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YouTube TV costs $65 a month after yet another price increase
The base plan has jumped up $15 since the last hike in April 2019.
Fandango is buying Vudu's video service from Walmart
Walmart expects the deal to close in the coming months.
Apple's TV app gets live and on-demand shows with PS Vue integration
PlayStation Vue, Sony's sneakily growing video service, has earned the distinct honor of being the first streaming TV provider to be integrated into Apple's TV app. Subscribers will now be able to watch live and on-demand content through the TV app on Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, instead of only in the PS Vue app.
Streaming TV firm Philo is offering three months of Pandora Premium
Streaming TV upstart Philo is giving customers a freebie: three months of Pandora Premium for new and existing subscribers to either of its packages. Pandora's on-demand music service already offers a 60-day trial, but those who take up the deal will get three months of free music.
Hulu's live TV service is now available on LG smart TVs
Hulu continues to slowly roll its new UI and Live TV out following additions last fall on computers and game consoles. Now you can enjoy the streaming television service on most current LG WebOS Smart TVs, this year's Samsung Tizen Smart TVs and two more Roku devices.
Hulu's latest exclusive is an indie-horror anthology series
Recently, Hulu's efforts to bolster its stable of exclusive programming (original and otherwise) has been in high gear. That trend continues with an as-of-now untitled horror anthology series from the macabre-centric Blumhouse Productions according to Variety. Rather than release an episode a week or all at once, they'll be released once a month for 12 months, starting this October. From the sounds of it, Hulu might be interested in targeting horror fans beyond this series.
YouTube TV finally has an app built for your living room screen
When YouTube TV arrived earlier this year, it was focused on phones. Sure, you could send video to your TV via Chromecast or AirPlay, but thus far there haven't been apps for the big video platforms like Roku, Apple TV or even Google's own Android TV. That's changing today, as YouTube TV will start rolling out to screens running Android TV. And in the coming weeks, it'll be in plenty more places, including Xbox One, Apple TV and Roku, as well as Samsung, Sony and LG TVs.
WSJ: Discovery, AMC and Viacom try a sports-free streaming bundle
The already crowded field of "skinny bundles" will soon feature another service vying for your attention (and wallet). As The Wall Street Journal reports, a host of broadcast networks are reportedly soft launching a new streaming platform stocked with their entertainment channels. Discovery Communications, Viacom Inc., A+E Networks, AMC Networks, and Scripps Networks Interactive will all be part of the service. But, the likes of ESPN and Fox Sports won't. That's because the new offering, dubbed 'Philo', will be a sports-free zone.
Verizon can't find partners for its Sling-style TV service
Verizon has been trying to get its own Sling TV-like live TV streaming service off the ground, but that effort has apparently hit some snags. The operator plans to offer dozens of channels, including CBS and ESPN, to compete with rivals, including Dish's Sling TV and AT&T's DirecTV Now. However, it hasn't been able to sign enough broadcasters to kick off the effort, according to a report from Bloomberg. That means the launch, originally scheduled for the summer, may be put off until after the fall.
Sling TV adds pay-per-view events starting with UFC 214
SlingTV is taking another step toward replicating the traditional pay-TV experience: Offering pay-per-view events. If you're impatient, know that it starts this weekend with UFC 214, so you won't have too long to wait before testing it out for yourself.
Netflix remains ruthless as 'Girlboss' cut after one season
Netflix never talks audience numbers with its shows, but there's one sure way to know when one is doing poorly. The streaming company cancelled Girlboss, the third series over the last month to get canned. The show was unpopular with critics from the start, with just a 32 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes -- a rarity for a Netflix comedy. Though the premise about a "broke anarchist" who develops a successful company was promising, the main character (loosely based on Nasty Girl founder Sophia Amoruso), "was not very likeable," Deadline said.
YouTube TV expands to ten more US metropolitan markets (updated)
YouTube TV seemed an adequate addition to the increasingly crowded streaming television market, but it launched back in April with a modest area footprint, operating in only five US cities for its first few months. Today, the company announced it's expanding availability to anyone in ten secondary metropolitan areas in the country.
