Cox drops government shows

Paul Clinton

One of the city’s cable providers has dropped a handful of public

affairs shows, including the broadcast of the Orange County Board of

Supervisors meeting and a talk show hosted by Rep. Chris Cox.

Cox Communications, the cable company that feeds cable television

to about 10,000 households near Fashion Island and in Newport Coast,

recently pulled the shows as a part of a scheduling shakeup.

The cable company is negotiating an extension of its franchise

agreement with the city and said it would ultimately hand over

control of Channel 30 to Newport Beach.

But for now, Cox subscribers can’t watch “Washington Report,” the

talk show hosted by the city’s congressman.

“Our main goal is to make sure the residents have the programming

they ought to have,” said Jim Leach, Cox’s vice president of

corporate and government affairs. “We’re working with the city.”

As part of a partnership agreement with Adelphia Communications --

the city’s other cable provider -- Cox also expanded its coverage of

the City Council, adding about four more hours of coverage on Tuesday

evenings.

Cox has been preempting “Washington Report” since July 20, because

the cable company has been using more Adelphia public programming.

About 50% of Cox’s programming is now provided by Adelphia, Leach

said.

Adelphia broadcasts the City Council’s study session between 5 and

7 p.m. on Tuesdays before a council meeting. “Washington Report,” a

30-minute show, had been broadcast at 6 p.m. on those same Tuesdays.

City officials said they supported the return of the congressman’s

show, which he has hosted since his election in 1988. The congressman

interviews leading-light legislators, officials, journalists and

others on the show. A recent guest to the show, taped in Washington,

D.C., was former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

“All of these shows are important to air,” Assistant City Manager

Dave Kiff said. “If [Cox] puts together the effort to put together a

show, we should find a way to air it.”