It’s no secret that Dish has been losing subscribers, even when you count those using its Sling TV live internet TV service for cord cutters. Now the company is taking a cue from one of its chief competitors in an attempt to draw new customers.
On Thursday, Dish announced its newest pay TV package, called Flex Pack. As the name implies, Flex Pack takes a “skinny bundle” approach, offering a $40 per month base package consisting of just over 50 channels, with other channels offered via add-on packages ranging from $4 to $10 per month. Customers who opt not to add any additional channels get a discount, bringing the monthly fee to $30.
“Our customers are frustrated with having to pay for hundreds of channels, most of which they never watch,” said Warren Schlichting, Dish executive vice president of marketing, programming and media sales, in a statement. “Flex Pack provides a level of flexibility and control that brings our customers closer to the ideal of fully tailoring their channel lineup.”
The base Flex Pack package offers channels including AMC, TNT, USA, HGTV, E!, Cartoon Network, History, A&E, CNN, Discovery, TBS, Food Network, FX, and TV Land, but local channels aren’t included. Instead, these channels come via the $10 per month Locals Pack, which includes CBS, ABC, NBC, and FOX, plus Univision and other channels depending on the local market.
Other add-on packages include the $6 per month Variety Pack, which includes Investigation Discovery, BET and others; the $10 per month Kids Pack, featuring a variety of Disney channels, Nickelodeon, and more; and the News Pack, which offers Bloomberg, The Weather Channel, BBC World News, and a variety of Fox and NBC news channels for $10 per month. Sports fans can get their fix with the National Action Pack and Regional Action Pack, both of which cost $10 per month.
If this sounds familiar, you’re likely thinking of Verizon’s Custom TV package, which launched last year and saw ESPN pursuing legal action against the company. The two companies eventually settled their dispute, with the service getting an overhaul earlier this year.
Whether Flex Pack will bring the increase in subscribers Dish is hoping for remains to be seen, but for those looking to trim down their satellite bill, the new package might be worth a look.
