DISH Network Offers 'DishFAMILY'

[Scott Greczkowski]

DISH Network Offers 'DishFAMILY' Programming Tier, Providing Parents
with Worry-Free TV; Low Cost Package Furthers DISH Network's Standing
as Lowest-Priced All Digital TV Provider in Nation

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 1, 2006--EchoStar
Communications Corporation (NasdaqISH) and its DISH Network(TM)
satellite TV service now offers "DishFAMILY," a new "family-friendly"
programming package with 40 channels. At $19.99 per month, DishFAMILY
is not only the lowest priced "family programming" package available,
it is also the lowest priced all digital TV package in America. Now
with four primary programming tiers, DISH Network customers have even
more choices.
According to PEW Research Center, 75 percent of 1,505 adults
polled in 2005 favor tighter enforcement of government rules on TV
content during hours when children are most likely to be watching
television. The DishFAMILY package meets parents' needs by ensuring
that children are watching content that is appropriate while also
offering channel choices for everyone in the family such as sports,
news, children's programming, lifestyle, hobbies, shopping and public
interest. With DishFAMILY, customers will get valuable,
family-sensitive content at the low price of $19.99 per month ($24.99
per month with local channels). This is an approximate $12 savings
over the average cable company family tier.
Other pay-TV providers have introduced "family" packages but with
fewer channels and with a requirement that customers must purchase the
family package along with a basic cable package that may be
inappropriate for family viewing. DISH Network offers DishFAMILY as a
stand alone package and with a robust family channel lineup. In
addition, DishFAMILY is available with a free satellite TV receiver
and free professional installation for up to four rooms.
"Since kids are spending an average of four hours watching
television each day, we believe that it is important to provide
content that is appropriate for viewing by all family members
regardless of their age," said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of
Programming for DISH Network. "Our DishFAMILY package offers
programming that includes popular children's, religious and general
family entertainment programming. We have responded to the concerns of
parents and policymakers and designed a worry-free TV package to meet
the needs of all DISH Network families."

"DishFAMILY" channel lineup will include the following:

Angel One C-SPAN FOX News Channel Nick Toons
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Animal Planet C-SPAN-2 Great American Country The Outdoor
(GAC) Channel
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Biography College Sports TV Hallmark QVC
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bloomberg Discovery Kids Hallmark Movie Channel RFDTV (Rural
Farm)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Boomerang Discovery Times Home Shopping Network Shop at Home
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Brigham Young Dish Home Kids Tunes (MUZAK) Shop NBC
University TV
----------------------------------------------------------------------
CCTV-9 Do It Yourself NASA The Science
Network Channel
----------------------------------------------------------------------
CCTV-EF EWTN Nickelodeon East The Weather
Channel
----------------------------------------------------------------------
CNN Headline Fine Living Nickelodeon West Trinity
News Broadcasting
Network
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Colours TV Food Network Nickelodeon Games & TV Land
Sports
----------------------------------------------------------------------

DISH Network, an advocate of family viewing protections, has been
a pioneer in advanced parental control technology available to
customers at no additional cost. DISH Network's extensive parental
controls include password protection, lock-by-ratings and extended
ratings, system and channel locks, and DISH Network's own Adult Guard
and Hide Adult Programming features, which when activated remove adult
content and channel descriptions from that specific customer's program
guide. Also, for customers who subscribe to DishFAMILY the "Hide Adult
Programming" feature will automatically be enabled on receivers,
blocking certain adult channels and their content descriptions from
the program guide.
With the addition of DishFAMILY, DISH Network now offers four
primary programming tiers: DishFAMILY, America's Top 60, America's Top
120 and America's Top 180. DISH Network also offers Spanish-language,
international and high definition TV packages.
Customers can contact DISH Network at 800-333-DISH (3474), or
their local retailer for more information on how to subscribe to DISH
Network. To learn more about DISH Network's programming offers, visit
www.dishnetwork.com.

About EchoStar

EchoStar Communications Corporation (NasdaqISH) serves more
than 12 million satellite TV customers through its DISH Network(TM),
the fastest growing U.S. provider of advanced digital television
services in the last five years. DISH Network offers hundreds of video
and audio channels, Interactive TV, HDTV, sports and international
programming, together with professional installation and 24-hour
customer service. Visit EchoStar's DISH Network at www.dishnetwork.com
or call 800-333-DISH (3474).

About PEW Research Center Study

Visit http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=241 to
learn more about the "Support for Tougher Indecency Measures, But
Worries About Government Intrusiveness" study released April, 19,
2005.