Almost every adult still watches TV the old-fashioned way
Surprise: an overwhelming majority of adults still watch TV on a TV despite cord-cutting and the prevalence of mobile broadband. 92 percent of those aged 18 and older according to a recent report from Nielsen, to be exact. "Sure, viewers have more options today, but when looking at platforms in a comparative fashion, it's clear that consumers choose the television as the primary vehicle for [programming]," Tom Ziangas of AMC Research said in a blog post. The study found that of the gross minutes counted last year, 509,196,299,668 minutes (82.1 percent) were spent watching shows and movies via a flatscreen itself, and an additional 63,637,309,003 minutes (10.3 percent) came from TV-connected devices like game consoles.
YouTube TV adds AMC, BBC America and more
YouTube's streaming TV service launched just over a month ago and its limited 39-channel range was a clear drawback compared to its more established competitors. But the company is following up on its promises to add more by including seven more cable networks, including AMC, BBC America and Telemundo to its basic $35-per-month package.
Hulu Live TV has the potential for greatness, but it's a tough sell
Of all the streaming live TV services to launch over the past few years, Hulu's makes the most sense. After all, it's the company that managed to craft a successful business out of streaming TV and movies, despite plenty of naysayers. Live TV is simply the next logical step. And unlike Sling TV, PlayStation Vue and DirecTV Now, Hulu's live service is bolstered by its significant on-demand library, which also includes critically acclaimed, original shows like The Handmaid's Tale. But while it all sounds great on paper, Hulu still has a lot of kinks to work out before its live TV service is ready for the average couch potato.
Crackle signs up 50 Cent for two original series
Perennial Engadget CES interview Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson has found new pastures for his foray into movies. Instead of just making direct-to-video projects with Val Kilmer and Bruce Willis, his G-Unit Film and Television is working on a few shows with Sony's ad-supported streaming service Crackle. The Oath (no, not the Verizon/Yahoo amalgam) is a scripted series focusing on gang subcultures while RPM is about a used-car salesman who's a getaway driver by night. Variety reports that those are working titles, but there's little else to share at this point.
YouTube TV needs more channels, but it gets the basics right
YouTube TV launched earlier this week, bringing another option to the quickly growing online TV subscription space. It's basically the cord-cutting dream; being able to watch shows, news or sports as they happen instead of waiting for your favorite sitcom to show up on Hulu the next day. Of course, YouTube TV and its competitors (which include Sony's PlayStation Vue, Sling TV and DirecTV Now) all have their flaws. There isn't a perfect option out there yet, but after spending the better part of the week watching YouTube TV I can say it definitely has some things going for it over the competition -- but it's also pretty clearly a service in its infancy.
YouTube's live TV service is here
Google announced YouTube TV at the end of February, and now the live TV streaming service is ready to launch. It's available today on your phone and computer in five markets: New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia. If you hadn't heard yet, the $35 monthly service offers live streams from all four major broadcast networks (CBS, Fox, NBC and ABC) and a host of other networks like ESPN, FX, the CW and many others. All told, YouTube TV is launching with 39 stations, but 10 more (including AMC, IFC and BBC America) will arrive soon.
DirecTV Now's $35 special offer goes away January 9th
DirecTV launched its AT&T-backed online-only streaming service, DirecTV Now, last month with a special introductory $35 price for its 100+ channel option. But that "Go Big" offer is set to expire on January 9th, when it jumps to $60 to settle between the other three service tiers. If you want that many channels at that price, get it now.
AT&T's DirecTV Now streaming service launches on November 30th
Add another streaming television offering to the fray. AT&T officially unveiled DirecTV Now today, its attempt to take on Sling TV and Sony's PlayStation Vue. It was first revealed way back in March, but now we've got the fully skinny: It'll start at $35 with 60 channels and will launch on November 30th. As a promotion, early adopters will be able to lock in 100 channels for that price (that package will normally cost $60 a month). In comparison, Vue starts at $30 a month with around 45 channels, while Sling TV starts at $20 with fewer networks.
