All these "packages" are lame. Just offer cable/satellite ala carte and let me choose what I want to watch...
I wish it were so. Back when I had a big C-Band, you could essentially do that, and it was way cheaper, which i guess is why they don't do it that way on mini-Dishes.
Media conglomerates won't allow it. It's "all or nothing" as far as they are concerned. Let's say for example OLN was part of the ESPN/ABC/Disney media giant. If a cable system or satellite system yanked OLN, ESPN, ESPN Classic, ESPN2, ESPNU, ABC Family, and the local ABC station would all have to go as well.
This happend earlier this year when a contract dispute occured between Echostar and Viacom. All Viacom owned stations like MTV, VH1, VH1 Classics, TV Land, Nickelodeon, Noggin, CMT, Spike, etc., including the local CBS affiliate had to be yanked until a new agreement was hammered out.
Echostar didn't bother fighting as hard as they normally do, since the contract expired a week or so before the Super Bowl, and Echostar made sure it's viewers had their CBS affiliate.
From your "lips" to ..... er ...... whoever's ears can get the job done.