Cablers Noticing What's on TV Guide Channel.(Local Cable Ad Sales)

Byline: Jon Lafayette

Changes to the programming and on-air look of the TV Guide Channel are persuading more cable systems to insert and sell local ads on the network.

During 2003 TV Guide boosted the number of subscribers reached by local advertising from 22 million to 24 million. Among those adding insertable subscribers are Comcast in Philadelphia and Miami, Time Warner Cable in Milwaukee and Adelphia Communications in West Palm Beach, Fla.

"The flexibility of TV Guide Channel, which allows advertisers to tailor their messages on a regional or local level, and the network's high cume and frequent viewership were key factors in Comcast's decision …