James is the chief executive of Cablevision's programming division, Rainbow.

A son-in-law, Brian G. Sweeney, runs the computer operations at the programming division.

But Cablevision's programming division, Rainbow, is loaded with issues that make all the options problematic.

If the phone companies want to provide their own programming, and many do, they will have to set up separate programming divisions.

"We look at things like a media company rather than as a technology company," said Barry Schuler, the president of America Online's main programming division.

The BBC's American branch has just created a children's programming division.

Many movies made for television are also supervised by the programming division rather than the network's censors.

Its programming division, Liberty Media, owns all or part of several unprofitable regional sports services.

James Dolan, 40, is currently the chief executive of Cablevision's programming division.

Today the programming division is trying to get back on track with "Day and Date," a new hourlong news and information program that begins this fall.