FIRST OFF . . .

The price of cable television rose an average of 6.7% nationally during the first six months of federal rate deregulation, but the cost of basic cable service rose more than 11.2%, a National Cable Television Assn. survey has found. (By comparison, the Consumer Price Index rose 5.4% during the same time period.) Average cable subscriber bills went from $21.59 to $23.04 between December, 1986, and June, 1987, the report said, but subscriber rates have remained unchanged. Their conclusion: “Deregulation has not diminished consumers’ interest in cable television.” Survey forms were mailed to 2,577 randomly selected cable operators and 598, or 23%, were returned with answers.