NBCUniversal will be launching its streaming service, Peacock, in July of this year. The new service will let NBC capitalize on having one of the biggest catalogs of TV shows and movies from any network or studio. According to the announcement, the streaming service will launch nationally on July 15th.
The service will be available in three tiers. The first, Peacock Free, is a free option that comes with limited programming. Peacock Free consists of 7,500 hours of programming, including curated content such as SNL, Universal movies, and next-day access to current seasons of first-year NBC shows.
There will also be an ad-supported complete version that will be free to existing Comcast customers and Cox cable subscribers, costing $5 per month for other subscribers. The third tier will be Peacock Premium and will cost $10 a month for an ad-free subscription. The two premium tiers will include live sports and early access to late-night shows. Peacock Premium will also include non-televised Premier League soccer games.
Steve Burke, chairman of NBCUniversal, said in a statement, “We have one of the most enviable collections of media brands and the strongest ad sales track record in the business. Capitalizing on these key strengths, we are taking a unique approach to streaming that brings value to customers, advertisers and shareholders.”
Offering a streaming service is now seen by many media companies as key to remaining relevant. According to LightShed Management, a research firm, an estimated 80 million households still subscribe to some form of cable or satellite offering. That’s down from approximately 100 million houses roughly a decade ago. There are about 20 million households currently using Comcast’s paid TV services.
