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EXHIBIT 31 (a)

I, John Whetzell certify that:

1.   I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Northland Cable
     Television, Inc.;

2.   Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to
     make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
     statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
     this annual report;

3.   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this annual report, fairly present in all material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of
     the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report;

4.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) for the registrant and we
     have:

               a)   Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused
                    such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under
                    our supervision, to ensure that material information
                    relating to the registrant, including its consolidated
                    subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
                    entities, particularly during the period in which this
                    annual report is being prepared;

               b)   Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
                    controls and procedures and presented in this report our
                    conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure
                    controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered
                    by this report based on such evaluation; and

               c)   Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's
                    internal controls over financial reporting that occurred
                    during the registrant's most recent fiscal quarter that has
                    materially affected, or is reasonably likely to affect, the
                    registrant's internal controls over financial reporting; and

5.   The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on
     our most recent evaluation of internal controls over financial reporting,
     to the registrant's auditors and board of directors:

               a)   All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the
                    design or operation of internal controls over financial
                    reporting, which are reasonably likely to adversely affect
                    the registrant's ability to record, process, summarize and
                    report financial information; and

               b)   Any fraud, whether or not material that involves management
                    or other employees who have a significant role in the
                    registrant's internal controls over financial reporting.

     DATE: 3-30-04

/s/ JOHN S. WHETZELL
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    John S. Whetzell
    Chief Executive Officer