OK, factoring in prices, I guess it makes sense.
Then does the same theory factor in for Discovery? ID isn't exactly "family." If Discovery is too 'expensive', seems they could get Travel Channel.
WGN is dirt cheap. It's on the base-base-BASE cable packages usually. I'm sure they could add it for nothing almost and it has some pretty good stuff too. Should replace GAS, IMO....guess ABCFamily isn't "cheap"..
WGN is cheap but the parent owner Tribune isn't aggressive in requiring Dish or DirecTV to keep it in any of the most viewed/low-end packages. Compare that, to Viacom/TV Land, where Viacom insists that their channels well, a certain number of them, reach the most HH, whether it be basic analog cable, CB100 (the former AT40), or DishFamily, DirecTV Family. Comcast in my area still doesn't carry WGN, even though Comcast has a number of digital channels and services like Bollywood on Demand. Comcast still doesn't view WGN as a cable network, but rather as some Chicago superstation.
As for the lowsiness of DishFamily, I agree but I remember both providers started the family channel packages around when Time Warner debuted it:
Time Warner Details New Family-Friendly Package - Technology News - redOrbit
to play down "indecency" issues raised by Congress. DirecTV had an alacarte Family package sometime earlier (as an add on to Total Choice), but it was phased out and unrelated to the the creation of the basic Family package that they created when every other provider was creating a Family package.
In all truthiness, it was a pure business move to quell the
-pick and choose cable channel argument, by saying ok we'll make a package that take cares of another issue, indecency, and with DirecTV,
they phased out their better Select choice for a weak Family package as the entry package.
Dish fortunately kept their AT40/AT50/60 and this was just a response to have a familypackage as well, without channels like MTV.
Also at the time with Dish, there were SkyAngel customers who could sign up with basic programming, minus MTV, so it was a bone for them.
It was never the intent however by either Dish or DirecTV to make the packages really good (they'd rather customers take higher packs). It just satisfy the indecency issue, quells the pick and choose argument, with a marketing of this "new" package.
However, Dish has launched The Welcome Pack much more recently. its 10 channels I believe but popular ones. Its unadvertised, as its only for customers that bought their equipment. In some ways its better Dish keeps it unadvertised. If advertised, then when Disney and all providers when negotiating with Dish upon contract renewal, they'd in effect insist channels be put to that package (the new lowest package), ruining the continuity of Dish even being able to offer it.