Starting this Winter term, students will receive cable feed in their dormitory rooms. The choices are limited however, and while the channels were selected because they were offered free of charge to the College, they also may be free of viewers. Here's the rundown.
The broadcast networks
ABC, CBS and NBC will all be included in the new cable package, meaning "Must See TV" will now be fuzz-free and you'll be able to watch "Monday Night Football" from your room. Other hits on the broadcast networks include "60 Minutes," "The Tonight Show," "ER" and Emmy Award winner, "The Practice."
Public Television
Educational fare abounds on Vermont's PBS station. You'll be able to watch Dartmouth alumnus Mister Rogers as well as "Masterpiece Theater" and the inevitable Ken Burns documentary.
C-SPAN
It's the only American news channel offered, so C-SPAN will be the network for continuing coverage of the Clinton scandals -- you'll be able to watch possible impeachment proceedings live, as well as other news from the House of Representatives.
Satellite television
NASA TV is also part of the 13 channel lineup, beaming live Space Shuttle images, news and other information from the space agency, including press conferences and hourly images of the earth from space.
The internationals
SCOLA is a nonprofit station broadcasting news and informational programming from different nations around the world.
Univision is the Spanish language network which broadcasts news, sports and entertainment programming throughout the day. Notable prime time shows include "Vivo Por Elena," about a private tutor who befriends her tutee and ends up falling for his influential father as well. Univision also broadcasts Major League Soccer games and Spanish soap operas.
Deutsche Welle broadcasts programs in German. It also features English shows about German and European culture and politics, including "B.I.G. -- Big in Germany: Top 40."
WMNB broadcasts Russian concerts, sporting events, talk shows and children's programming.
Also provided is a French language station which will share a channel with NASA TV. The channel will serve the Francophone community worldwide with movies, miniseries and other programs.
But what about ... ?
As cultural as those channels may be, notably missing are some of the most popular networks. Fox, WB and UPN aren't included, meaning no "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," "Dawson's Creek," "X-Files," "Simpsons," "Felicity" or "Party of Five."
One of the biggest benefits to cable, instant access to breaking news, is also missed. There is no CNN, MSNBC or Fox News Channel. Business channel CNBC is also absent.
ESPN, ESPN 2 and Fox Sports are also not in the package omitting much of the sporting world. MTV and VH-1 aren't included so there's still no "Real World" Hanover or "Pop Up Videos."
So grab the popcorn, settle in on the couch and enjoy some nice foreign language programming on Univision or Deutsche Welle -- after all, it might be a while before the really popular American sitcoms, dramas, movies, news shows, or sporting events come to your dorm room.
