[gottago]

NOW is to launch in the US with 40 pay tv channels, 20 FAST channels and Peacock Premium for $20pm.

I am very surprised that Comcast have done that when they already have a streaming service, or why they went with the NOW brand as it couldn't be offering the same as the UK service simply because of programme rights.

It's a completely different market with no crossover. It doesn't matter if it's offering a different product because no customers on either side of the Atlantic will know the other one exists. Just as they don't know about the Italian or German versions.

I can't quite figure out the target market of this, the selection of channels seems relatively weak and weirdly doesn't include any Comcast ones (unless you get all of those live through Peacock?). Possibly aimed at people who don't have cable but do have the basic networks?

Funny that they're very much pushing it as "Now TV" whereas here the TV bit has been dropped.

[Brekkie]

I think there is alot of targetting "cord-cutters" in the US given how almost universal cable has been over the years, but many are ditching it for a streaming alternative which still delivers a number of channels. I think YouTube have a relatively successful service they've launched.

[LargelyALurker]

I am very surprised that Comcast have done that when they already have a streaming service, or why they went with the NOW brand as it couldn't be offering the same as the UK service simply because of programme rights.

It's a completely different market with no crossover. It doesn't matter if it's offering a different product because no customers on either side of the Atlantic will know the other one exists. Just as they don't know about the Italian or German versions.

I can't quite figure out the target market of this, the selection of channels seems relatively weak and weirdly doesn't include any Comcast ones (unless you get all of those live through Peacock?). Possibly aimed at people who don't have cable but do have the basic networks?

Funny that they're very much pushing it as "Now TV" whereas here the TV bit has been dropped.

Yes, branding it 'Now TV' when the logo just says 'Now' seems strange - surely they could add the 'TV' part to the logo if it's part of the brand there?

[SlimyTrain]

techcrunch.com 

Comcast announces $20 streaming service ‘NOW TV’ with Peacock included | TechCru…
Comcast's new streaming offering for Xfinity customers, NOW TV, is $20/month and…
  Source: techcrunch.com

Live TV channels included in the NOW TV package are A&E, Afro, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC News, Comedy.TV, Cooking, Crime + Investigation, Discovery, Discovery Life, Food Network, FYI, Great American Family, Great American Living, Get TV, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, The HISTORY Channel, Investigation Discovery, IFC, Justice Central, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Magnolia Network, Military History, MotorTrend Network, OWN, Pursuit, Recipe.TV, Science Channel, Sony Movies, Sundance TV, TLC, Travel Channel, Vice, WEtv and Weather Channel.

This is a, well, not a good starting lineup. Where are the channels Comcast owns? Kids channels? Something other than "reality" networks? Yikes.

[Brekkie]

It's a completely different market with no crossover. It doesn't matter if it's offering a different product because no customers on either side of the Atlantic will know the other one exists. Just as they don't know about the Italian or German versions.

I can't quite figure out the target market of this, the selection of channels seems relatively weak and weirdly doesn't include any Comcast ones (unless you get all of those live through Peacock?). Possibly aimed at people who don't have cable but do have the basic networks?

Funny that they're very much pushing it as "Now TV" whereas here the TV bit has been dropped.

Yes, branding it 'Now TV' when the logo just says 'Now' seems strange - surely they could add the 'TV' part to the logo if it's part of the brand there?

Was a questionable rebrand here but as a new entry to the US market they clearly need to point out what it is.

[cable]

It's a completely different market with no crossover. It doesn't matter if it's offering a different product because no customers on either side of the Atlantic will know the other one exists. Just as they don't know about the Italian or German versions.

I can't quite figure out the target market of this, the selection of channels seems relatively weak and weirdly doesn't include any Comcast ones (unless you get all of those live through Peacock?). Possibly aimed at people who don't have cable but do have the basic networks?

Funny that they're very much pushing it as "Now TV" whereas here the TV bit has been dropped.

Yes, branding it 'Now TV' when the logo just says 'Now' seems strange - surely they could add the 'TV' part to the logo if it's part of the brand there?

The TV part was debranded here because they offer broadband services.

[interestednovice]

They own part of Hulu as well. They're not the only one with multiple streaming services. ITV owns both ITVX and Britbox, and Warner Bros Discovery has both Max and Discovery+, though both of those pairs are in the process of merging I believe. Paramount has Paramount+, My5 (and it's Aussie counterpart 10AllAccess), and Pluto. Disney has Disney+ and is Hulu's other owner, and I assume ABC in the US, also owned by them, has it's own streaming service too.

I think ABC did have a service called ABC Go previously, but since then they’ve done a Channel 4 and just referred to their website plus “the ABC App”, although they have also promoted Hulu on the network itself in the past - much as the BBC promote iPlayer.

[sky303]

techcrunch.com 

Live TV channels included in the NOW TV package are A&E, Afro, AMC, Animal Planet, BBC America, BBC News, Comedy.TV, Cooking, Crime + Investigation, Discovery, Discovery Life, Food Network, FYI, Great American Family, Great American Living, Get TV, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV, The HISTORY Channel, Investigation Discovery, IFC, Justice Central, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Magnolia Network, Military History, MotorTrend Network, OWN, Pursuit, Recipe.TV, Science Channel, Sony Movies, Sundance TV, TLC, Travel Channel, Vice, WEtv and Weather Channel.

This is a, well, not a good starting lineup. Where are the channels Comcast owns? Kids channels? Something other than "reality" networks? Yikes.

Compared to Philo  which has 70 channels for $25 a month with a these channels plus Paramount channels (minus CBS) and the Weigel channels, it's kind of dire compared.

[Ste]

Had a survey from Now TV sent to me this evening (I subscribed for a few months on a £19.99 Sports offer a while back). Some of the things mentioned were:

Ultra Boost Pack (with 4K).
Every Super EFL match
Every Carabau Cup match
Every Super League match
More country cricket
Expanded PGA Golf coverage
More F1 camera angles
Sky Sports Tennis channel

[London Lite]

I remember NOW HD being rumoured for ages and then eventually launched. UHD hasn't exactly been launched in a hurry either, so it may still be months away before they finally launch the UHD Boost Membership which is obviously designed for Sky Sports Membership customers.