CALIFORNIA COUCH POTATOES TO GET DEMONSTRATION OF THE FUTURE

     A new interactive TV system which would allow fans to
customize their own sports TV viewing will be available beginning
next month to about 1,000 households in Southern CA.  The new
service, created by ACTV Inc., a subsidiary of TCI's Liberty
Sports, was profiled by the N.Y. TIMES' Richard Sandomir.  One
remote-control button will enable a viewer to call up an instant
replay, another will summon an isolated view of a star player and
another will retrieve up-to-the-minute stats and graphics.
ACTV's technology will be used for telecasts of Lakers, Kings,
Mighty Ducks, Padres and Angels games, college football and
basketball, horse races and boxing.  The technology will be
incorporated with Prime Sports' coverage of these events.  ASI
Market Research and Turner Educational Services (a division of
TBS) are also participating in the experiment.  An early version
has been operating in parts of Canada since '90 (N.Y. TIMES,
4/17).