NBC Will Launch Authenticated Live Linear Broadcast Stream
NBC is getting onboard with TV Everywhere by launching a live linear stream for authenticated pay TV customers, but don't look for the term "TV Everywhere" in its marketing.
Earlier today, The Wall Street Journal broke the news that on Tuesday NBC will begin offering a live stream of its broadcast programming. A mobile stream will follow early in 2015. The stream will be available to pay TV customers at no additional cost, so it's different from the direct to consumer paid services offered by HBO and CBS.
The move is an effort to support the TV Everywhere ecosystem, where pay TV customers can sign in to view live streams and on-demand titles online. In its report, the Wall Street Journal noted that Alison Moore, NBC's executive vice president of TV Everywhere, sees the TVE term as a detriment for consumers. NBC's multimillion dollar promotion of the live stream will instead use the phrase "Watch TV Without the TV."
In other TV Everywhere news, Roku announced today that Comcast subscribers can now access HBO Go and Showtime Anytime programming through Roku devices. Roku owners will need to install the HBO or Showtime channels, then authenticate their accounts online. According to Recode, Roku and Comcast negotiated for months to reach an agreement.
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