<PAGE>

                                                                     Exhibit 24.

                          SPECIFIC POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, David C. McCourt do make,
constitute and appoint Bruce C. Godfrey, Mercom, Inc.'s Chief Financial Officer,
as my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name:

     1. I authorize said attorney in fact to specifically execute in my name and
in my behalf the Mercom, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1996, and to file said form to the Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and relative instruments in writing which
I deem requisite or proper to effectuate specifically the execution and delivery
of the above-mentioned form with the same validity as I could, if personally
present, and I hereby ratify and affirm that my said attorney as I may deem to
act for me, shall do, by virtue of these presents, herein set forth by me.

     2. All rights, powers and authority of said attorney in fact to exercise
any and all of the specific rights and powers herein granted shall commence and
be in full force and effect as of March 29, 1997 and such specific rights,
powers and authority shall remain in full force and effect thereafter until
termination in writing by me.

     3. I give to said attorney in fact full power and authority to appoint a
substitute to perform all such of the acts that said attorney in fact is by this
instrument authorized to perform, with the right to revoke such appointment of
substitute at pleasure.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and seal this 24th day of March,
1997.

                                       /s/ David C. McCourt          (SEAL)
                                       ------------------------------
                                       David C. McCourt

Witness:

/s/ Taara C. Young
--------------------------------

<PAGE>

                                                                     Exhibit 24.

                          SPECIFIC POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, Michael J. Mahoney do make,
constitute and appoint Bruce C. Godfrey, Mercom, Inc.'s Chief Financial Officer,
as my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name:

     1. I authorize said attorney in fact to specifically execute in my name and
in my behalf the Mercom, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1996, and to file said form to the Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and relative instruments in writing which
I deem requisite or proper to effectuate specifically the execution and delivery
of the above-mentioned form with the same validity as I could, if personally
present, and I hereby ratify and affirm that my said attorney as I may deem to
act for me, shall do, by virtue of these presents, herein set forth by me.

     2. All rights, powers and authority of said attorney in fact to exercise
any and all of the specific rights and powers herein granted shall commence and
be in full force and effect as of March 29, 1997 and such specific rights,
powers and authority shall remain in full force and effect thereafter until
termination in writing by me.

     3. I give to said attorney in fact full power and authority to appoint a
substitute to perform all such of the acts that said attorney in fact is by this
instrument authorized to perform, with the right to revoke such appointment of
substitute at pleasure.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st day of March,
1997.

                                       /s/ Michael J. Mahoney        (SEAL)
                                       ------------------------------
                                       Michael J. Mahoney

Witness:

/s/ Kathleen Sparrows
---------------------
<PAGE>

                                                                     Exhibit 24.

                          SPECIFIC POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, Raymond B. Ostroski do make,
constitute and appoint Bruce C. Godfrey, Mercom, Inc.'s Chief Financial Officer,
as my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name:

     1. I authorize said attorney in fact to specifically execute in my name and
in my behalf the Mercom, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1996, and to file said form to the Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and relative instruments in writing which
I deem requisite or proper to effectuate specifically the execution and delivery
of the above-mentioned form with the same validity as I could, if personally
present, and I hereby ratify and affirm that my said attorney as I may deem to
act for me, shall do, by virtue of these presents, herein set forth by me.

     2. All rights, powers and authority of said attorney in fact to exercise
any and all of the specific rights and powers herein granted shall commence and
be in full force and effect as of March 29, 1997 and such specific rights,
powers and authority shall remain in full force and effect thereafter until
termination in writing by me.

     3. I give to said attorney in fact full power and authority to appoint a
substitute to perform all such of the acts that said attorney in fact is by this
instrument authorized to perform, with the right to revoke such appointment of
substitute at pleasure.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and seal this 26th day of March,
1997.

                                       /s/ Raymond B. Ostroski       (SEAL)
                                       ------------------------------
                                       Raymond B. Ostroski

Witness:

/s/ Taara C. Young
---------------------

<PAGE>

                                                                     Exhibit 24.

