Oceanic to add sports channels
By Sean Hao
Advertiser Staff Writer
Oceanic Time Warner Cable will add several sports channels and an outdoor channel to its lineup this fall as it strives to keep customers from switching to alternatives such as satellite television.
Starting Nov. 3, digital customers will be offered a sports package for a $2.95 monthly fee that includes NBA TV, The Tennis Channel and FUEL, an extreme sports channel. Then in December, the Outdoor Life Network is tentatively scheduled to be added to the lineup of all customers.
Following those channel changes are possible additional local programming such as a visitors' channel next year, said Norman Santos, vice president for Oceanic's operations.
The changes come as cable companies face increasing competition for customers from satellite television providers such as DISH Network. Between March 2002 to March 2003, the number of satellite customers nationwide grew nearly 12 percent to 19.8 million, though cable continued to have a commanding lead with 70.6 million customers, according to the National Cable & Telecommunications Association.
To counter the appeal of satellite, Oceanic wants to add at least one more channel with all locally created content similar to OC16 and is in talks with a Maui businessman to create a statewide visitors' channel next spring.
"That is what's going to set us apart from the satellite guys," Santos said. "We think our strength is to provide programming that is unique to the state."
The visitors' channel, if launched, would be similar to the Paradise Television Network, which now is carried by Oceanic on Maui.
The channel runs a four-hour loop with information on the island's attractions, restaurants and activities. Jim Kartes, owner of Paradise Television Network in Lahaina, said he has had discussions with Oceanic about broadening the station's appeal to a statewide audience.
"We're very successful here," he said. "We would just copy the model to all the other islands."
Though the channel is geared toward tourists, it attracts a local following, Kartes said.
"It's visitor-inspired, but it's got as big a local audience as a visitors' audience," he said.
For viewers interested in sports programming, NBA TV will carry 96 regular-season games. The Tennis Channel is a station that carries coverage of all major tennis tours. And FUEL, which was created in July, is dedicated to sports such as snowboarding, surfing and BMX. In addition to these changes, the Discovery Health Network is scheduled to move from Oceanic's digital lineup to its analog lineup sometime soon.
"There's a lot of things in the works," Santos said.
Reach Sean Hao at 525-8093 or shao@honoluluadvertiser.com.
