But that bill does not give the cable programmers the right to enter exclusive distribution agreements with anybody.

But the cable programmers say they believe nothing the networks do will matter very much.

A channel showing old black-and-white movies, around the clock, won't last long, cable programmers predicted.

"The legislators haven't found a way to shoot to the operators without hitting the cable programmers."

Such a coding system would require the cooperation of cable programmers, syndicators and local broadcast stations.

Like other cable programmers, he is trying to negotiate new 10-year contracts with cable systems, twice what had been the normal term.

For cable programmers, especially smaller channels, the prospect of a revenue cut is frightening.

And the big cable programmers not only have the money, but the additional cable services as leverage.

These days, many of the cable programmers sell their services to home dish owners as well as to cable companies.

Some cable programmers are getting ready to take advantage of the technique, known as digital compression.