                          SPECIFIC POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, Clifford L. Jones do make,
constitute and appoint Bruce C. Godfrey, Mercom, Inc.'s Chief Financial Officer,
as my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name:

     1. I authorize said attorney in fact to specifically execute in my name and
in my behalf the Mercom, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1996, and to file said form to the Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and relative instruments in writing which
I deem requisite or proper to effectuate specifically the execution and delivery
of the above-mentioned form with the same validity as I could, if personally
present, and I hereby ratify and affirm that my said attorney as I may deem to
act for me, shall do, by virtue of these presents, herein set forth by me.

     2. All rights, powers and authority of said attorney in fact to exercise
any and all of the specific rights and powers herein granted shall commence and
be in full force and effect as of March 29, 1997 and such specific rights,
powers and authority shall remain in full force and effect thereafter until
termination in writing by me.

     3. I give to said attorney in fact full power and authority to appoint a
substitute to perform all such of the acts that said attorney in fact is by this
instrument authorized to perform, with the right to revoke such appointment of
substitute at pleasure.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st day of March,
1997.

                                       /s/ Clifford L. Jones         (SEAL)
                                       ------------------------------
                                       Clifford L. Jones

Witness:

/s/ Jean L. Jones
------------------------------

<PAGE>

                                                                     Exhibit 24.

                          SPECIFIC POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, Harold J. Rose, Jr. do make,
constitute and appoint Bruce C. Godfrey, Mercom, Inc.'s Chief Financial Officer,
as my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name:

     1. I authorize said attorney in fact to specifically execute in my name and
in my behalf the Mercom, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1996, and to file said form to the Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and relative instruments in writing which
I deem requisite or proper to effectuate specifically the execution and delivery
of the above-mentioned form with the same validity as I could, if personally
present, and I hereby ratify and affirm that my said attorney as I may deem to
act for me, shall do, by virtue of these presents, herein set forth by me.

     2. All rights, powers and authority of said attorney in fact to exercise
any and all of the specific rights and powers herein granted shall commence and
be in full force and effect as of March 29, 1997 and such specific rights,
powers and authority shall remain in full force and effect thereafter until
termination in writing by me.

     3. I give to said attorney in fact full power and authority to appoint a
substitute to perform all such of the acts that said attorney in fact is by this
instrument authorized to perform, with the right to revoke such appointment of
substitute at pleasure.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and seal this 21st day of March,
1997.

                                       /s/ Harold J. Rose, Jr.       (seal)
                                       ------------------------------
                                       Harold J. Rose, Jr.

Witness:

/s/ Barbara E. Rose
---------------------

<PAGE>

                                                                     Exhibit 24.

                          SPECIFIC POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that I, George C. Stephenson do make,
constitute and appoint Bruce C. Godfrey, Mercom, Inc.'s Chief Financial Officer,
as my true and lawful attorney for me and in my name:

     1. I authorize said attorney in fact to specifically execute in my name and
in my behalf the Mercom, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1996, and to file said form to the Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth
Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20549, and relative instruments in writing which
I deem requisite or proper to effectuate specifically the execution and delivery
of the above-mentioned form with the same validity as I could, if personally
present, and I hereby ratify and affirm that my said attorney as I may deem to
act for me, shall do, by virtue of these presents, herein set forth by me.

     2. All rights, powers and authority of said attorney in fact to exercise
any and all of the specific rights and powers herein granted shall commence and
be in full force and effect as of March 29, 1997 and such specific rights,
powers and authority shall remain in full force and effect thereafter until
termination in writing by me.

     3. I give to said attorney in fact full power and authority to appoint a
substitute to perform all such of the acts that said attorney in fact is by this
instrument authorized to perform, with the right to revoke such appointment of
substitute at pleasure.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and seal this 24th day of March,
1997.

                                       /s/ George C. Stephenson      (SEAL)
                                       ------------------------------
                                       George C. Stephenson

Witness:

/s/ Victoria Arrington
-------------------------------