NBCU's Free Ad-Supported Service — 'Peacock'

[Zookster]

NBCUniversal's new streaming service, 'Peacock,'is expected to debut in April 2020 and will be free with ads for anyone with TV provider login credentials, including MVPDs. It will be the home of a Battlestar Galactica reboot by Sam Esmail of Mr. Robot fame.

NBCU’s Streaming Service Called ‘Peacock’, with ‘Saved By The Bell’, ‘Punky Brewster’, and ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Reboots Joining Service

Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail is rebooting Battlestar Galactica for NBCU's new streaming service

 

[VictoriaFTA]

That sounds profoundly awful.

 

[Ronnie-]

The only thing out of that that interests me is the Battlestar reboot, but the last one was so good, it has a lot to live up to.

 

[harshness]

NBCUniversal's new streaming service, 'Peacock,'is expected to debut in April 2020 and will be free with ads for anyone with TV provider login credentials, including MVPDs.

So the big question is what TV providers will be participating in authentication and how those without such authentication might access the content. NBC in particular -- with its ties to Comcast/Xfinity -- has a keen self-interest in keeping MVPDs involved.

If this were to give me access to NBC Sports Northwest (a Comcast exclusive in my area), I'd be inclined to investigate the offering more fully.

The addition of content that may not be broadcast seems likely to be used as a justification for raising the prices MVPDs pay.

 

[Bruce]

more info-

Peacock will most closely resemble the advertiser-supported Hulu platform, with 21 million Comcast cable television customers getting access for free. Comcast is reportedly also negotiating with other cable, satellite, and telco TV providers about bundling free basic Peacock subscriptions for their cable TV customers as well. Those who never subscribed to cable TV or cut the cord will be offered the option of a lower cost, commercial-filled subscription or a more expensive ad-free option, presumably at prices similar to what Hulu charges ($5.99-11.99).

Comcast NBC to Launch "Peacock" Streaming Service Next April; Free to Comcast Cable TV Subscribers ·


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[mwdxer1]

That sounds profoundly awful.

At least free with a provider.

 

[Bruce]

At least free with a provider.

It is only free if you have Comcast, they are still negotiating with other cable, satellite, and telco TV providers, which means, for example, Dish would have to pay Comcast for it's subscribers to have access to it.

 

[ncted]

My take on this is it seems like the vertical integration of content creation and distribution is going to hamper NBC's ability to compete in the burgeoning streaming market. If you look at what has been successful, products that do not require you to have a specific cable or satellite service have been much more widely accepted.

 

[harshness]

I think the bigger concern is whether NBC ties up some of their best content such that other services can't economically obtain it. Of course the same goes for Disney.

Time will tell if these providers can "have it both ways".

 

[ncted]

I think the bigger concern is whether NBC ties up some of their best content such that other services can't economically obtain it. Of course the same goes for Disney.

Time will tell if these providers can "have it both ways".

IMHO, if NBC does make their content available only via the Peacock, which requires a cable/satellite subscription to watch, that is worse than what Disney is doing as one doesn't have to have a relationship with a third party to view the Disney content the way you will with NBC.

 

[harshness]

Disney has their hooks into most all of the pay TV providers (Orby is an exception) and that doesn't seem likely to change.

It comes down to who NBC manages to work out authentication agreements with. They want customers who are more or less stuck, not ones that can walk away at the drop of a hat.

As I understand it, Disney+ is going to cost the money whether or not you subscribe to an authenticating carrier.

 

[ncted]

Disney+ is only going to cost me money if I subscribe, and then only what the service itself costs. The Peacock would cost me a cable/satellite subscription which is not as easy to turn on and off on a whim and will cost me a lot more on a monthly basis than a single streaming service.

 

[osu1991]

IMHO, if NBC does make their content available only via the Peacock, which requires a cable/satellite subscription to watch, that is worse than what Disney is doing as one doesn't have to have a relationship with a third party to view the Disney content the way you will with NBC.

