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Facebook pulls Trump ad TV networks took off the air
Facebook confirmed that it has followed in the footsteps of most major media outlets and pulled a controversial advertisement released by the Donald Trump campaign. The social media giant, which allowed the video to run for several days on its platform, said the advertisement violates its policy against sensational content, according to the Daily Beast.
NBC Sports adds ‘Snow Pass’ to its hyper-specific streaming options
NBC Sports announced "Snow Pass" today, which is the latest in hyper-specific sports streaming packages on NBC Sports Gold. Snow Pass includes over 700 hours of live coverage for seven winter sports: alpine skiing, nordic combined, ski jumping, cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing, biathlon and snowboarding. The new streaming options is available now for $69.99. The pass runs through April 2019, but it's only available in the US.
NBC's WatchBack video app rewards you for sharing viewing habits
The rumors of NBCUniversal launching a rewards-based streaming video app were true. The network has released a free, currently iOS-only WatchBack app that offers a chance to win prizes if you create a profile (complete with viewer preferences) and watch certain full-length shows, such as E!'s Ashlee+Evan. At the moment, each featured episode gives 10 viewers $100 worth of points they can redeem at outlets like Amazon, Best Buy, Macy's and Target.
Snapchat is opening up your shared Stories to media partners
Snapchat is opening up public, user-submitted videos to the "Our Stories" feature to its media partners. Soon, the likes of CNN and NBC News will pull from public videos to supplement their own stories. Deadline writes that media companies using Snapchat will likely overlay graphics and text to the videos for context. For example, folks attending a late-season baseball game and adding it to the Our Stories for the game could see their footage in a post from ESPN.
Snapchat deals with NFL, NBC add more sports videos
The jury's still out on whether or not Snapchat Stories are successful, but giants in the sports realm are apparently happy. Snap has signed deals with the NFL and NBC that will bring more sports programming to your phone. To begin with, it's extending its NFL partnership to include a "best of" Sunday Story in the Discover section that summarizes American football news and highlights for the past week. You'll continue to see Snapchat-produced NFL Our Stories material as well as Bitmoji, filters and lenses.
In NBC’s ‘Reverie,’ VR can be a little too enticing
The first episode of NBC's Reverie opens with a bang as a man leads a woman through a stunning library with a crystal chandelier, discussing a "quiet night in." They're both dressed to the nines, so it's clear what's about to happen is anything but. He takes her out onto a gorgeous balcony to show her the surprise that's waiting for her. She asks, "What did you do?" as she looks on in awe, taking in the small dinner table with champagne at the ready, string quartet and gorgeous sky filled with balloons. But the perfection of the scene is marred by just one thing: It's too perfect. Everything is just so good it can't be real. And it turns out, it's not.
Watch live World Cup games in Spanish on the NBC Sports app (updated)
You'll soon have a few easy ways to watch the 2018 World Cup en español. NBC's Telemundo Deportes has unveiled plans to stream live World Cup games in Spanish through the NBC Sports app (on mobile and living room devices) in addition to the apps from Telemundo itself and local stations. You'll also see Telemundo's content available through a link on the NBC Sports website. We've asked if you'll need a TV sign-in to watch matches online.
Twitch's 48-hour 'Saturday Night Live' marathon begins May 17th
Twitch is no stranger to TV show marathons, but it's venturing into uncharted territory this week. The livestreaming service is partnering with NBC on a 48-hour Saturday Night Live marathon starting May 17th at 6PM Eastern. The wall-to-wall run on the TwitchPresents channel will include a mix of classic and recent sketches going back to the series' very beginning, including a few from SNL season finale host Tina Fey. Twitch hasn't provided the full list of sketches as we write this, but it's guaranteed that Bruce Dickinson (yes, the Bruce Dickinson) will make an appearance.
NBC picks up 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' after Hulu, Netflix pass
After Fox canceled Brooklyn Nine-Nine, fans hoped a streaming service like Netflix or Hulu might pick up the show to extend its run. Tonight members of the cast and crew announced that NBC has chosen to air a 13-episode long season six of the cop sitcom, a move many attributed to fans getting loud and saving the show. Similar to Syfy's recently-canceled The Expanse, an issue with the show on its old network was a lack of streaming rights for past seasons that in this case belong to Hulu. That, in turn, made it less compelling for a service like Netflix. Deadline reported on which networks passed, and notes that at NBC it's a show made by "sister studio" Universal, which does bring in profit from off-network airing and streaming.
'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' may live on with Hulu or Netflix (Update: NBC)
Don't pour one out for Brooklyn Nine-Nine just yet. The canceled sitcom might find a second life, with Hulu and Netflix among its potential new precincts. Soon after Fox tossed Brooklyn Nine-Nine to the curb -- plummeting what seemed like half of the internet into despair -- Hulu, Netflix, TBS and NBC all contacted production company Universal Television to discuss picking up the show, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline reported. Update: It's official, season six will air on NBC, after Netflix and Hulu passed on the show.
