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Sky UK and major US movie studios hit by EU antitrust probe
There's nothing the European Commission likes more than a good ol' antitrust case, and today it's set its sights on Sky UK and six of the broadcaster's US film studio partners: Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount Pictures, Sony, 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros. In a "Statement of Objections" sent to the parties, the commission has formally accused Sky and the studios of engaging in anti-competitive behavior, by drawing up contracts that prevent Europeans from accessing Sky's pay-TV services outside of the UK and Ireland. While it's implied Sky is partly to blame, the commission's main issue with the agreements is they stop Sky from coming to its own decision on whether to offer pay-TV access in other EU countries.
NBC's live sports streaming comes to Apple TV and Roku players
You have more than a few ways to watch live sports on Apple TV and Roku boxes, but there are still a few gaps. What if you want to catch lots of golf tournaments? If you live in the US, you won't have to worry quite so much. NBC Sports has launched versions of its Live Extra app for both media hubs, making sure that you won't miss out on the Golf Channel, the Olympics, Sunday Night Football and some internet-only events, such as certain Premier League matches. You'll still need a qualifying TV subscription to watch in the first place, but this beats missing out on some big-screen sports simply because you're visiting friends.
WSJ: Apple's TV service due this fall with about 25 channels
With the thawing of the spring we have a renewal of an old favorite: Apple TV rumors. After Re/code suggested a month ago that Apple might go its own way Sling TV-style instead of working with cable companies, the Wall Street Journal is reporting similar details. According to WSJ, Apple is negotiating to launch a "slim" package of 25 or so channels for streaming this fall for $30 to $40, but there's a twist: There have so far been no negotiations with Comcast-owned NBCUniversal, thanks to a falling out between the two companies. The rumors go so far as to claim Apple felt Comcast was intentionally stringing it along while it developed its X1 cable box. So far Sling seems to be doing OK without Syfy and the rest, but we'll see if that changes after The Expanse launches. With an Apple TV price drop and similar services either launched or on the way, we'll move the Apple TV rumor alert level up to a still-skeptical (see my reasoning here) chartreuse.
WSJ: NBC is working on a streaming service for comedy fans
Standalone streaming apps continue to surface, and it looks like NBC has one in the works just for comedy-loving cord cutters. According to a Wall Street Journal report, the network is building a subscription service in hopes of reaching younger viewers. The streaming option will serve up comedy content, like full episodes of Saturday Night Live and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, in addition to a library of outside material. There's said to be original series in the works, as well as "exclusive content" from the stars of its shows. What about pricing? Well, the report indicates that NBCUniversal is looking at a monthly rate between $2.50 and $3.50. WSJ says that NBC also considered genre-specific services for family, faith and horror, but at the moment, comedy is the sole focus.
NBC is streaming live to iOS and Android, but not 'Everywhere'
ABC was the first big network first out of the gate with a 24/7 live streaming app, but CBS and now NBC are close behind with their own versions. NBC rolled out "TV Everywhere" streaming on its website in December, and tonight it's pushed upgrades on Android and iOS that bring the network channel directly to mobile screens -- but only if you have a participating cable or satellite provider's login. Even that's not enough, unfortunately, since it's only available in areas where NBC owns the local station. Where I live the affiliate (WDIV) is owned by someone else, so the feature is not available until the two parties work out some kind of arrangement.
Kodak and movie studios forge a deal to keep film alive
Good news, die-hard aficionados of movies on film: those reels will stick around for a while yet. Kodak has put the finishing touches on a deal with the six big Hollywood studios (Disney, Fox, NBC, Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros.) that will maintain a steady supply of film for movie and TV directors that want to keep using the classic format. The exact terms aren't public, but it wouldn't be surprising if Kodak had the studios over a barrel. When high-profile directors like Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino virtually insist on film, it's hard to say "no" -- you may as well be telling them to take a hike if you make them go digital. This pact won't stop the gradual death of film in theaters, of course, but creative types can take comfort in knowing that celluloid's hard-to-replicate qualities aren't going away any time soon. [Image credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images]
NBC will stream live broadcasts if you pay for regular TV
If you've wanted to (legally) watch NBC's live broadcasts away from home, you're in luck... more or less. The media giant is offering live TV streams on its website starting today, and mobile app viewing is due in early 2015. Unfortunately, it's not the independent service you may be looking for. Unlike CBS and HBO, you'll need a conventional TV subscription (as with WatchABC) to tune in online -- not surprisingly, Comcast (NBC's parent) would like to keep you paying for cable programming. With that limit in mind, this is still big if you've ever wished that you could watch that new episode of Constantine without retreating to the living room.
