Image provided by: Texas A&M University
About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 29, 1990)
The Battalion OPINION The Ba Wednesday, August 29,1990 Opinion Page Editor Ellen Hobbs Cable TV would improve if competition is allowed Sn< Americans have long cherished the idea that competition with an industry benefits everyone.Yet there is one industry where competition is not taking place — cable television. The accusations that the cable industry offers poor service with high prices and is unresponsive to the consumer have not fallen on deaf ears. Congress is planning a vote this session on whether or not to re-regulate the prices cable companies charge their subscribers. As one might suspect, the cable industry is doing everything they can to prevent this from happening. As far as they’re concerned, why spoil a good thing? Since federal law stipulates that there can only be one cable company in each town, the cable companies essentially have a lock on the market in their respective areas. Couple this fact with the one that cable television is more of a necessity than a luxury in a town like Bryan-College Station, and you have a classic example of a monopoly. Sounds too good to be true doesn’t it? Re-regulating the prices that cable companies charge their subscribers, however, is not the answer. This might keep prices down, but it does not guarantee service will improve. What the cable industry needs is deregulation, not re-regulation. Bryan-College Station’s local cable company, TCA, is a clear example of why monopolies have long been frowned upon here in the United States. To begin with, TCA’s installation rate is inversely related with the number of options one subsribes to. For example, sign up for the “Premium Package” and one can expect an installation rate of $25.00 and a monthly bill of $33.35. Subscribe to the “Full Entertainment” option and pay a $35.00 installation rate and a $19.34 monthly bill. The difference between the two packages is that the “Premium Package” has a movie channel of the subscriber’s choice, while the “Full Entertainment” package does not. Both offer 33 regular channels. Yet what happens if you don’t want a movie channel and don’t feel like watching 33 other channels? Well, if you bring your magnifying glass to the TCA office, you just might see on their cable information sheet — at the bottom, in fine print — that TCA offers a 12 channel package for $9.95 a month. It sounds reasonable until you realize that Patrick Nolan Columnist the installation charge is $53.00. Simply put, $53.00 to install 12 channels, $25.00 to install 34. One more thing: Only subscribers to the premium package get the 14-day money-back guarantee. If you are one of those poor unf ortunate souls that cannot af ford $33.34 a month, be sure you know what you’re getting yourself into. Yet there really isn’t much of an alternative. If a consumer thinks TCA charges too much, his only option is to watch the one over-the-air channel out of Bryan, which usually signs off at midnight. But if high prices and poor service aren’t bad enough, the choices of channels that TCA offers their subscribers stinks. Why are there two country music channels and no VH-1 ? Would you like to watch MTV’s new comedy channel, HA? Well you’ll have to wait until you go home to visit Mom and Dad, because TCA doesn’t offer it. As it is now, the cable channels after 11:00 p.m. are loaded with junk commercials posing as talk shows. When someone referred to television as a “vast wasteland” they must have just turned off cable television. The ironic thing about the situation is that the companies that now offer telephone service have been begging Congress to allow them into the cable television business. The cable television lobbying groups have no good response to this proposal. They cite numerous studies that suppposedly prove that the prices are as low as possible, and that competition will benefit no one. What many people do not understand is if the current cable monopolies are doing the fine job they say they are, what do they have to fear? If the prices are as low as possible, why not allow another company to offer service and find out for itself that there is no money to be made offeringtlii consumer a choice? The fact of the matter is thattheii no other industry in the UnitedSiai; widely used as cable televisionandj protected. The current policy ofniii the consumer suffer while the fata: offer lousy service and high ratesm end. Yet until Congress finds the backbone to stand up to cable telew lobbying, it will be the consumers*! must either pay the ridiculousyhigl rates or face what amounts to a new blackout. Until then, let the buyer beware. Patrick Nolan is a senior political science major. James Austin, Texas Houstc expens Battalion file photo HOUS reports si $2.07 mil and prov: tors for tl Summit h The 1 $1.97 mi which cc $589,800 cers optec The I $54,200. Sj Stay for your 5th football season (or 6th, or 7th) On the eve of my seventh football season here in Aggieland, I’ve decided to share with the incoming freshman class a few of the lessons I’ve learned over the years which will make their lives less complicated. I’ve mellowed somewhat in my old age and decided to let them learn from my experiences while saving a bundle on Maalox and parking tickets. These experiences are summarized in Larry’s Rules of College Life. Some I stole, some I made