Subscribers Want Cable to Get With the Programs : Western Ventura: Its package has lacked key network affiliates, but the company has brought back KABC and is negotiating with KTTV.

If Jann Parker misses National Football League action this fall because his cable company can’t make a deal with Fox television, there’s going to be trouble.

“I’m going to be very aggravated,” said Parker, 61, a reluctant customer of Ventura’s Avenue TV Cable. “I don’t know exactly what I will do.”

Like 10,000 residents of western Ventura, Parker has no choice when it comes to television. He either pays Avenue TV Cable each month for a service package that excludes the Fox Network’s KTTV and the Los Angeles CBS affiliate, or his programs come in so fuzzy he can barely tell one network from another.

Parker’s sorry state of affairs began abruptly last Oct. 7 when Avenue TV Cable, unable to settle on mutually agreeable contracts, parted ways with Fox (KTTV Channel 11), KCBS Channel 2 and KABC Channel 7.

Avenue Cable officials now say they are deep in negotiations with KTTV executives and expect to have the network back in the fold in time for the NFL season kickoff. KCBS may take a while longer to reacquire, they say.

KABC, meanwhile, returned to the local airwaves Wednesday after a 7 1/2-month hiatus.

“Oh, I can watch Oprah now!” said a delighted Melissa Franklin, 38, upon learning of the change Thursday.

Western Ventura residents still could see many of their favorite CBS and ABC shows the past few months on the Santa Maria and Santa Barbara affiliates to which Avenue Cable subscribes. But until Wednesday, fans of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Jeopardy!” and “Oprah Winfrey”--shown locally on KABC alone--had to make do without.

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Western Ventura residents, however, say this is a minor annoyance compared to the major inconvenience of missing an entire network, night after aggravating night.

“If I could change, I would,” said retired salesman Bill Nuno, 68. “There are so many programs I’ve missed that were on TV. It’s really a pain in the neck.”

Like many Avenue TV Cable customers, Nuno has considered installing an antenna (terrible reception, since his house backs up to a mountain) or blowing a wad of cash on a satellite dish (really out of sight financially when he includes the cost of a descrambling box).

For the moment--again, like many of his neighbors--Nuno figures he will just fume.

Avenue Cable executives say they lost about 45 customers last fall in the first wave of fury over losing the three stations. Since then, less than half a dozen residents have canceled their subscriptions, said Pamela Drake, the company’s marketing director.

However, she added, the irate calls keep coming from viewers addicted to such shows as “The Simpsons,” Fox’s hit prime-time soap opera “Melrose Place,” and most especially from football fans.

Sports lovers should be somewhat placated by the deal Avenue Cable made to reacquire KABC: In addition to purchasing the Los Angeles ABC affiliate, it agreed to add ESPN II to its roster of channels available at added cost.

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The new station, which will be available sometime in September, carries hockey as well as college games, surfing and other sporting events that ESPN does not have time to show, Drake said.

Avenue Cable will also keep TNT, the Family Channel and superstation TBS, channels added last fall to soothe customers for their losses, Drake said. TBS has moved to Channel 14 since KABC was restored to Channel 7 this week, she said.

Drake said Avenue TV Cable does not plan to raise its rates--basic service is now $16 per month--once all three channels are restored. But customers say they are skeptical.

“I bet you they’ll come up with some dumb excuse and make the consumer pay for it,” Nuno said, planning on a higher bill this fall.

All Jann Parker knows is that somehow the NFL had better be playing in his living room come September, or there will be no peace.

“My wife’s even madder than I am,” he said with a laugh. “When football is on, nobody calls and nobody disturbs her. If they don’t have Fox, hey, I might have to leave my home!”