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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1
 
                         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT
 
   
     We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Amendment No. 2 to the
Registration Statement (No. 333-24617) of Century Communications Corp. on Form
S-3 of our report dated August 23, 1996, appearing in the Annual Report on Form
10-K of Century Communications Corp. and subsidiaries for the year ended May 31,
1996, our report dated May 31, 1996, with regard to the combined financial
statements of ML California Cable Division, a Division of ML Media Partners,
L.P. for the years ended December 29, 1995 and December 30, 1994, included in
the Century Communications Corp. Form 8-K/A2 dated August 16, 1996, and to the
reference to us under the heading 'Experts' in the Prospectus, which is part of
this Registration Statement.
    
 
                                          DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP
 
   
Stamford, Connecticut
July 2, 1997
    

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