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X will host a new 'WWE Speed' weekly series starting in the spring
WWE Speed will showcase matches under five minutes.
‘Poker Face’ is the millennial ‘Columbo’ riff I’ve been waiting for
Natasha Lyonne makes a convincing rumpled detective in this Rian Johnson created streaming series.
Hundreds of TV writers call on Netflix, Apple to improve safety measures in anti-abortion states
More than 400 creators and showrunners made similar demands of Disney, Amazon and other Hollywood giants.
NBC Universal's channels are staying on YouTube TV
The YouTube / NBC drama is officially over. After reaching a temporary deal to keep NBC Universal channels on YouTube TV, the companies officially resolved their despite Saturday afternoon.
YouTube TV may drop 14 NBC Universal channels over a contract dispute
NBC Universal has warned YouTube TV subscribers that 14 of its channels may be removed if the two parties can't resolve a dispute.
Peacock is finally coming to Amazon Fire TV and tablets
Sarting on Thursday, June 24th, you’ll be able to download the Peacock app on your Fire TV and Fire tablet products.
All 45 seasons of SNL arrive on Peacock October 1st
This is the first time all 45 seasons will be available to watch in one place.
NBC's Peacock is finally live on Roku after tense negotiations
When NBC Universal's streaming service Peacock launched on July 15th, it was available to just about every bit of streaming hardware out there -- except Roku devices. After prolonged negotiations, and even a bit of public acrimony, Peacock is now officially available to Roku users. “We are excited to bring Peacock and its unrivaled catalog to millions of Americans who enjoy entertainment on their favorite Roku devices,” said Maggie McLean Suniewick, Peacock' president of Business Development and Partnerships.
WSJ: Comcast might buy the free streaming app Xumo TV
If you're keeping track of the internet TV landscape there may be change incoming, as the Wall Street Journal reports Comcast -- which is preparing to launch the NBCU-powered Peacock streaming service -- is in advanced talks to buy Xumo TV. While Xumo isn't as familiar of a name, its app is readily available on mobile devices and many smart TV platforms, with the draw of offering free, ad-supported video streaming. Mostly, it pulls together streams from other providers like ABC News, the Today Show or Wired in its front end so cord-cutters can have their usual TV experience, albeit without paying a dime, and the company also licenses its tech on apps or integrations for companies like LG, Vizio, Sharp and Hisense. While Peacock may have ad-supported or discounted elements and could be free for current pay-TV subscribers, it's not quite clear what it would have in common with Xumo. The WSJ suggests Xumo could provide technical and business support. Of course, the deal isn't done, but with Peacock set to launch in April, then Comcast may want to get things cleared up well before it launches a new streaming home for The Office and Parks and Recreation.
G4 channel shutting down for good this month
NBC Universal is putting an end to its G4 cable television network after more than a decade of operation, Nebraska affiliate Great Plains Communications reported earlier this month. G4 aired gaming-focused television shows like X-Play and Attack of the Show before ceasing its production of original programming in 2012. The channel was to be rebranded as an Esquire network in 2013, but fell back on airing re-runs of older series after conversion plans were abandoned. Kansas-based cable provider Golden Belt Telephone confirms that G4 will be taken off the air on November 30. [Image: NBC / G4]
USA Now, SyFy Now apps bring Psych, Burn Notice to Xbox One
Xbox Entertainment Studios may be closing, but that doesn't mean that it won't act as the home for plenty of other studios' television and film projects. NBCUniversal, for example, is more than happy to provide the Xbox One with two of its networks' "TV Everywhere" apps: USA Now and SyFy Now. The USA Now app grants Xbox One owners access to shows like Psych, Burn Notice, White Collar and Graceland, while the SyFy Now app offers up such content as Warehouse 13, Being Human and Face Off. If you're a fan of Trion Worlds' MMO shooter Defiance, the SyFy Now app will offer you a chance to catch up on the events of the show that it ties into - also called Defiance. USA Now and SyFy Now; because after all, it's our entertainment and we need it now! [Image: NBCUniversal]
Report: G4 spared an Esquire Network makeover
NBC Universal has announced video games cable channel G4 will no longer be converted into the Esquire Network. An exclusive report on The Hollywood Reporter calls out NBC Universal's Style channel as the unlucky recipient of an Esquire makeover, which will see the now female-focused channel shifting its focus toward mature men. As a result of this news, G4 will continue to operate as-is for the foreseeable future. The announcement to convert G4 into the Esquire Network came in February, when NBC Universal called out an April 22 re-branding. A week prior to that planned launch, NBC Universal pushed back the launch of the Esquire Network to an unspecified date.