up, but all are good, common sense platitudes from which even worldly upperclassmen might glean a bit of use. Rule # 1: Don’t let going to class get in the way of your education. No, I’m not telling you to skip class. However, there are hundreds of educational opportunities on this campus which greatly enhance you as an individual which occur outside the realm of the “normal” classroom. Judging teams, field trips, study abroad programs and a Columnist Cox vast array of student organizations are an important and integral part of the collegiate experience which can’t be replaced by lectures and library time. Rule #2: Go for five. Football seasons, that is. The four year degree is a myth promulgated by academic advisors and other fairy tale experts. It requires you to go to class every single summer session and take 22 hours of upper level courses your last semester here. If you’re in that big a hurry to get out in the real world, there are mental health professionals who may be able to help you out — but hurry. A fifth football season helps maintain your sanity while allowing you time to get a couple of summer jobs out in the real world. These look good on your resume and tend to give you all the exposure to “out there” that you’ll ever want. The real reason, of course, is football. Aggieland in the fall is a special place (okay, take your hand from over your heart). You can’t beat the smell of gunpowder across Kyle Field, the feel of the heatwaves as Bonfire is lit, or the sounds of your last yell practice as an Aggie. You’ll never regret staying around for that fifth season, and Coach Slocum and the team thank you for your support. Rule #3: Avoid the real world for as long as possible. ’Nuff said. If rule number two doesn’t work out and they try to make you graduate, think about graduate school. It’s not the greatest thing in the world, but it’s still much better than “out there”. Rule #4: Become an Aggie. We, unfortunately, have a number of students on campus who are as far removed from anything Aggie oriented as they can be. Don’t miss out like they do. Work on Bonfire. Join a student club or MSC committee. Make road trips, go to Silver Taps and Muster. Hell, there are dozens of events and traditions which set this place apart from anywhere else in the world. By choosing to become an Aggie you’ll have many more memorable college experiences and a lot more fun than those other bozos. Rule #5: Sell your car. Mr. de Sade, the Director of Parking on campus, is hesitant to admit that 40,000 parking permits are sold for less than 2,000 student spaces. The money you make from selling your car should be more than enough to pay for that fifth football season and will also allow you to buy beer they have connercials about (as opposed to college beer- Schaefer Lite, Milwaukee’s Best, etc...), thusimprovii your quality of life index anothernottk Rule #6: One of my wisest profess®! used to say that if you kicked the rear end of the person responsible for mosi of your problems you wouldn’t beablf to sit down for a week. I’ve found this over the years to be one of the most valuable lessons to be learned from college. Your capacity to do well in college, or your propensity for failing out are all up to y-o-u. My favorite axiom in dealing with college life is that if people took the most important things in life seriouslf. there would be a huge shortage of fishing poles. There ain’t, becausethf don’t. Take in the whole college experiend profit from it, do your best, but don't neglect your football. With yourbask priorities in place, the rest will come easy. Larry Cox is a graduate student in range science. ( Alpha Gar Aug 30 fy Sept. I F 7 A 8 C Forii Alpha Tau Aug. 30 (Hon 31 Sept. 2 V The Battalion (USPS 045 360) Member of Texas Press Association American Collegiate Press The Battalion Editorial Board Cindy McMillian, Editor Timm Doolen, Managing Editor Ellen Hobbs, Opinion Page Editor Holly Becka, City Editor Kristin North, Meg Reagan, News Editors Nadja Sabawala, Sports Editor Eric Roalson, Art Director Lisa Ann Robertson, Lifestyles Editor Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-sup porting newspaper operated as a commu nity service to Texas A&M and Bryan- College Station. Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editorial board or the au thor, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M administrators, faculty or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regu lar semesters, except for holiday and ex amination periods. Newsroom: 845-3313. Mail subscriptions are $20 per semes ter, $40 per school year and $50 per full year: 845-2611. Advertising rates fur nished on request: 845-2696. Our address: The Battalion, 230 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, Col lege Station, TX 77843-1111. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M University, College Station TX 77843-4111. Adventures In Cartooning TAR<36Tt5 • fkflT Govs - ALTHOUGH SOME ARE ACTUALLY DECENT, MOST VlSftW AN ARROGANCE DCVOND DESCRIPTION. BONCHEADS ONLO ACCEPT THOSE MOST LIKE THEMSELVES. THEH MAKE LIFE WORSE FOR EVERY ONE. by Don Atkinson J Tue PmiNc, Cesrm- ONLV PURPOSE THEN SERVE IS TO MAKE A DRV SITUATION WORSE. TEXAS AiM UW0 is a great Place qE WHEN THESE TERRS OPEN THEIR MOUTHS. 4 P 5 B For i 6934 Beta Thets Aug. 30 1 s ept. 1 B 3 B 5 C 6 C For ii Chad Chi Phi Aug. 30 1 ] 31 Sept. 1 s p.m.' 2 A •5 B &tie For ii Smitl