West County : Cable TV Firm May Sell Southland Unit

Rogers Cablesystems, which provides cable television service in six Orange County cities, is considering selling its Southern California subsidiary, the company president said this week.

Rogers President Philip Lind said that the Toronto company has accumulated a large debt in the United States and that the sale of its California company is “under consideration.” Rogers now is selling its Syracuse, N.Y., franchise but has received no offers for the local subsidiary, California Cablesystems, Lind said.

California Cablesystems serves Huntington Beach, Westminster, Stanton, Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Los Alamitos and six cities in Los Angeles County.

Garden Grove and Los Alamitos recently filed civil lawsuits against the company for raising rates in what the cities contend are violations of contracts.

Officials from several of the Orange County cities said they must approve any change of ownership.