On Discovery

John Hendricks is probably a smart and nice guy, and the Discovery Channel does program some excellent shows (“The Brains Behind Smart TV,” by Warren Berger, June 25). Once again, however, a cable network has been allowed to express its audience numbers in terms of “reaching 64 million homes,” and that is pure baloney.

Discovery may indeed be wired into that many homes, but that doesn’t mean it’s being watched in all those places. For example, here in Los Angeles, where the Discovery Channel can be seen by 64% of the market, it is actually viewed by only 27% of all the homes in the L.A. area. That means that 73% never watch the channel. In fact, the channel averages .8 in prime time.

The Discovery Channel is on the air because Tele-Communications Inc. wants it to be. If the channel had to compete in the broadcast world, where ratings would decide its fate, Hendricks would probably be doing something else right now.

Rick Feldman

vice president and general manager

KCOP-TV, Channel 13

Los Angeles

*

As an educated male with sophisticated viewing tastes and light viewing habits, and one whose mainstays are PBS and “Seinfeld,” I applaud Hendricks’ accomplishments at the Discovery Channel. Now, if he would only emulate another characteristic of PBS programming--limiting the amount of sponsorship on his channel and controlling its quality. Refined, understated non-condescending advertising on the half hour might be a formula that would attract high-end viewers.

Andrew Tilles

Los Angeles