• by Wayne Friedman , December 16, 2005

Time Warner Cable has made the first move in the a la carte selling of cable networks with its plan to sell a family package of 15 channels starting next year.

The effort is to assuage federal regulators and TV pressure groups that have complained about indecent programming and adult-skewing networks, which are sold in virtually all cable network packages to consumers.

Time Warner's package price is $12.99, and includes the usual family-oriented network suspects--Boomerang, Discovery Kids, The Science Channel, Disney Channel, Toon Disney, Nick Games & Sports, La Familia, The Weather Channel, C-SPAN-2, C-SPAN 3, and Headline News.

The package also includes less obvious family networks--the Scripps Television group of channels--home improvement channel, DIY Network, its Food Network, and home decorating network, HGTV--as well as the Fox Cable network, Fit TV, known to offer up visuals of instructors wearing tight outfits.

Time Warner says these networks were required to adhere to specific standards: They were required to be "G"-rated 24 hours a day--or, if not rated, to contain no objectionable programming; to be widely distributed and "known" to cable customers; and to avoid any "live" programming.

Time Warner says these were the only networks to meet that criteria--which means that others such as Hallmark Channel, Discovery Network, and even Cartoon Network didn't make the cut. Cartoon Network failed because of the edgy fare the channel offers during its late-night Adult Swim programming block, which attracts young men and contains some programs with rough language. Cartoon Network already believes that Adult Swim is a separate entity of sorts. Months ago, Cartoon Network made a special effort to get a separate rating listing from Nielsen Media Research.

If customers agree to buy the family package, they will not be able to receive other broad-based cable network programming, including widely distributed channels such as TNT, Discovery, ESPN, and USA Network.

Other cable operators, including Comcast and at least four other major cable companies, are also looking to set up family programming packages.