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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                                HAYTHE & CURLEY
                                237 Park Avenue
                                New York, NY 10017

                                February 12 ,1998

Northland Cable Television, Inc.
Northland Cable News, Inc.
1201 Third Avenue, Suite 3600
Seattle, Washington 98101

         Re:      Northland Cable Television, Inc. and
                  Northland Cable News, Inc.
                  Registration Statement on Form S-4

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         At your request, we have examined the Registration Statement on Form
S-4 (the "Registration Statement") of Northland Cable Television, Inc., a
Washington corporation ("NCTV"), and Northland Cable Television, Inc., a
Washington corporation (the "Guarantor" and, together with NCTV, the "Company"),
which the Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission relating
to the offer to exchange up to $100,000,000 principal amount of 10 1/4% Senior
Subordinated Notes due 2007 (the "Exchange Notes") for up to $100,000,000
principal amount of the Company's outstanding 10 1/4% Senior Subordinated Notes
due 2007 that were issued and sold in a transaction exempt from registration
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Original Notes" and, together
with the Exchange Notes, the "Notes"). The Original Notes have been, and the
Exchange Notes will be, issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of November 12,
1997 (the "Indenture") among the Company and Harris Trust Company of California,
as trustee, and the Original Notes are, and the Exchange Notes will be,
guaranteed (the "Subsidiary Guarantees") by the Guarantor.

         We have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have
considered appropriate for purposes of this opinion. We have examined, among
other things, the terms of the Notes, the Subsidiary Guarantees and the
Indenture. In our examination, we have assumed the genuineness of all
signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, and
the conformity to authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us
as copies.

         We are opining herein as to the effect on the subject transaction only
of the federal securities laws of the united States and the laws of the State of
New York, and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto,
or the effect thereon, of any other laws.

         Based on the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

         (i) The Exchange Notes, when duly executed and authenticated in
accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, will be entitled to the
benefits of the Indenture and will be valid and binding obligations of the
Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms except as (x) the
enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws
affecting creditors' rights generally and (y) rights of acceleration and the
availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of
general applicability; and

         (ii) The Subsidiary Guarantee is entitled to the benefits of the
Indenture and is the valid and binding obligation of the Guarantor, enforceable
against the Guarantor in accordance with its terms except as 


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(x) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or
similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally and (y) rights of
acceleration and the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by
equitable principles of general applicability.

         We have not reviewed and do not opine as to (x) local laws, (y) banking
laws, or (z) state securities or Blue Sky laws, rules or regulations.

         We undertake no responsibility to advise you of any changes in the law
or the facts after the date hereof that would alter the scope or substance of
the opinion expressed herein.

         We consent to being named in the Registration Statement and related
Prospectus as counsel who are passing on the legality of the Exchange Notes and
the Subsidiary Guarantee for the Company and to the reference to our name under
the caption "Legal Matters" in such Prospectus. We further consent to your
filing copies of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any
copies of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any
amendment thereto.




                                         Very truly yours,


                                     /S/ HAYTHE & CURLEY