I thought I read NBC was going to offer it as a standalone service in addition to TV Everywhere authentication, with both ad supported and ad free tiers. I"m assuming, ad supported is what the TV Everywhere logins will get.

 

[ncted]

I thought I read NBC was going to offer it as a standalone service in addition to TV Everywhere authentication, with both ad supported and ad free tiers. I"m assuming, ad supported is what the TV Everywhere logins will get.

I hadn't seen that. That would make more sense to me, although I am not sure they have the content to support such an endeavor.

 

[Bruce]

I thought I read NBC was going to offer it as a standalone service in addition to TV Everywhere authentication, with both ad supported and ad free tiers. I"m assuming, ad supported is what the TV Everywhere logins will get.

You are correct, if you do not have NBC you can buy in ( two tiers commercials and no commercials) or provided by a provider if you have NBC, the only problem with that is the provider will have to pay for it, maybe do it like a premium channel.

By the way have no interest in it right now.

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[buckeyebrian]

So will this mean that all NBC owned programming will be exclusive to this service? Will NBC's prime-time shows leave HULU?

 

[Bruce]

So will this mean that all NBC owned programming will be exclusive to this service? Will NBC's prime-time shows leave HULU?

in 3-5 years.

Within five years, Comcast has agreed to sell its Hulu stake to Disney for at least $5.8 billion.

Under the deal, Comcast’s NBCUniversal will continue to license content to Hulu through late 2024. However, as soon as next year, NBCU will have the right to pull back programming previously licensed exclusively to Hulu (continuing to make it available to Hulu on a nonexclusive basis for a reduced licensing fee). And by 2022, NBCUniversal will have the right to cancel most of its content-licensing agreements with Hulu.

Disney Assumes Full Control of Hulu in Deal With Comcast


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[ncted]

in 3-5 years.

Within five years, Comcast has agreed to sell its Hulu stake to Disney for at least $5.8 billion.

Under the deal, Comcast’s NBCUniversal will continue to license content to Hulu through late 2024. However, as soon as next year, NBCU will have the right to pull back programming previously licensed exclusively to Hulu (continuing to make it available to Hulu on a nonexclusive basis for a reduced licensing fee). And by 2022, NBCUniversal will have the right to cancel most of its content-licensing agreements with Hulu.

Disney Assumes Full Control of Hulu in Deal With Comcast


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Seems like we're in for several more years at least of content moving around from place to place as new streaming services launch.

 

[harshness]

Seems like we're in for several more years at least of content moving around from place to place as new streaming services launch.

I'm not sure what to think about this.

It could be that each network family will have its own streaming service and there will be big pressure on the MVPDs (including OTT aggregators like YTTV and SlingTV).

If you want one show from a suite of related cable channels, you may have to pay for the whole thing to get first-run viewing. I have to wonder if someone like Disney would offer tiers with different levels of programming. Will there be a sports package that only offers a couple of ESPNs versus the whole wad of them? Will there be a young children's tier and a teen tier of kid's programming? The bigger the family of channels, the more difficult this may be to justify.

If the Disneys and the Time Warners aren't willing to subdivide their offerings, it seems likely that we'll get further and further from the mythical ideal of ala carte.

 

[osu1991]

I'm not sure what to think about this.

It could be that each network family will have its own streaming service and there will be big pressure on the MVPDs (including OTT aggregators like YTTV and SlingTV).

If you want one show from a suite of related cable channels, you may have to pay for the whole thing to get first-run viewing. I have to wonder if someone like Disney would offer tiers with different levels of programming. Will there be a sports package that only offers a couple of ESPNs versus the whole wad of them? Will there be a young children's tier and a teen tier of kid's programming? The bigger the family of channels, the more difficult this may be to justify.

If the Disneys and the Time Warners aren't willing to subdivide their offerings, it seems likely that we'll get further and further from the mythical ideal of ala carte.

Please don't give them any more ideas. They're squeezing most of the juice out of the consuming public now