Parents Television Council website

According to the Parents Television Council website,
http://www.parentstv.org/PTC/facts/mediafacts.asp the average time
children spend watching TV each day is four hours.

# # #

 

[retiredTech]

E* webpage for family pak

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/...mily/index.asp?viewby=1&packid=32036&sortby=1

 

[dentke]

Well the family pak does nothing for me. With out Disney, Discovery and TLC, my family would have an uprising. I was really hoping that the above would be included then I could lower my bill and gain CSTV, Hallmark, and The Outdoor Channel. To get all of this I would have to go to AT 180, but there is no way I'm spending $50.00 a month. So we'll just stay at AT60.

 

[BFG]

they offer all of their other programming packages with an HD option, but not the family pack

that stinks, I'd really like to cut my bill and lease with dish family HD

 

[directcj]

Well the family pak does nothing for me. With out Disney, Discovery and TLC, my family would have an uprising. I was really hoping that the above would be included then I could lower my bill and gain CSTV, Hallmark, and The Outdoor Channel. To get all of this I would have to go to AT 180, but there is no way I'm spending $50.00 a month. So we'll just stay at AT60.

agree
In addition to Disney & Discovery, would also have liked to see HGTV. I'd gladly give up CSTV, Hallmark and Outdoor in exchange.
Also, is there a family HD pkg available? or do I go with Bronze only?

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I'm assuming that if one wants HD that the final price for getting the Dish Family with HD would be $50 ($20 for Family, $30 for HD), which makes it the same price as getting HD Bronze (AT60 w/HD).

Now that just doesn't sound all that family friendly.

 

[BFG]

But you can't lease an HD receiver without bronze...

They NEED a dish Family HD package that's eligible for leasing

I'm pretty sure if you only have an SD receiver you can lease with dish family

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Only three of the public interest channels "made the cut." I guess families don't want the same things as the rest of the public.

And that is a terrible selection of news channels. No CNN, CNBC, or MSNBC.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I thought Dish was going to sell a $29.99 HD standalone pack.

 

[BFG]

yes, but that's only useful if you own your receiver. Any where with the lease of HD has said, minimum dishHD bronze

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Okay, for anyone who owns a 211, 411, or 622, the cost of Dish Family + HD is the same as AT60 + HD.

 

[Tom Bombadil]

The other day I wondered if this tier would have channels offering a lot of violent and sexual PG-13 movies. The answer, to my surprise, is no. They didn't include any channels like TNT, Bravo, Sci-Fi, TBS, TCM, or even ABC Family.

It is a tier based around Hallmark, Nickelodeon, and Discovery.

The raciest material will probably be some of the music videos on Great American Country.

Interesting in that their research indicates that people who wish to go without the most popular cable TV channels are people who like country music, Fox News, DYI-type channels, science (hmmm), old TV shows, cartoons, and religion (3 channels). Oh, and they apparently like to watch shows about animals and shows about killing animals.

My wife might survive with this tier, as it has about 8 of her 12-13 favorite channels.

 

[GeorgeLV]

As much as I hate to give them any credit, the USDTV lineup (ESPN, ESPN2, Disney, Toon Disney, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, and Fox News) has far better channels for the price than the family pack offerings from Dish and DirecTV.

 

[crappieguy]

pay cut

With the addition of this pack. If a customer activates with this pack the retail commission is CUT by $100. So I guarantee that it wil not be PUSHED by me. So if the customer is a FFA cust then you barely make enough to pay an install. Plus chance a CB. BLAH BLAH BLAH

 

[Slamminc11]

As much as I hate to give them any credit, the USDTV lineup (ESPN, ESPN2, Disney, Toon Disney, Food Network, Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, and Fox News) has far better channels for the price than the family pack offerings from Dish and DirecTV.

Well that's all fine and dandy if you live in Albuquerque, Las Vegas, Dallas, or Salt Lake City, but for the 98% of the rest of the country that doesn't live in one of those four cities I guess this argument is moot.

 

[mitchflorida]

Well the family pak does nothing for me. With out Disney, Discovery and TLC, my family would have an uprising. I was really hoping that the above would be included then I could lower my bill and gain CSTV, Hallmark, and The Outdoor Channel. To get all of this I would have to go to AT 180, but there is no way I'm spending $50.00 a month. So we'll just stay at AT60.

Oh live a little, a couple of bucks a month more and get the stations you want. Are you on a fixed income or welfare?