Radius combines fitness videos with custom workouts on your iPhone
NBCUniversal's new on-demand fitness service, Radius, is the virtual trainer to rule them all: one that pairs hours of fitness TV with customized workouts by famous trainers like Nicky Hollander, Basheerah Ahmad and (if you've heard of them) several more. You can check your workouts and "lifestyle programming" across the Radius site, a fitness app available only on iOS, as well three hours of TV shows per weekday on NCBSN. You might remember Fitstar's efforts to bring a modern version of the fitness DVD to your iPad, but that lacked a for-real TV component. For a cent short of 10 bucks per month, Radius is also promising a broad menu of workout options for utter beginners to armchair olympians.
'Real Housewives' is going mobile for TWC customers, break out the pinot
When you stop to think about it, NBC's reach goes quite a bit beyond just broadcasting Parks and Rec on Thursday nights -- the Peacock Network owns a slew of cable channels too, including Bravo. Starting this week you can catch the latest exploits of whichever Real Housewives cast you favor, regardless of what city you're in, so long as you are (or know) a TWC subscriber and have a device with the respective network's apps near by. The new channel line-up includes USA Network, Syfy, Telemundo and the Golf Channel, with NBC Sports Extra and Golf Live Extra, with the rest of NBC's networks rolling out sometime in September. And don't worry Bright House customers, as follows tradition you won't miss out on Leslie Knope's farewell season either, regardless of if you catch it live or on demand. [Image credit: NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images]
Edward Snowden is giving his first American TV interview on May 28th
Edward Snowden has discussed his NSA surveillance leaks and their implications with magazines, foreign media and South by Southwest attendees, but a chat with an American TV outlet has proven elusive. However, that all changes next week: NBC has revealed that it's airing a one-on-one interview between Snowden and news anchor Brian Williams on May 28th at 10PM Eastern. While the network isn't saying exactly what came up in the pre-recorded conversation, it promises a "revealing" hour-long session that involves Snowden's media ally Glenn Greenwald. There's no telling whether or not we'll hear anything new. Even if it's just a rehash, though, the NBC interview promises to put the intelligence gathering debate in front of a very wide audience.
NBC's $7 billion Olympics deal will keep the games tied to cable TV until you're old
We hope you love how NBC handles its Olympic Games broadcasts, because it just locked up broadcast rights on TV, internet and mobile devices until 2032. NBC previously outbid rivals from ABC/ESPN and Fox with a $4.38 billion offer for the broadcast rights through 2020, and the new extension runs things out for twelve more years at a price of $7.65 billion, with a tiny $100 million signing bonus "for the promotion of Olympism" between 2015 and 2020. The good news, is that NBC has at least seen the light on live broadcasting, and made all the events (except for the Opening Ceremony) available for viewing as they happened on the internet or TV during the 2014 Winter Games. Of course -- rather predictably since NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast -- it's still tying access to those internet streams to having a cable or satellite TV subscription, and it seems unlikely that will change any time soon. [Image credit: Paul Drinkwater/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images]
NBC's iOS app can now send shows to your TV, sort of
The big US broadcasters like to tout the strength of their mobile TV apps, but actually viewing the apps' content on a TV has frequently proven elusive. That's a rather glaring omission, don't you think? Some credit is due to NBC, then, as it recently updated its iOS app with AirPlay support. Unfortunately, it's pretty basic at this stage. All you can do is turn on AirPlay mirroring and beam whatever is on your mobile device's screen -- you're out of luck if you'd like to see optimized videos, let alone do something else on your iOS gear while you watch. Still, it's good to see NBC catch up on features that services like Hulu have had for quite a while.
The time travel movie 12 Monkeys is becoming a TV show in 2015
If you're so enamored with time travel in TV shows that even Doctor Who isn't enough, we have good news: you're about to get a lot more of it. Syfy has ordered production of a series based on Terry Gilliam's classic movie 12 Monkeys. While the show will go without most of the apocalyptic flick's cast and crew when it airs in January 2015, its first season (appropriately 12 episodes long) will involve original producer Charles Roven as well as veteran actors from Nikita and X-Men: The Last Stand. The story arc will likely be familiar to anyone who watched the 1995 film -- or 1962's La Jetée, for that matter -- but we're not going to complain about revisiting one of sci-fi's most enduring concepts.
Hulu hires Warner TV exec to lead original content, adds a slew of exclusive streaming deals
Are you caught up on all of Amazon's and Microsoft's news today? Good, because Hulu has a few announcements as well. First up, the streaming TV service has appointed a new head of content, Craig Erwich, who, given his pedigree, will likely help bolster the company's push into original content. Erwich comes from Warner Brothers' TV division where he oversaw business operations, development and production, and prior to that, he spent a dozen years at FOX Broadcasting. As Hulu tells it, Erwich has been "instrumental" in creating shows like House, Pretty Little Liars and 24. Speaking of TV shows, the video outfit has also announced that it's locked up exclusive streaming agreements for a handful of new programs.
