Family Programming Packages

[nitstalker]

Got this in my (almost) daily Broadcast Engineering email... This is targeting the cable companies and programmers, but I wonder how this will affect D* and E* Im sure E* could flaunt Sky Angel, but not sure how that would fly... Im sure with the FCC's attitude towards Charlie that we may be seeing this before too long.

If anything else, Charlie may have to make a package like this to compete with cable over family programming.


Cable agrees to family tier, but questions remain
Dec 16, 2005 11:29 AM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter

The nation’s major cable companies now say they will introduce packages of family friendly television programs as early as the first quarter of next year. The action came only days after FCC Chairman Kevin Martin threatened to seek legal authority over pay television program content.

Kyle McSlarrow, the head of the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, which represents cable companies and programmers, told Congress last week that at least six cable companies, including Comcast and Time Warner Cable, were developing packages of channels aimed at families wanting to shield children from provocative topics.

The cable industry initiative is the latest effort to head off pending legislation that might obligate them to block certain programming or sell channels to consumers on an à la carte basis, the New York Times reported.

FCC Commissioner Michael Copps, at a confirmation hearing on his re-nomination, said it’s too early to say legislation is no longer needed.

By week’s end, Time Warner announced specifics of its family package, which includes 15 channels of cartoons as well as news and educational shows.

Time Warner’s family tier includes Boomerang, C-SPAN 2, C-SPAN 3, CNN Headline News, The Science Channel, Discovery Kids, Disney Channel, DIY Network, FIT-TV, Food Network, HGTV, La Familia, Nick Games & Sports, The Weather Channel and Toon Disney.

The service will cost about $33 a month plus taxes, $12.99 for the family tier, plus $12 for basic cable service. A set-top box is needed to receive digital channels and will cost an additional $8 a month.

 

[JH1949]

Didn't one of the sat's offer a family pak years ago ?

 

[mattb]

Time Warner’s family tier includes Boomerang, C-SPAN 2, C-SPAN 3, CNN Headline News, The Science Channel, Discovery Kids, Disney Channel, DIY Network, FIT-TV, Food Network, HGTV, La Familia, Nick Games & Sports, The Weather Channel and Toon Disney.
The service will cost about $33 a month plus taxes, $12.99 for the family tier, plus $12 for basic cable service. A set-top box is needed to receive digital channels and will cost an additional $8 a month.

33$ a month plus taxes? I rather just pay for AT60 get more channels and a better selection than CSPAN, besides, how many kids really wanna have CSPAN3? You can tell the cable companies really dont want these "tiers" nor do the "programmers"

 

[AndyOI]

Why on earth wouldn't you get something like AT60 for that price and block any channels you don't want kids to see?

 

[sA :: Shaggy]

I don't care if the FCC goes after local programming (everyone can pick it up) but i pay money to watch what i want, when i want, and how i want. There for the FCC needs to get the stick out of their @ss and leave my paid programming alone! If you don't want your children to watch something tell them not to. The government should not have power to tell people what is acceptable to "young viewers". It is all about what the family chooses is right.

 

[garn9173]

funny that you can make your very own family friendly package using the parental lock feature that comes with all digital and satellite boxes.

 

[SimpleSimon]

funny that you can make your very own family friendly package using the parental lock feature that comes with all digital and satellite boxes.

THAT'S what REALLY pisses me off! Not only do they have lockout, but there's a V-Chip in the TV, too!

And there's plenty of public service announcements right now to inform these "parents" with 65 IQs that it's there!

There is NO need for the government to be doing ANYTHING with this.

 

[Stargazer]

Thats $33 + $8 for the box for a total of $42. You can get AT60 with locals cheaper than that or AT120 without locals for around that price (locals only costs $5 so it would still be a bargain paying a total of $6 more including your locals and get all of those channels).

It looks like the customer may save a little bit of money but the cable company probably figured out a way to where they would not lose any money by making the same amount of profit on that package as they would on the ones higher up.

What do you think the DirecTv or Dish Network family package would look like? DirecTv offers a small package for $5 more dont they? You have to get the $43 package to get it though which is the basic with locals (a little cheaper without locals).

 

[rtt2]

This new tier is only made to get the Adelphia buyout done.
Do not read too much into it. It is to appease the Senate commerce committee and the FCC. Indecency is a hot topic now, once it subsides look for the tier to be removed eventually.

 

[Stargazer]

I would not doubt it one bit rtt2 that it will be removed eventually in the future.

 

[rthomp03]

Thats $33 + $8 for the box for a total of $42.

You have trouble with math in public like I do! 33 + 8 = 41 :haha

 

[mneitzel]

I would love to get more kid channels at the AT60 price and skip some of the other channels. al carte in packages would work. All kids channels+locals+News+whatever. I think they could do it.

 

[Stargazer]

I dont know if that was a typo or a mathematical error lol.

