, an HBO spokesman, allowed that “channel capacity is a problem,” but predicted that the Comedy Channel would catch on locally. “I’m sure we’ll be in Orange County in the near future,” said Kelley, who added that the new channel is “on schedule” for adding systems in the rest of the country.

In a survey of Orange County cable operators, none reported signing up for MTV Networks’ rival comedy channel, HA TV, which is set for launch early next year.

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