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what's carried on the circuit. Who knows?

What do you think the future of public affairs and public access channels are under cable? Do you think the FCC will require that there will be certain channels available for public affairs?

Yes, but there's a limit to how far the government can tell you what you have to do. If you want to put a piece of wire out the window to your house next door, I don't think the FCC is going to say: “You can't put on a nude show.” Now, if you're going to put it on over the air, yes, I think they could. But on cable, I don't know. If you want to pay your money and get that kind of programming, I think they'll be somebody to supply it.

So I don't know that the FCC is going to have the reach. Unless you tell me--and you're in a better position to do it than I--that come the next generation there won't be a First Amendment and there won't be the kind of freedom we have today. And that could easily happen.

How so? What do you mean? Are you talking about, specifically, in the communications industry?

I think that--well, let's just take the issue of sex and violence. Did you see the New York Police Department series that started on ABC? [N.Y.P.D. Blue]. Did you see the first broadcast? Fifty of the ABC affiliates refused to carry it, and they refused it because they thought it was too raw and they didn't want it coming into the homes in their community.