CABLE COMPANY MOVES TO HOLD ON TO CUSTOMERS
By Adnews Staff
With the threat of direct-to-home satellite television on the horizon, Rogers Communications is taking preemptive action. Toronto-based Rogers, Canada's largest cable company, announced this week it is freezing rates for two years and will no longer use the negative option marketing technique that has angered many consumers. At the same time, it is lowering the price of additional outlets when people have more than one TV set wired in their homes. Rogers is also adding two U.S. superstations and expanding to 20 channels for pay-TV and pay-per-view services. The company is also going to mail out a questionnaire to its customers asking what they like to watch and what they want from a cable service. ExpressVu, based in Mississauga, Ont., will likely be the first Canadian satellite service. It is vowing to start operations in the fall, although it is currently having trouble getting space on satellites. The company is now deciding on an ad agency to handle its launch campaign.