Turning on the television to watch a favorite show is beginning to cost Iowa State students too much money.

Cable rates for students at ISU are on the rise, which means more money for TCI and less satisfaction for the customer.

Last year, TCI was toying with eliminating certain channels, including two favorites of ISU students — MTV and Lifetime. Since then, the cable lineup has taken a different route.

Now, TCI is planning to add more channels. Many of us could care less about some of them.

Why should we have to pay horrendous amounts of money for these cable stations?

For the amount of money students pay for cable, we should have the best premium channels,news and sports programs available.

Instead, we get a few interesting channels along with other channels that simply bore and irritate us.

Also, many times cable companies advertise various specials for prospective cable buyers.

For example, one special may promise expanded cable plus a premium channel, while another promises premium channels for a discounted rate per month.

What about those students who missed the bargain advertisements and are stuck paying more for their expanded cable and premium channels, while their neighbor pays less and gets more?

It is time for TCI, along with other cable companies, to incorporate a discounted rate for college students: one basic rate for all students.

In addition, TCI could conduct a survey of favorite channels and consider a special service for ISU students.

Otherwise, the only way students can get away from paying the rising costs of cable is to simply not buy it. This cable-bill issue makes the Digital Satellite System sound like a pretty good investment.