WGN is still on some area cable systems and in Star TV

If there's one thing your new TVKC columnist has figured out
already, it is that some Kansas City area residents still watch WGN.
The Chicago superstation disappeared from TCI systems in the area
Jan. 1, including the one that serves most of Johnson County, the
result of some big-money deals the nation's largest cable-system
operator swung late last year. WGN, MTV, VH1 and Comedy Central were
given the bum's rush from hundreds of TCI systems nationwide,
although TCI later changed its mind on MTV and VH1 and is said to be
reconsidering Comedy Central as well.
No such luck for WGN, which is apparently not returning to area
TCI systems. So when readers began requesting that the daily TV
listings include the Encoreplex movie channel, which is being carried
by TCI, The Star obliged. WGN was out; Encoreplex was in.
And TVKC has been hearing about it ever since. After all, WGN is
not completely gone from area cable systems, as readers who are
served by Jones Intercable and American Cablevision's new upgraded
AXS service already know.
But good news - WGN is not completely gone from our listings
either. The complete WGN schedule is included every week in the
Sunday Star TV supplement, although it's no longer part of the
prime-time grid. (Special viewing tip: On Sunday, Monday and
Wednesday nights, WGN and KCWB, Channel 29, are airing the same WB
network shows.)

Meredith bulks up
The Des Moines-based Meredith Corp., which owns KCTV, Channel 5,
is rapidly becoming a broadcast empire.
The company best known for its middlebrow magazines (Ladies' Home
Journal, Better Homes and Gardens) last week gobbled up the
four-station First Media Television L.P. of Atlanta for $ 435 million.
When the deal is completed, probably by this summer, Meredith
will own 11 stations in 10 markets. Most of them are larger than
Kansas City, the No. 32 market in the country, but none is larger
than No. 17 Phoenix.
And a spokesperson said Meredith plans to keep acquiring
stations. Before the First Media purchase, Meredith most recently
paid $ 159 million two years ago for WSMV-TV in Nashville.
Viewer mail
Aside from the TV listings-related calls - did I mention that
people would also like to see us shoehorn in the TV Food Network,
Golf Channel and Action Pay-Per-View? - there was the e-mail from a
reader in Independence wanting me to know that former Kansas City
resident Arliss Howard is actually a native of her town.
Barbara Young writes, "To quote our most famous citizen, 'Kansas
City is a suburb of Independence. ' "
Talk back to your TV: You can write Aaron Barnhart at The Star,
1729 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo. 64108. Or by e-mail at:
barnhart@kcstar.com.