Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, August 5, 1993                   TAG: 9308050111
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: B8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

IN BUSINESS

Cox Cable Roanoke Inc. and WJPR/WVFT (Channel 21/27) said they have agreed to keep the Fox affiliate on cable channel 8.

WJPR/WVFT grants its retransmission consent for Cox to carry its program without any cash payments to the station for its over-the-air signal. In return, Cox will air Fox Broadcasting Co.'s new cable channel, which is expected to air by the end of the 1994 first quarter. The Fox affiliate will receive a portion of ownership in the new channel.

The still-unnamed channel will offer unique programming and will not duplicate the Fox Broadcasting Network or Channel 21/27.

This is the first consent agreement completed by Cox with area television stations, as required by recent Federal Communication Commission. - Staff report

\ Briefly . . .

\ Domestic coal production totaled 17.6 million tons during the week ending July 24, up 5 percent from the 16.8 million tons produced the previous week but down from the 18.9 million tons produced in the same week last year, the U.S. Department of Energy reported. Domestic coal production so far this year is 545 million tons, about 4 percent behind last year's production at this time.

\ Hillenbrand Industries, Batesville, Ind., owner of Medeco Security Locks Inc. and an electronics division at Salem, said it has reached an agreement to sell its American Tourister Inc. luggage subsidiary to Astrum International Corp. of New York City. The sale, valued at $70 million, is subject to regulatory approval.