Time Warner Cable announced the launch of a new Family Choice Tier, which will be rolled out across its service area over the course of the first quarter in 2006. The new digital tier will include 15 family-friendly channels, and can be ordered by any customer who gets the minimum basic service tier.

“Our customers have always had the tools to actively exclude any channel or program they might find objectionable for their families,” said Glenn Britt, chairman and CEO of Time Warner Cable. “This new family tier will offer our customers yet another way to obtain kid friendly programs without the need for them to take an active role in monitoring shows and deciding on which ones to pro-actively block from their TV set.”

The Family Choice Tier will include 15 channels, including: Boomerang, C-SPAN 2, C-SPAN 3, CNN Headline News, The Science Channel, Discovery Kids, Disney Channel, DIY Network, FIT-TV, Food Network, HGTV, La Familia, Nick Games & Sports, The Weather Channel and Toon Disney.

This tier of service complements the 15-20 channels available on the basic service tier, which federal law requires be available to all customers. The basic service tier includes local broadcast stations, public/educational and government access channels mandated by local cable franchise authorities and other select channels. Retail prices vary among systems, but the average monthly charge for basic only service is about $12.

The Family Choice Tier will be priced at an additional $12.99 above the cost for the basic service tier. A digital set top box is generally required for every outlet in the home that will be getting the Family Choice Tier. The Family Choice Tier will include an interactive program guide (IPG) with parental controls.

“We designed the Family Choice Tier so viewers could be reasonably assured that no objectionable programs would turn up in the mix,” said Britt. “Accordingly, we selected channels that were G-rated in nature, did not include ‘live’ entertainment programming and which contained content that was generally perceived as acceptable for the entire family to view. We also picked widely distributed channels that were well-known and recognized by viewers.”

The 15 channels now available on the Family Choice Tier will continue to be made available in their existing packages as well. These channels were selected in order to meet the criteria established for the tier and conform to existing contractual obligations.

Time Warner Cable customers will be notified of the addition of the new Family Choice Tier to their local system through bill-stuffers and other promotional materials that will be distributed early next year.

About Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable owns and manages cable systems serving subscribers in 27 states, which include some of the most technologically advanced, best-clustered cable systems in the country with more than 75% of the Company's customers in systems of 300,000 subscribers or more. Utilizing a fully upgraded advanced cable network and a steadfast commitment to providing consumers with choice, value and quality customer care, Time Warner Cable is an industry leader in delivering advanced products and services such as video on demand, high definition television, digital video recorders, high-speed data, wireless home networking and Digital Phone. Time Warner Cable is a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX).