Teche Area channel surfers will have new cable television lineups to get accustomed to starting next week.

Cox Communications is making several changes to its basic and expanded cable lineups.

Customers' bills will change, too, with basic customers paying less and expanded customers paying more for service.

Advertisement

Cox spokeswoman Sharon Kleinpeter said the changes are designed to bring the company's Acadiana customers in line with its Baton Rouge market.

The good news for basic cable customers is rates will drop from $18.74 per month to $12.97, a decrease of $5.77, or 31 percent. The bad news is many of basic cable's popular networks are being dropped, as well, in favor of low-audience offerings.

While the number of channels on basic cable will remain at 22, nine channels will migrate to expanded cable - TV Guide, CNN, ESPN, The Weather Channel, TBS, Headline News, Fox Sports Southwest, BET and Independent TV.

The nine channels that will replace them are mostly local channels, including the Lake Charles NBC affiliate KPLC, the Opelousas America One network affiliate KDCG and two Lafayette-based public access stations.

Kleinpeter said some of the changes were needed because of contractual obligations with programmers.

"I know that most people are concerned about The Weather Channel moving," she said. "I know it's not an easy change to make. We suffered through it in Baton Rouge about six years ago, but it's one of those things we had to do."

In addition to the nine new channels added to basic cable, expanded customers also will add three other channels, each appealing to a different demographic.

Univision will offer programming for Spanish-speaking viewers, MTV2 will broadcast music videos and shows focused on youth culture, while Oxygen will carry programs aimed at young women.

One channel currently broadcast on expanded cable, MoviePlex, will no longer be available.

The new programming comes with a price for expanded customers, whose bills will go from $41.62 to $46.99, a difference of $5.57, or 13 percent.

One of the bigger changes for customers of both tiers will be learning a new channel lineup, as several stations will be changing positions.

Kleinpeter said Cox has mailed details about the changes, including a channel lineup sticker viewers can attach to their remotes, to their customers.

"We're trying to be as available as possible," she said.

Additions: Basic

4. Cox4 - Exclusive community-related programming

7. KPLC (NBC Lake Charles) - Lake Charles NBC affiliate

8. QVC - Home shopping

9. KDCG (Opelousas) - An affiliate of the America One network, KDCG also airs

programming from the Sportsman Channel, along with a strong slate of original programming.

14. Cable Mart - real estate

15. Acadiana Open No. 1 - public access television

16. Acadiana Open No. 2 - public access television

20. Local religious - local religious programming from a variety of faiths

23. LPB + - Public affairs, how-to and children's programming provided by Louisiana Public Broadcasting

Additions: Expanded

65. Oxygen - 24-hour network designed by women for women. Programming features blend of talk, health, comedy, movies, sports and advocacy.

70. Univision - Spanish programming.

73. MTV2 - Music videos, music-related specials and non-music shows focused on youth culture and pop culture.