Lovefilm signs TV deal with NBC Universal, brings the Office, 30 Rock to British homes
Following Lovefilm's deal with NBC Universal to bring the latter's movie catalogue to the streaming service, the pair have hooked up again to do the same job for the studio's TV productions. Shows such as The Office (US), 30 Rock and Knight Rider will all be available for viewing, whenever your desire for some Corporate Hijinks / Alec Baldwin / talking cars takes hold. We've just checked and the shows are already filtering through -- although you can only catch the first three years of Liz Lemon's adventures so far.
Sky and NBC Universal extend content deal with exclusive movie rental window
Sky's war against its VOD rivals could be won before a single shot is fired in anger, thanks to the company's practice of signing exclusive contracts with major Hollywood players. Today, it's extended its contract with NBC Universal, giving Sky exclusive distribution rights to the studio's movies and access to Universal Network's TV offerings such as E!, Movies24, SyFy and Universal UK. When new films like Snow White and the Huntsmen, Les Misérables and The Bourne Legacy leave cinemas, Sky Movies (and Now TV) customers will have an exclusive rental window before they're available to everyone else, as well as full access to a back-catalog that contains childhood favorites like Jurassic Park and Back to the Future. As we've mentioned before, such deals are great news if you're a Sky customer, and not if you're not.
Zeebox second screen TV companion app crosses over to the US, with a boost from Comcast and HBO
While it seems like every network is rolling out its own personal second screen app for tablets and / or phones, over in the UK Zeebox has been trying to corner the experience across channels and providers with its app. Available as an app for iOS and Android and also on the web, it brings a customized TV guide, live chat, social network sharing and remote control features to the TV experience, and now it's come to the US. Other than the typical second screen experience, its main hook is an "OpenBox" API and tags that allow content providers to customize the experience for their viewers... and then sell them stuff like video on-demand or related merchandise. On this side of the Atlantic Zeebox has secured backing from Comcast / NBC Universal, giving it financial and promotional support as well as covering more than 30 networks right away. It also means it can eventually act as a remote control for Comcast users, which may be an advantage over competition like Miso, GetGlue and IntoNow, and can flex its muscles paired with hundreds of shows like The Voice, Notre Dame football and HBO content like True Blood. Out of the box, the app's social ties and careful metering may be a programmer's dream as it monitors who is watching what live, but we'll have to see more of the second screen content come to life if it's going to catch on socially. A customizable guide (yes, you can hide or reorder channels at will) is a nice touch and so is being able to see what your friends are viewing with Facebook Open Graph and Twitter hooks -- but only if they're actually using it. If you want to check it out, the free apps are linked below and the full press release follows after the break.
Google Play starts selling movies, TV shows (single episode or full season) and magazines today
The Android Market became Google Play to focus on how it pushes media, and now it's adding a few new options. On stage at Google I/O 2012 the company just announced it's adding support for the purchase of movies, as well as TV shows by episode or by season, and even magazines all available today. That's in addition to the existing apps, movie rentals, music and books. Oh, and look, Google just introduced a new tablet that you can use to access all of that content. We'll keep an eye out for an exact list of all the new media partners, although mentioned on stage were magazines including Hearst, Conde Nast and Meredith long with TV networks Disney / ABC, NBC Universal, Sony Pictures and Paramount . Check out our Google I/O live blog for even more details as they're announced, and look after the break for video introductions. Check out our full coverage of Google I/O 2012's opening keynote at our event hub!
