NBC’s Peacock streaming service will have live video, tiered pricing

By Nick Perry Published December 28, 2019

There is no shortage of streaming services on the market as media companies seek to adapt to the cord-cutting revolution. This is likely why NBCUniversal’s upcoming, still secretive Peacock streaming service is trying to differentiate itself from other services like Netflix, Disney+ or HBO Max with a couple of innovative solutions: Live video and tiered pricing.

According to a CNBC report, when first logging into Peacock, users will be greeted by streaming content, just like turning on traditional television. The showcased video may be live news from NBC News Now, NBC’s streaming news service that will be integrated with Peacock, or an on-demand show. According to the report, different versions of Peacock are still being tested to determine what works best. Peacock isn’t expected to include 2020 Olympics coverage or NBC broadcast content, so it seems likely that sports content will not be supported by live streaming on Peacock.

Recommended Videos

NBCUniversal also wants to make Peacock stand out from the competition by offering an ad-supported version of the product that is free for everyone. As such, executives hope Peacock will provide value to viewers without cannibalizing its traditional pay-TV business. They will also offer two paid tiers for Peacock — a limited ad version that will cost about $5 per month and an ad-free version that will cost about $10 per month. Both tiers will include Peacock’s full suite of content.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Comcast subscribers will also get access to Peacock’s entire library with limited ads without paying additional fees. Pay-TV subscribers for other companies, such as AT&T and DirecTV, may also gain access to a limited-ad version of Peacock for no extra charge through their cable subscription.

Peacock will include more than 15,000 hours of content from across NBCUniversal’s properties, including CNBC, MSNBC, Bravo, USA, E!, Golf Channel, and more. It will feature older series that aired on NBC including Cheers, Friday Night Lights, and The Office (beginning in 2021). It will also include new originals such as a Saved By The Bell reboot and Dr. Death, based on the popular podcast. The free, ad-supported tier, however, will be subject to content limitations.

NBC is aiming for an April 2020 release date for Peacock.

Topics

Nick Perry is a freelance writer who bounced from Hollywood to Silicon Beach to pajama pants. His work has been featured on…

Audio / Video

How to watch the FireAid benefit concerts on streaming services

Billie Eilish performs in Toronto in 2024.

In the wake of the devastating fires that continue to rage in the Los Angeles area, dozens of the music industry's biggest names, including Billie Eilish, No Doubt, Green Day, Olivia Rodrigo, Katy Perry, and Alanis Morissette, have banded together in support with FireAid, two huge benefit concerts happening simultaneously on Thursday, January 30th at two LA venues. But if you can't be there in person, the concerts will be available to watch on various streaming services, and we've got all the details for you below.
What is FireAid?
Focused on helping to rebuild the communities affected by the wildfires that have spanned 45 square miles of densely-populated LA County and that have, so far, killed 28 people, FireAid's proceeds will go towards "short-term relief efforts and long-term initiatives to prevent future fire disasters,” a rpress release stated.

The dual FireAid benefit concerts will be held at two Inglewood, California venues that have been unaffected by the fires -- the Intuit Dome, beginning at 6:00 pm, PST, and the Kia Forum, which will start at 7:30 pm PST. Concertgoers will have to select the venue/show they wish to attend.

Audio / Video

Netflix’s prices are going up, including its ad-supported tier

A close-up of the Netflix app icon n an Apple TV.

Netflix is ringing in the new year with two big pieces of news. First, in the fourth quarter of 2024, subscriber count crossed the 300 million mark and revenue growth wildly exceeded expectations. Second, despite this apparent success, the wildly popular streaming video service is looking for even more money and will be bumping up prices across all of its subscription tiers, including its first-ever price hike on its ad-supported plan. These increases, which will affect the U.S., Canada, Portugal, and Argentina, according to The Verge, run anywhere from an additional $1 to $2.50 per month go into effect during your next billing cycle.

You can expect to pay $2.50 more for the standard, ad-free tier, which goes from $15.50 to $18 per month. The premium tier sees a slightly smaller hike from $23 to to $25 per month. And even the ad-supported tier, which had so far been spared from any increases, is going up from 12.5% from $7 to $8 per month.

Entertainment

This NBC cult TV show is getting a reboot movie at Peacock

A group of people all stand and stare in Grimm.

Grimm is being resurrected at Peacock. Per Deadline, the streamer is developing a movie reboot of the NBC series Grimm, a drama that combined elements of a fantasy series with a police procedural.

Drop Dead Diva creator Josh Berman is writing the Grimm reboot and producing alongside the original series creative team of David Greenwalt, Jim Kouf, Sean Hayes, and Todd Milliner. Plot details about the Grimm movie are being kept under wraps. Deadline's report states the movie will have ties to the series for "diehard fans" and introduce new characters and mythology. If the movie becomes a success, it could launch a franchise.