I think they could have two different basic packages to where a lot of the channels would remain the same while others could have a substitution with some for some others. Since the programmers want to be guaranteed to be in a basic package then it may have to be offered as a package in between AT60 and AT120 as a small add on. If the programmers would actually allow an exception then they could offer a different package and perhaps with fewer channels but it may not be eligible for the same promotions if any at all.

 

[nitstalker]

Looks like Comcrap has joined TW in the 'Family Package' deal... This is in the paper today, The News Journal..... can find it at:

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051223/NEWS/512230356/1006

Comcast to add 'family tier' option
Package will contain mostly G-rated fare
From staff and wire reports
12/23/2005
Comcast, the dominant provider of cable television service in Delaware, said Thursday that it will launch a "family tier" of channels in early 2006, with the aim of giving people more control of the type of programming that comes into their homes.

Comcast said its new family tier would include 16 "family-friendly programming networks of primarily G-rated content." The package will include the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and Discovery Kids.

"Offering a family tier to our customers is one more step in Comcast's efforts to provide a broad array of family-friendly programming," said Steve Burke, Comcast's chief operating officer.

Pricing will vary by market, but the new tier is expected to cost about $15 a month. Customers would still have to subscribe to "basic" cable, which costs about $12. They must also have a digital cable box, which costs about$4.25 a month.

Total tab: about $32.


COMCAST FAMILY TIER
CNN Headline News
C-SPAN, C-SPAN 2
DIY
Discovery Kids
Disney Channel
Food Network
HGTV
National Geographic
Nickelodeon/Nick Too
Nickelodeon Games and Sports
PBS KIDS Sprout
Science Channel (Discovery)
TBN (Trinity Broadcasting)
The Weather Channel
Toon Disney

 

[David Dietzel]

We can thank primarliy the religious wingnuts, mostly of the Christian variety, for this silliness.

Remember, all this "indecency" hand wringing will eventually pass -- like some very bad gas.

I have four kids and I do block a few channels from my 180 package. There just is no reason for the FCC to be concerned about PAY television. Even FREE televison viewers can use their v-chip.

 

[nitstalker]

I agree it is a pain in the *** what they are creating... hopefully the 'family packages' will appease the indecency nazi's at the fcc to leave things alone for a while... But they gotta realize 1. being able to block channels from your kids has been available since the first cable converter boxes, and then the v-chip. But 2. It comes down to paying attention to your kids. I look and see what my kids do, I monitor their tv viewing... If i dont approve, i dont let them watch it, it is simple. I like South Park, but I wouldnt let my kids watch it... They need to start putting responsibility on the parents to raise their kids.....

 

[Juan]

I agree it is a pain in the *** what they are creating... hopefully the 'family packages' will appease the indecency nazi's at the fcc to leave things alone for a while... But they gotta realize 1. being able to block channels from your kids has been available since the first cable converter boxes, and then the v-chip. But 2. It comes down to paying attention to your kids. I look and see what my kids do, I monitor their tv viewing... If i dont approve, i dont let them watch it, it is simple. I like South Park, but I wouldnt let my kids watch it... They need to start putting responsibility on the parents to raise their kids.....

Did it occur to you maybe people dont want to pay for channels they dont watch???? In other words one step closer to alacart!!!!

 

[Spike]

I am glad to see this happening. As things currently stand, a family has to keep increasing their programing package until eventually they have to order the 180 package in order to get everything that is suitable for family and kids. This will allow people to order the family pack and add what they want to it at a reasonable price. The more flexibility the better.

Now, as far as the government sticking their nose into this, that is a different matter all together.

 

[Stargazer]

Don't look at it as a bad thing but as an opportunity to have another package to choose from. Perhaps Dish Network could add channels to this in which are not all that expensive and make it a more basic package than AT60. This is VERY important considering the dramatic price increases in AT60 over the past few years. Now to have a basic package at $30 without locals and $35 with locals? That does not seem so cheap anymore to me for a budget package.

I am surprised that Hallmark did not make the list. Maybe Dish Network will get the same package that SkyAngel has for a family package. As a matter of fact I think I will make that as one of my predictions for 2006. If they can offer SkyAngel with those channels for $15 then maybe Dish Network can offer it for only $10. They would probably have to charge an extra $5 though for not having a basic package. Perhaps some other channels would be added to it or SkyAngel offered as the family package.

I think $20 would be a great pricepoint for such a package (what AT60 used to be). Perhaps $15 SkyAngel + $5 for locals could make up the $20 if they offer the same channels or $20 for all the channels except the SkyAngel ones and with or without locals. Maybe they could keep the channels MPEG-2 as well and there would be a use for all of those MPEG-2 receivers we currently have after all.

 

[mneitzel]

I can tell you, that no Christian ( me included) wants our kids watching C-Span, have you seen these guys...<grin>. It would be nice if the AT60 came in two forms, one with more cartoon channels and one with more grown up stuff. It would be great if we got al carte in channel type blocks. Like Cartoons, sports, new or scary politicans. Nicktoons alone cannot justify an upper package.