In November 2001, I had started a campaign, through your columns, urging Melita Cable to give its subscribers EWTN programmes on a 24-hour basis and not "part-time overnight", as it is still doing.

I had mentioned that in July 2001 Melita Cable had promised me, by e-mail, that digital services were very near at that time. They also told me that once the digital system is introduced, more channels and variety could be offered. Nothing of the sort materialised.

It is certainly a great mystery that Melita Cable has remained completely silent ever since. All correspondence and suggestions from me and others - I want to record my appreciation for the encouraging feedback I have had from many correspondents - have fallen on deaf ears.

One such instance was about "Cable Watch", the fortnightly feature in The Sunday Times. I had suggested that this could be used to gauge the viewership of EWTN versus SAT2000 - the results would complete their statistical results in overall viewership.

Melita Cable proudly claims that its No. 1 priority is "serving the valued customer". However, regarding my request - and of course that of hundreds of subscribers - it is not serving and not valuing the customer.

Melita Cable was to include the EWTN schedule in its Cable Guide with effect from the June issue. This as yet has not been done. On the other hand it has contributed towards the publishing of the EWTN programmes (daytime only) in two local newspapers - on Saturday in Lehen is-Sewwa and on Sundays in The Sunday Times.

However things seems to have stopped here; what benefits are cable subscribers having from such service, when SAT2000 is shown during daytime on Saturdays and also on Sunday mornings - one Sunday, that of July 21, Channel 30 was a 'blackout' throughout the day.

I was prompted to give further promotion to EWTN after reading the magnificent letter of Mgr Charles Vella (The Sunday Times, September 29) on the Church in Malta needing a TV station. I expected Mgr Vella to have mentioned EWTN, when he expressed his views on Providence. Obviously he - like everybody else - knows that EWTN relies totally on donations. Yet one marvels at the superb quality of the programmes and the highly qualified presenters of this TV station.

I ask Melita Cable to give us a sound reason why it is depriving its clients from a full reception of this global Catholic TV station. It is to be noted that some religious programmes originating from CBN and the 700 Club are being relayed regularly on two local stations. These are Christian broadcasting networks and do not reflect the Catholic Church's teachings.

Hence, it is high time that Melita Cable's better judgment would prevail for the benefit of hundreds of subscribers.