NBC Embraces Mobile with Online Streaming Plans
- Wednesday, December 17th, 2014
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US broadcast network NBC has announced plans to live-stream all of its programming to computers, tablets and smartphones as part of a push to deliver television content across a wider variety of devices.
The move marks a considerable departure from the plans of other US networks, with both CBS and HBO planning to create separate online versions of their networks with paid subscriptions. According to the Wall Street Journal, viewers hoping to access the NBC stream will simply have to provide proof they already subscribe to a traditional cable service.
The NBC live stream will debut on Tuesday online, with support for mobile platforms expected early in 2015. While most broadcast and cable networks already offer much, if not all, of their content online, live streams have been slower due to disputes over rights to content, and disagreements between networks and distributors.
NBC has previously been accused of lagging behind its competitors in supporting the “TV Everywhere” initiative that was created several years ago with the aim of encouraging networks to make it easy for television to be accessed online.