LACK OF MONEY MAY KILL JIM COOPER’S SHOW ON KOCE

KOCE-TV’s only regular public affairs program, “Jim Cooper’s Orange County,” may be canceled as a weekly series next season, officials at the Huntington Beach-based public station said.

Station President William Furniss said: “We simply don’t have the money. We’re looking at the options now, maybe to keep his show on a sporadic basis or maybe to have Jim do more specials instead.”

He expects to make a final decision in the next several weeks.

This season, Cooper’s 30-minute “Orange County” series, aired on Friday nights, was cut from 48 to 36 shows. Cooper, 67, said the station (Channel 50) had been unable to find enough underwriters for a 48-show season, which would have cost $187,000. This season’s show budget is $147,000.

In the weekly series, Cooper interviews specialists in such areas as public health, urban planning, business, arts and immigration, in addition to moderating debates among political candidates.

This season, Cooper has also been host for several public affairs specials, such as a recent KOCE forum in connection with the nationally televised “Generation at Risk” program on alcohol and drug abuse.

Cooper, a one-time KCBS-TV (Channel 2) correspondent, has been involved in public affairs programs at KOCE for 15 years. Two years ago he retired as KOCE’s vice president for community affairs but has continued as an executive producer for public affairs programming.