ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 19, 2006--EchoStar
Communications Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) today announced that its DISH
Network(TM) satellite TV service will offer "DishFAMILY," a new
"family-friendly" programming package with approximately 40
channels. With the launch of a new tier of programming options, DISH
Network gives consumers the most choice among pay TV providers when it
comes to designing a TV package that meets the needs of their family and
budget.
Available Feb. 1, "DishFAMILY" will offer 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. This
low-priced package further establishes DISH Network as the lowest
all-digital TV provider in the nation.
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 could
be full of "inappropriate" family material. DISH Network offers
DishFAMILY as a stand-alone package and with the most robust
"family" package lineup. In addition, DishFAMILY is available
with a free satellite TV receiver and free professional installation for
up to four rooms.
"With the introduction of DishFAMILY, DISH Network becomes the
pay-TV provider of choice among parents who want the most parental control
and the largest package of family-specific TV channels, all at the lowest
cost," said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH
Network. "DishFAMILY is a package our customers have requested, and
we are pleased that congressional hearings and the FCC have played a key
role in encouraging programmers to agree to give DISH Network the rights
to offer a family pack."
"DISH Family" channel lineup will include the following:
Animal Planet EWTN Outdoor Channel
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Biography Channel Food Network RFDTV
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bloomberg TV Fox News Channel Shop at Home
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Boomerang Great American Country ShopNBC
----------------------------------------------------------------------
BYUTV CNN Headline News The Science Channel
----------------------------------------------------------------------
C-SPAN HSN The Weather Channel
----------------------------------------------------------------------
C-SPAN-2 NASA TBN
----------------------------------------------------------------------
CSTV Nickelodean East TV Land
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Discovery Kids Nickelodean West QVC
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Discovery Times Nick Games & Sports (More to be announced
soon.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Do It Yourself Network NickToons
----------------------------------------------------------------------
DISH Network, an advocate of family values, has been a pioneer in
advanced parental controls 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, adult channels and their
content descriptions will be unavailable in the program guide.
Customers can contact DISH Network at 1-800-333-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 (NASDAQ: DISH) 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 1-800-333-DISH (3474).
CONTACT: EchoStar Communications Corporation
Marc Lumpkin,
303-514-5351
press@echostar.com
SOURCE: EchoStar Communications Corporation