THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, May 8, 1995 TAG: 9505060049
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
IT WAS THE cry heard from Kempsville in Virginia Beach to Wards Corner in Norfolk to Olde Towne in Portsmouth.
``We want the Cartoon Network!''
And you shall have it come June 6, plus four other channels in the ``Cox Select'' package. With the yabba-dabba-doo of the Cartoon Network (Channel 70) also comes Home & Garden Television (Channel 69), ESPN-2 (Channel 71), The History Channel (Channel 72) and Turner Classic Movies (Channel 73).
The price is $2.95.
Cartoon mavens would be happy to pay twice that, I suspect. Their lives are about to be brightened by the arrival of ``The Perils of Penelope Pitstop'' and ``The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show.''
But what about the rest of Cox Cable of Hampton Roads' 205,000 subscribers?
Your humble columnist has seen all these channels in previews or on cable systems elsewhere. I can live without ESPN-2, which often gets involved in the same events covered on ESPN. And I'm not much of a 'toon guy, although I think the Cartoon Network's animated and live talk show, ``Space Ghost Coast to Coast,'' is a hoot. With that said, I recommend the ``Cox Select'' package because of all the grand old flicks on Turner Classic Movies - love that film noir - and because Home & Garden Television offers a lot of things never seen on cable before, such as the joys of blanching cauliflower.
The new channels in a nutshell:
Cartoon Network - It's not just any old 'toons coming at you 24 hours a day. The Turner Broadcasting programmers arrange the cartoons in blocks such as ``Super Adventures'' with Johnny Quest and other heroic types. There's also ``Prime Time'' with cartoon heavyweights Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Flintstones, Jetsons and Tom and Jerry. On Sunday at 7 p.m., they premiere new cartoon characters.
ESPN-2 - The live coverage includes college basketball, the National Hockey League, indoor lacrosse, professional soccer, Arena Football and everyone's favorite, Roller Hockey International. This is sold as a channel for hip, young viewers, and ``SportsNight'' (on five nights a week) does have some zip. The ``SportSmash'' updates every half hour are a nice touch.
Home and Garden Television - At last. Here's a channel for those who are consumed by flexible molding and growing garlic in your garden. Seriously, it's a nifty service with a broad range of shows on building and remodeling, decorating and interior design, gardening and landscaping, crafts and hobbies plus all you want to know about wine from Virginia-born Spencer Christian of ``Good Morning America.'' Learn how to grow good roses while watching cable.
The History Channel - If you sign up in June, you'll be just in time for the special on the Crusades, which begins on June 5. The theme of this channel is history all the time all in one place with original documentaries plus films and miniseries. Regular programming includes ``History Alive'' with Roger Mudd and ``Movies in Time'' with Sander Vanocur.
Turner Movie Classics - No commercials to shatter the mood. No funky colorized films either. TCM grinds out Classic Bad Guys, Classic Bombshells, Classic Stunts, Classic Love Scenes and more including shorts, trailers, screen tests and outtakes. Turner's movie vaults spilleth over with flicks that go back to the 1920s. See ``The Maltese Falcon'' and other black and white classics on nicely restored prints with crisp images.
On The History Channel, former NBC newsman and anchor Vanocur is aboard ``Movies in Time'' to lead a discussion about the classic films shown on THC. How much did Hollywood stretch the truth? A lot.
``We interview writers and historians who tell us if the movies were accurate or not,'' said Vanocur when he and Mudd met with TV writers in Los Angeles not long ago.
Mudd appears to be just as happy as Vanocur to have the THC gig. ``I started out in life as a historian and took a 40-year detour in journalism. Now I'm back to my first love.'' by CNB