NBC lays out 2012 London Olympics broadcast plan on TV, internet, apps and in 3D (video)
Love it or hate it, we're stuck with NBC as our Olympics broadcaster in the US, and the company recently laid out its full plans for the 2012 Olympics in London this summer. The good news first: NBCOlympics.com will live stream every single event (they'll even be on YouTube, and in the UK the BBC has its own plans) for the first time ever including streams of each of its channels, encompassing 3,500 total hours and the awarding of all 302 medals. The bad news is that if you're not a cable subscriber, many of those hours will not be available to you, and even if you are, you're looking at a (likely convoluted) authentication sign-in process. That's a little bit of pain, sure, but it should mean what we've been asking for -- the ability to watch all Olympics events as they happen, not tape delayed for prime time after viewing grainy bootleg streams over the internet. Also new for the internet are multiple streams for the same event, so for example, viewers can select a particular gymnastics apparatus or track and field event at will. On mobile devices, NBC also has plans for two different apps on phones and tablets, with one that brings live video streams and another with highlight clips. It didn't specify what platforms they would be available for, but we'd assume the usual suspects (iOS, Android) will be first up. On pay-TV cable, satellite and telco providers it's also providing dedicated channels for basketball and soccer, although it's up to your provider to pick them up. The same goes for the 242 planned hours of 3D coverage it's producing in partnership with Panasonic, which will unfortunately air on 24 hour tape delay, just like the HD broadcast was back in 2004 (we've got chips.... and salsa!). For the full breakdown of all 5,535 hours of coverage across NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, Telemundo and everything else check out the press release after the break, plus an Olympics preview trailer. While there are some limits for cord cutters, sports fans with pay-TV should be ready to experience the best Olympics coverage ever with the ability to watch what we want, instead just what's on the TV schedule.
Engadget Giveaway: win a Sony 40-inch 1080p HDTV, courtesy of The Grey on Blu-ray and DVD
It's movie time, folks. The bad news is that you have to bring your own popcorn. The good news, on the other hand, is that the feature film and the TV are on us! Thanks to the folks at Universal Studios Home Entertainment, there's a 40-inch 1080p HDTV up for grabs. The occasion is the studio's release of The Grey, starring Liam Neeson, on Blu-ray this coming Tuesday May 15th. If you're the lucky winner, however, you won't even have to venture out to stores to pick up a copy of your own -- one will come included with the TV! Unfortunately, there's one additional restriction this time around: only US residents are able to enter. But if you qualify, head below and leave a comment, and good luck!
NBC News grows a digital publishing arm, plans 30 titles for 2012
Because you can never have your fingers in too many media pies, the powers that be at NBC News are now extending their reach into the eReader space. Under the company's newly minted NBC Publishing imprint, coverage related to current events, docs and bios, in addition to content culled from other NBC Universal divisions, will get a second life as either digital singles (think: longer than an article, shorter than a few chapters) or straight-up eBooks, with about 30 titles slated for this year. The venture, spearheaded by GM Michael Fabiano, will also reportedly serve as a platform for indie authors that rely heavily upon NBC's own archives for sourcing in their work. So, will this brave, new embrace of a 21st century business model manage to wean news junkies off that 24/7 cable drip and back into the Peacock's greedy eager arms? Hard to say until that first title hits virtual stands next month. But when it does, here's to hoping it's more Brian Williams: A Man Mad About Lana Del Rey, than Telemundo: Inside the Telenovela. Just sayin'.
Neal Tiles steps down as president of G4, Adam Stotsky takes over
Neal Tiles, formerly president of the G4 television network, stepped down earlier today, and parent company NBCUniversal has announced that Adam Stotsky will take his place. Stotsky is a former president of marketing at NBC, but now will head up the entire G4 network, overseeing everything from programming to publicity and digital operations. Stotsky is the first big appointment by recently appointed NBCU president Bonnie Hammer, who picked up oversight of G4 and E! last year when Comcast merged with NBC Universal. We don't know exactly what Stotsky plans to put on the schedule at G4 going forward, but if he's taking any cues from his predecessor, it's probably lots more Cheaters and Cops. [Thanks, Ethan!]
