Soup Nazi

El Segundo, Oct 11, 2001 -- DIRECTV, Inc., the nation's leading provider of digital satellite television entertainment, today announced the addition of the Discovery Science Channel, Discovery Civilization Channel, History International and VH1 Classic to the FAMILY Pack programming lineup. These four new networks will be added to the FAMILY Pack at no additional charge.

All four new channels will launch on October 15 and provide DIRECTV customers with additional primetime programming focusing on topics such as history, music, global cultures, scientific discovery and adventure. The FAMILY Pack can be added as an entertainment option to existing programming packages for $5 more per month.

"DIRECTV is proud to be adding more quality programming to our current channel lineup that families with children of all ages can watch and enjoy together," said Michael Thornton, senior vice president, Programming Acquisitions, DIRECTV, Inc. "The addition of these new channels is in keeping with our philosophy of providing our customers with the best value in multichannel television."

The new FAMILY Pack channel lineup includes:

History International

History International takes you to countries around the globe to explore and understand their history and cultures from new, non-U.S. perspectives. Here you can always find programs that will help you understand our world and help answer the question, how did we get to where we are today?

Discovery Science Channel

From the smallest cell to the solar system, Discovery Science Channel is an odyssey of scientific facts, investigations and breakthroughs.

Discovery Civilization Channel

From before the dawn of time through the great events of the 20th century, Discovery Civilization Channel chronicles the cultures and events that shape our world.

VH1 Classic

VH1 Classic offers 24 hours of the greatest music from the '60s, '70s and '80s. VH1 Classic artists include: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, The Eagles, Jimi Hendrix, Donna Summer, Blondie, U2, Prince.

In addition to the four new networks, the FAMILY Pack currently brings DIRECTV customers some of the most compelling programming on television, including The Biography Channel, Boomerang, Discovery Kids, Do It Yourself Network, PBS Kids Channel and SoapNet.

DIRECTV provides customers with access to more than 30 premium movie channels and more than 25 specialty and regional sports networks, such as Fox Sports World, The Golf Channel, NBA.com TV and numerous regional sports networks. The DIRECTV® TOTAL CHOICE® package delivers more than 105 channels of programming, including Comedy Central, CNN, ESPN, Food Network, Lifetime, MSNBC, MTV, TV Land, Travel Channel, and 31 commercial-free audio music channels.

Soup Nazi

Isn't it sneaky or classless how DirecTV offers these channels as part of an ala-carte service (Family Pack), and doesn't offer them as part of Total Choice? Hmmm ...

BDB

It's funny I am not too interested in any of the channels, but it bugs me now, that I can't go from MTV mtv2 vh1 much music
without having to go through vh1c and a you don't got this channel message grhhhh

adamblast

Does Boomerang feature Jonny Quest or Speed Racer? I've been yearning to catch the originals of these again, and Cartoon Network hasn't had them on their lineup for a long time now...

What kind of stuff is on VH1 Classic? Older material? Is it all video or a mix of vids and programs like VH1 & MTV?

I'm still holding out against DTV or Dish, mostly because there are local tech drawbacks, but I'll probably succumb to one or the other in the next year or two...

Soup Nazi

1. Older material. Primarily just older videos.

2. The key to locals is pestering your local stations for waiver acceptance forms. I've been nothing short of a merciless pain in the ass to my local network affiliates, and ABC and NBC have given in!

Wizdar

Still no UPN in the Los Angeles area. But they do offer a local station with no affiliation whatsoever. WTF

Soup Nazi

January 02, 2002, UPN 13 ...

NC-36

You are so right on point 2 - I needed 2 waivers from my locals back in '99 and got all 4 of the NY and the 4 LA channels then from Directv (and under SHVIA they cannot take them away before Dec 2004 unless I drop them myself, ), then when I switched to Dish Network in August I kept only distant locals Directv service just for those network stations.
Then I tried Dish and found I can get 2 more cities if I so desire - I still have the signed waiver letters from those 2 affiliates, and qualify for immediate approval for the other 2 major networks for any of the 6 cities Dish offers to people with waivers !

Sometimes its good to make a pest of yourself

Wizdar

REALLY?!! Soup, I want to have your children.

AgtFox

WWF released a PR piece on Monday saying that No Mercy would not be shown on DirecTV on Sunday. Their contract with DTV expired in January and attempts at a new contract have failed.

I brought this up a couple months ago, but it seemed to have not been listened to. Someone from the DTV CSR even posted here saying that we shouldn't worry about it. Well, now is the time to worry! DTV is on very thin ice with me at the moment...I may go to Dish.

Soup Nazi

I can assure you that your information a few months back didn't fall on deaf ears ...

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=150814

I have been following this closely as well ...

If not for MLB Extra Innings, NHL Center Ice and NFL Sunday Ticket - I'd be with DISH ...

AgtFox

Nevermind me...I don't get to TV as often as I used to. Sorry for passing that over. I agree with you on the sports things, that also stops me from getting Dish. When my sister went out for a new system I told her to go Dish, I think she's pretty happy with that. I remember back when DTV was the better deal than Dish, now it's reversed.

bigjim25

I for one like the new VH1. They only do a few promos an hour and they are VH1 ones. They play full videos like Huey Lewis one from Back to the Future. I never knew Doc was in the beginning of it. Great channel as long as they stick to the videos!

JMLEWIS1

Well, there was an agreement for last months event...obviously talks have broken down to a "wait and see" point...

"WWF announces end of PPV relationship with DirecTV
By Wade Keller, Torch editor
October 15, 2001 9:08 pm
WWFE issued a press release just past 8 p.m. tonight announcing the end of its relationship with DirecTV. Jim Ross announced the news during Raw tonight.

The break came as a result of an inability to agree on what their revenue split should be. The prior contract expired in January 2001 and WWFE granted several extensions during that time while the parties continued negotiations. DirecTV wanted the cut usually reserved for "middle men" in the PPV process. The WWF disagreed, and believed that such a formula didn't apply because there was no actual middle man in their relationship.

"As the leading content and revenue provider in the pay-per-view industry, WWFE is simply asking for a fair split in the revenues," said Stuart Snyder, President and COO of WWFE.

WWFE is encouraging its fans who are DirecTV subscribers to seek alternative ways to view "No Mercy" this Sunday, as well as future WWFE PPV programs.

DirecTV had included WWF No Mercy in its web advertising through today, and operators told callers that the event would be offered this Sunday, although they were not taking advanced orders. Last month, the WWF and DirecTV reached a last-second extension. The WWF's announcement today is the strongest statement yet that the relationship may not be repaired.

DirecTV is the only service that offers NFL Sunday Ticket, so it's not unprecedented for satellite companies to have one service that others don't. Now DirecTV subscribers will not be able to order WWF PPVs and will have to either switch satellite services or sign up for cable. Many DirecTV homes are already actively cable subscribers, so the end of the DirecTV-WWF relationship will have minimal effect on them.

DirecTV accounted for well under 10 percent of WWF PPV revenues. The WWF is banking on fans finding other means to see PPVs. DirecTV is banking on WWF buyrates dropping enough to encourage them to come back to the negotiating table with compromise in mind."

Alvis

Going to switch to Dish from Directv but need to find a decent priced receiver. Any suggestions?

Soup Nazi

Courtesy, NC-36 ...