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

DATE: FRIDAY, September 29, 1995                   TAG: 9509290074
SECTION: BUSINESS                    PAGE: A-9   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

DISNEY-ABC MERGER FOUGHT BY CABLE FIRMS

A group of small cable companies asked federal regulators Thursday to block The Walt Disney Co.'s planned takeover of Capital Cities/ABC Inc., alleging that the companies have acted unfairly in the sale of cable programming.

In a petition to the Federal Communications Commission, the Small Cable Business Association contended that both companies have refused to sell some cable channels - including ESPN, A&E and The Disney Channel - to a buying consortium, the National Cable Television Cooperative. The group also alleges that Capital Cities has overcharged small cable companies for programming.

The association represents more than 350 small cable companies.

by CNB