If ever there were a time the slogan “I want my MTV” rang true, it’s now, as Iowa’s capital city heads into day 15 without the popular music channel.

On Dec. 30, TCI of Central Iowa, the local cable company, pulled the plug on MTV and VH-1 to make room for new programming: Animal Planet and the Cartoon Network.

While MTV remains on the Ames airwaves, TCI of Ames has dropped the “Preview Channel,” the system’s guide to shows, in order to add the new channels. TCI officials have also jumbled channel assignments. (See graphic on page two).

The loss of MTV means petitions and protests for some. KKDM disc jockey, Bailey 7, organized a rally at TCI headquarters in Des Moines earlier this month. More than 200 music fans joined to be heard.

Petitions also circulated at area Moovies video stores and Peeple’s Records and Tapes officials acquired about 5,000 signatures which were presented to Des Moines Mayor Arthur Davis at a city council meeting. But TCI officials have given no sign that MTV will be making a comeback.

Viewers get vocal

“We’re completely shocked,” MTV spokesperson Carolyn Vincent said. “We can’t imagine why anyone would want to take MTV off the air. People associate cable with MTV.”

Vincent said the music video network is the “world’s largest station” reaching more than 270 million households worldwide. She also said many other markets that have tried to pull the network have been met with similar resistance from cable customers. In most cases, she said, MTV is reinstated.

She said the MTV audience has “always been very vocal.”

Patty Jischke, wife of Iowa State President Martin Jischke, even got in on the controversial decision. In a faxed letter to The Des Moines Register, Jischke said, “I would be really disappointed if TCI dropped MTV. While I can’t say I care very much for the videos, I do enjoy the music. But what I really appreciate is the very responsible ‘Rock the Vote’ campaigns MTV has led — sort of a ‘teen-agers’ League of Women Voters’ effort. It made my own lectures on citizenship seem valid to my kids.”

No commission option

Unlike their neighbors to the south, Ames residents have a unique opportunity to voice their opinions about their cable company through the Ames Cable Commission.

Ames’ Assistant to the City Manager Sheila Lundt, who staffs the commission, said customers can use it as a source to make complaints or suggestions to TCI.

“Customers can express complaints and tell TCI they are unhappy,” she said. “But the commission itself cannot make any changes as far as channel changes.”

Lundt said TCI pays rent to the city of Ames and the city collects a franchise fee from the cable company. A city ordinance allows for competing cable companies, she added. But Lundt said the cable commission is “powerless” when it comes to network decisions.

However, even without a commission forum, Des Moines residents refuse to give in. New music can still be heard, even if it is not on MTV’s “Buzz Clip.”

General manager and vice president for the alternative radio station KKDM, J. Michael McKoy, said his station has had to make programming changes since the loss of MTV.

“We’ve adjusted our play list because there is a loss of MTV,” he said. “I’ve added songs and deleted songs in order to compensate.”

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TCI Cablevision Lineup

Key: Basic, Expanded, Pay

January 1997

Ames and Nevada

2 Discovery

3 C-Span

4 WGN

5 WOI (ABC)

6 KDSM (FOX)

7 School

8 KCCI (CBS)

9 University

10 Public access

11 Iowa Public TV

12 City access

13 WHO (NBC)

14(A) HBO

15(B) Encore

16(C) FX

17(D) WTBS

18(E) ESPN

19(F) Headline News

20(G) A & E

21(H) TNT

22(I) Disney

23(J) Starz!

24(K) Showtime

25(L) TNN

26(M) Cinemax

27(N) TWC

28(O) USA

29(P) MTV

30(Q) HSN/AMC

31(R) Animal Planet

32(S) CNN

33(T) ICN/CNBC/ CMT

34(U) Lifetime

35(V) Nickelodeon

36(W) Cartoon

37(AA) Family

38(BB) FOXNews

39(A-1) PPV/C-Span 2

40(A-2) Encore Plex