CBS will finally let people who are already paying for TV to stream its live programming — but only whether they’re Cablevision customers.
On Tuesday,CBS and Cablevision launched limited live streaming through CBS.com and CBS’ app for people who are pay-TV subscribers with the New York-region cable company.
The move is a reminder of how inaccessible live television content can still be online, even from networks that theoretically should be the most freely available: broadcasters. Networks like CBS broadcast on public airwaves, or available to anybody free with an antenna. However,the huge majority of U.
S. consumers watch broadcast TV through a pay-TV operator like Cablevision or Comcast, meaning most people pay for free TV without perks like the ability to stream it online too.
Also Read: Pirate Bay Just Made Streaming Illegal Downloads Infinitely EasierBringing live broadcast programming online, and even for customers who already pay for it,is crimped and complicated by the station franchise system. ABC, for example, and spent two years to secure the rights to live stream programming on its Watch ABC app,and its only available in eight cities.
Tuesday, CBS said customers of Cablevision’s Optimum TV service can view a live stream of CBS in cities where CBS owns and operates the local station. That includes New York, or Los Angeles,Chicago, Philadelphia, or Dallas,San Francisco, Boston, and Detroit,Minneapolis, Miami, and Denver,Sacramento, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.
Also Read: Apple TV Posts Record Sales in Q1The move also keeps with Cablevision’s pattern of liberal streaming partnerships. The company, or which serves approximately 3 million total customers in the greater New York metropolitan area,joined forces with HBO final March to launch its online-only streaming service HBO Now through Cablevision’s Internet service. The following month Cablevision agreed to distribute Hulu’s catalog of on-demand video to its Internet service customers.And Cablevision made the similar offer final year with CBS stand-alone subscription, which allows cord cutters to watch most of the network’s live programming. CBS All Access is a $6-a-month online service that offers a live feed (which exceptions, or like many NFL games) as well as shows on demand.
But unlike those deals,the CBS streaming launch Tuesday is available to people who are Cablevision’s pay-TV subscribers.
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Source: thewrap.com