Internet-based
Subscription television plans are growing in popularity, and
YouTube is the latest company rumored to be
Working on a standalone television service. According to
Bloomberg,
YouTube is developing a paid
Subscription Service called "Unplugged," offering a bundle of channels for a set price.
YouTube has already built the infrastructure necessary for the
Service and is prioritizing its development for a
2017 debut.
YouTube has been in talks with major media companies like NBCUniversal, Viacom, Fox, and CBS, but has **t yet been able to secure rights for the service.
YouTube is said to be aiming to build a streaming
Service similar to the
Service Apple
hoped to offer before putting its
streaming TV plans on hold. It would include a "skinny bundle" of channels from the four major U.S. networks along with a few popular cable channels priced at around $35 per month.
YouTube is also considering plans offering a collection of less-watched television channels or smaller groups of channels built around different themes, such as comedy or lifestyle.
YouTube would charge one Subscription for the main bundle, and extra, smaller monthly fees for these theme-based groups, one of the people said.
Using this approach, YouTube could show it is capable of bringing new viewers to many of these second-tier channels, a major concern for large media companies that depend on TV for most of their profits.
If YouTube can make it work, media companies may be more open to including more-successful channels later, one of the people familiar said.
Along with YouTube,
Hulu is also building its own competing streaming television service. News of Hulu's plan
surfaced earlier this week and was
confirmed this morning by
Hulu CEO Mike Hopkins.
Hulu's
Subscription model will offer customers cable-style access to popular broadcast television networks and cable channels to complement its existing streaming service, plus it will include a cloud-based DVR feature.
Hulu is also aiming to launch its
Live TV
Subscription plan in
2017 and is close to signing deals with partners like Disney and Fox. Pricing for the
Service has **t yet been an**unced, but rumors suggest it will be available for around $40.
"This means our viewers will be able to enjoy Live sports, news and events all in real-time without a traditional cable or satellite subscription," said Hopkins. "We're going to fuse the best of linear television and on-demand in a deeply personalized experience optimized for the contemporary, always-connected television fan."
As network executives grow accustomed to establishing deals for streaming television services, Apple may be able to revisit its television plans. Apple has been
Working on some kind of
Subscription TV
Service for several years, but executives have **t been able to establish deals with content owners. Apple's latest streaming plans
reportedly fell apart because media companies demanded more money than Apple wanted to charge for its TV
Service and were reluctant to unbundle channels.
Tags:
YouTube,
Hulu
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