$20/m for the following channels
But there has always been one big drawback to this à la carte approach to Internet-based TV: It doesn’t include live news and sports.
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Monday, Dish Network announced what is probably the first credible attempt to solve that problem. Its new, Web-based Sling TV service will offer live, streaming cable TV for $20 a month—significantly less than a standard cable subscription.
To start with, Sling TV will come with 12 major channels, including, crucially, ESPN. Here’s the full list:
ESPN
ESPN2
TNT
TBS
Food Network
HGTV
Travel Channel
Cartoon Network
Adult Swim
Disney Channel
ABC Family
CNN
That’s a much skimpier lineup than you’d get with even basic cable. But, for a lot of cord-cutters and “cord-nevers” desperate for live news and sports, it may be enough to justify the cost. Additional channel packages, like “Kids Extra” and “Sports Extra,” available for $5 apiece, are in the works. And the channel lineup will expand with time, promised Dish Network’s CEO, Joseph Clayton.