CABLE NEWS: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-
MS) warned the cable industry yesterday in a Senate hearing
to "hold prices in check or the government may change its
mind about the deregulation that is just eight months away"
(AP, 7/29). U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) said that he is
"most interested in encouraging more competition to cable to
keep prices in check." According to the government's most
recent figures, cable TV prices rose 7.3% in the 12 months
ended June 30. Overall inflation was just 1.7% for the same
period (AP/SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 7/29).
OTHER NOTES: In N.Y., Peter Slatin reports that Time
Warner "is considering a relocation of CNN operations as
part of its blockbuster $1 billion project" to redevelop the
New York Coliseum. One source told Slatin that CNN will
move a "significant" component of its operations to New
York. But Time Warner spokesperson Ed Adler said, "I have
not heard that" (N.Y. POST, 7/27)....The Golf Channel CEO
Joe Gibbs said that he expects the channel, currently in 20
million homes worldwide, to be in close to 25 million homes
"at the end of the year," and hopes to exceed 30 million by
the end of '99. Regarding its recent renewal with the LPGA,
Gibbs said there were no immediate plans for Fox, a part
owner of TGC, to televise any LPGA events (HOUSTON
CHRONICLE, 7/29)....SportsTicker will provide sports content
for Netscape's "My Netscape" personalization service
(SportsTicker)....Ratings for Yankees' pre- and post-game
shows on MSG Net are "on target" to set an all-time high.
Through July 27, the pre-game show is averaging a 1.07, 73%
higher than last season, while the post-game show is
averaging a 1.3, up 60% from last season (N.Y. POST, 7/29).