Twitter's new Comcast deal could have you watching TV from tweets
Twitter's making a broader push into your TV room -- if you're a Comcast cable subscriber, that is. The cabler's just inked a deal with Twitter that should see the addition of a "See It" button appear on tweets pertaining to NBCUniversal programming later this fall. According to AllThingsD, the initiative should work something like this: say you're browsing your feed and come across a tweet about "The Michael J. Fox Show" (if it survives long enough), there'll be an associated "See It" button that, when clicked, will take you to a card with more detailed information and, crucially, the ability to DVR or watch the program on TV or online. Beyond just TV shows, the partnership will also allow Twitter users to set reminders for upcoming programs and even purchase movie tickets on Fandango -- all options made accessible by the "See It" button. The specifics of the deal haven't been fully disclosed, so it's not clear which shows will enjoy the "See It" button promotion, but other cablers and TV networks could soon be participating as well. Twitter intends for this unique strategy to spread across content providers, bridging your social networking life and all its real-time buzz with your TV consumption habits.
Syfy Now app streams full episodes to iOS today, Android next month
The Syfy for iPhone app is relaunching as SyFy Now, while the old Syfy app for iPad is reborn as Syfy Sync, dedicated solely to the network's second screen ambitions. Why the changes? Now is all about TV Everywhere with streaming of full episodes of Syfy's original series the day after they air and bookmarks that sync across devices with iCloud. This app can't put Alphas back on the air, but it can bring Defiance, Robot Combat League and Being Human to wherever you are, assuming you have a compatible TV provider. At launch, customers with Armstrong, AT&T U-Verse, Cablevision's Optimum TV service, Charter, Comcast's Xfinity TV, DISH, Mediacom, Suddenlink, Verizon FiOS, and Wide Open West (WOW) are ready to go, and others are coming soon. Don't have authentication? The show clips and behind the scenes video previously featured in the app are still available. Syfy's app for Android isn't updated yet (and still isn't ready for the new Nexus 7) but the press release promises Now will launch there in September -- hopefully the network can figure out how to include TV movies like Sharknado 2 in the package by then.
Lovefilm UK adds more content for kids with films and TV from NBCUniversal
Last week, Lovefilm snapped up some additional content of the cultured kind -- Man v. Food withstanding -- for adults to enjoy. The streaming service is kicking off this week by adding yet more films and TV shows for the kids. Subscribers will now find child-friendly material from NBCUniversal in the Lovefilm library, such as the shows Curious George, Barbie: Princess Charm School, Rastamouse and The Land Before Time (parents might remember the films). Given it's the summer holidays, your offspring are probably out enjoying the weather, but having something fresh to put on the tellybox might help keep them quiet come that inevitable rainy day.
Hulu off the market: Fox, Disney and NBC to maintain ownership
Well, we've been waiting to hear who would wind up purchasing the struggling Hulu, and now we know -- nobody! Instead the service will see an infusion of cash totaling $750 million from its current owners. Hulu has actively courted new owners on multiple occasions, and it seemed as if this time a deal was imminent. Both Yahoo and DirecTV were in the running allegedly but, for whatever reason, Fox, NBC and Disney found their offers lacking. It's unclear right now whether the issue was over asking price or future plans for the service, but the cabal behind Hulu will instead sink more money into the property to try and grow its subscriber base further. This is turning into something of a habit for the uneasy partnership, one that is quickly turning Hulu into the boy who cried wolf. The official press release awaits, after the break.
Amazon lands Prime Instant Video exclusives for five NBCUniversal shows
Amazon is still determined to snag every TV exclusive possible, and it just scored one of its better deals -- or at least, one of the more forward-thinking. It now has the sole unlimited subscription streaming rights to the previous seasons of five NBCUniversal shows. The highlight could be Hannibal, which will reach the service later this year; gamers may also like the crossover SyFy series Defiance, which should be ready in early 2014. Those who just can't wait to stream something will get their fill through exclusives for Covert Affairs, Grimm and Suits, all of which are in the catalog today. Amazon isn't completely shutting out rivals like Netflix, however: its expanded NBCU deal includes regular deals for Alphas, Eureka, Smash, Warehouse 13 and a collection of children's shows destined for Kindle FreeTime Unlimited. While we'd prefer that there be as few exclusives as possible, there's no question that some Prime members will feel better about springing for that $79 yearly fee. [Thanks, John]
Hulu part-owners Disney, News Corp. reportedly discuss buying each other out
The new owner of Hulu could turn out to be... one of the existing owners. After an aborted sale attempt in 2011, new rumors suggest current part owners Disney and News Corp are talking over the possibility of one buying the other's stake out. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg both tag people with knowledge of the situation as their sources, indicating a disagreement over the video streaming website's business model -- it announced $695 million in revenue last year -- as a reason for the talks. Reportedly News Corp. prefers a subscription based model, while Disney sees an advertising-focused approach as best. Both of them own about a third of the site, while Comcast / NBC Universal owns most of the remaining third but can't vote, and according to the rumors would remain as a minority investor if a buyout took place. Also playing into this is CEO Jason Kilar's announcement he will leave the company by the end of Q1, so hopefully any decision on its future are made by the time a new leader is in place.