Syfy drops 'The Expanse' after three seasons
After three seasons, The Expanse is coming to an end -- at least on Syfy. Deadline reports that the cable network decided not to go forward with a fourth season of the show, however its producer, Alcon Television Group will look for another home. Described by network execs as Syfy's "most ambitious effort to date" when it was originally announced, the show (based on a series of books by the same name) drove a shift on the network back toward larger-scale sci-fi in the vein of Battlestar Galactica. However, it was expensive to make and reportedly had lower ratings than other shows like The Magicians and Krypton, and, perhaps most importantly, Syfy only had the rights to its first-run live airings. That meant the network did not benefit from digital sales or streaming which can be a sizeable share for sci-fi shows. Now fans will hope that another network or streaming service continues where Syfy left off, even as the Comcast/NBC-owned network announces launch dates for a summer slate that includes 12 Monkeys, Wynonna Earp, Killjoys and, of course, Sharknado 6.
Google partners with NBC Universal to create VR experiences
Soon you'll be able to jump into VR experiences on YouTube based on shows from NBC and its affiliates. NBC Universal and Google will collaborate on 10 multi-episode projects. First to come will be a backstage tour of the dog rescue reality show Vanderpump Rules with more to follow in the coming weeks.
Amazon reshuffles its TV team in fight against Netflix
Amazon's new studio chief Jennifer Salke has made her first mark on the entertainment division since taking up the role in February. Amazon COO Albert Cheng has been named co-head of television, having previously served as interim head of the studio following Roy Price's disgraced departure last fall. According to Variety, sources say Salke is still on the lookout for an executive to work alongside Cheng, but no lead candidate has yet been identified.
If NBC can’t improve its VR Olympics coverage, it should just stop
If you're watching the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics on TV like a normal person, you may not realize there's another option. I viewed the opening ceremonies, skiing, curling, figure skating and other events in virtual reality on my Samsung Gear VR (2017) headset via NBC's app. I didn't expect the coverage to be as smooth as TV, but I thought it would be a cool way to watch the events as if I were a live spectator. Sadly, with one exception, the experience was spotty and disappointing.
How to watch the 2018 Winter Olympics
With the opening ceremonies completed and the torch lit, the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea are officially underway and will run through February 25th. Viewers have plenty of options to stream events this time around -- and while you can watch almost everything on NBC with your cable subscription, there are several internet TV providers that include some or all of the network's coverage through their own service subscriptions.
Snapchat and NBC are going all-in on the Winter Olympics
Snapchat is teaming up with NBC to put the 2018 Winter Olympics in your pocket. Starting February 10th you'll be able to watch the Games live in the Discover tab. More than that, it sounds like there will be daily highlights as well. "Snapchatters can expect one pivotal moment from NBC's primetime broadcast to be live in Snapchat each day, and can sign up for notifications" in the app, the company says.
Lawmakers call on US to extend conditions of Comcast-NBC merger
When Comcast acquired NBCUniversal back in 2011, the deal came with strings attached: among others, it had to abide by 2010-era net neutrality rules, provide affordable internet to low-income families and avoid discriminating against rivals. Well, all those conditions have lifted... and that's not making some officials happy. FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn and Senator Richard Blumenthal have written an op-ed calling on the government to either extend those conditions or institute new rules relevant to the modern era. The communications giant has discovered ways of using its resources to "harm consumers and competition," the lawmakers argued, and some of those have violated the FCC's terms for the merger.
Xfinity customers will get a ton of Winter Olympics content next month
The Olympics offer a unique technical challenge for TV broadcasters and cable companies every few years. With the 2018 Winter Olympics just a few weeks away, Comcast has announced its plans to offer a pretty huge variety of coverage for its Xfinity TV subscribers. While other cable providers get access to the same content from NBC that Comcast does, the company is enabling some solid features and packaging it in ways that are exclusive to Xfinity subscribers.
NBC brings two Winter Olympics preview shows to Netflix
You won't have to stay glued to NBC to watch all of its Winter Olympics coverage -- although it won't necessarily be the coverage you want. The network is offering a two-part PyeongChang preview series, Go For the Gold and Meet Team USA, that will be available on Netflix between January 15th and the end of the Olympics on February 25th. The episodes will explore the American team's athletes and their stories, including well-known competitors like Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White.
NBC's Winter Olympics VR streams will work on almost any device
The Winter Olympics is getting a virtual reality makeover. NBC will present over 50 hours of VR coverage from the games in South Korea next month, using Intel True VR technology to create 360-degree immersive environments. It's the same style of tech that's been adopted by BT Sport, MLB, UFC, PGA and NBA, and it made an appearance at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio, but it's the first time the Winter Games has been given the treatment (they only happen every four years, after all, and VR has only taken flight in recent times).
