Mass Media & Technology

Peacock

Streaming service from NBC (July 2020)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
MA
mark Founding member
The original thread on this has been archived, but Peacock launched just over a week ago. It's only available in the US, and the website doesn't even work in the UK. There are two types of content:

1) On-demand programmes and movies.

2) Linear streaming channels (very similar to Pluto TV), including...
- NBC News Now (live programming from 3pm ET, preceded by loop of Early Today and then Today Show news reports)
- Today All Day (highlights of mainly the lifestyle bits of Today)
- SNL Vault (classic Saturday Night Live)
- Fallon Tonight (Tonight Show highlights)
- Hell's Kitchen (whole episodes)
- Pet Collective
- NatureVision TV
- Sky News


There seems to be quite a lot of free content (all the linear channels and quite a few on-demand shows and movies), but you get more if you subscribe.

The mix of streaming and on-demand certainly makes it different from the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime. This is more like a free/budget version of Hulu, without any mainstream streaming channels.

Neither of the two levels of subscription ($4.99 or $9.99) gives you any of NBC's network or cable channels like CNBC, MSNBC or NBC Sports Network, which are available through other online subscription services.
Last edited by mark on 23 July 2020 5:18pm - 2 times in total
PL
Plektrum
NBC did say it would launch on Sky back when it was announced in Jan 2019 but since then they seemed to go very quiet about a U.K. launch but given that it’s first big original ‘Brave New World’ is coming over here on as a ‘Sky Original’ it does cast some doubt whether we will see it here and they just choose to rely on Sky in it’s respective markets.

That being said given the free tier that they’re really pushing and Comcast’s recent acquisition of Xumo does make me wonder whether we could still see some kind of free streaming product here?
AJ
AJ
Peacock won't be coming to the UK any time soon. It's built on NOW TV technology, and we have that here already.

Sure, they're different propositions, but the content would largely be the same across the two streaming services over here.
PL
Plektrum
AJ posted:
Peacock won't be coming to the UK any time soon. It's built on NOW TV technology, and we have that here already.

Sure, they're different propositions, but the content would largely be the same across the two streaming services over here.


Yep... more you look into Peacock, it's more evident it's a solution for the US market and how to address/make up for the declining cable bundle. Plus as mentioned, the content proposition will be largely similar as we see more NBCU content move towards channel brands like Sky Comedy, Sky increasingly focus on their own portfolio and I would imagine a move towards more Sky/Peacock co-productions.

During the recent launch of the new Sky Update, the product head talked about the possibility of introducing IP based linear channels onto the Q platform - which sounds rather similar to the tech used across Peacock/Now TV and Xumo so again would expect to see any tech innovations from Peacock make their way onto the existing platforms rather than an entirely new premium product which likely not serve any purpose in Sky's existing markets.
dvboy, Kunst and London Lite gave kudos
WH
whoiam989
AJ posted:
Peacock won't be coming to the UK any time soon. It's built on NOW TV technology, and we have that here already.

Sure, they're different propositions, but the content would largely be the same across the two streaming services over here.

Could you elaborate me on that? I don't live in either UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain or USA, so I don't have a chance to compare both Now TV (or other Sky services based on it) and Peacock.

That said, could Peacock be launched as a catalogue of original shows in areas where Sky operate?
DV
dvboy
I think we're more likely to see NBC content on Sky Comedy as it's a relatively new brand, and therefore on demand (including Now TV).
JO
Jonwo


Yep... more you look into Peacock, it's more evident it's a solution for the US market and how to address/make up for the declining cable bundle. Plus as mentioned, the content proposition will be largely similar as we see more NBCU content move towards channel brands like Sky Comedy, Sky increasingly focus on their own portfolio and I would imagine a move towards more Sky/Peacock co-productions.

During the recent launch of the new Sky Update, the product head talked about the possibility of introducing IP based linear channels onto the Q platform - which sounds rather similar to the tech used across Peacock/Now TV and Xumo so again would expect to see any tech innovations from Peacock make their way onto the existing platforms rather than an entirely new premium product which likely not serve any purpose in Sky's existing markets.


It's the same to an extent with HBO Max.
PL
Plektrum
dvboy posted:
I think we're more likely to see NBC content on Sky Comedy as it's a relatively new brand, and therefore on demand (including Now TV).


It's already happening - the press release back when the channel was announced specified NBC content and the channel already is well stocked with NBC catalogue and a smattering of new shows like AP Bio - I expect this to continue as well as maybe pulling in more Peacock originals.


Jonwo posted:


Yep... more you look into Peacock, it's more evident it's a solution for the US market and how to address/make up for the declining cable bundle. Plus as mentioned, the content proposition will be largely similar as we see more NBCU content move towards channel brands like Sky Comedy, Sky increasingly focus on their own portfolio and I would imagine a move towards more Sky/Peacock co-productions.

During the recent launch of the new Sky Update, the product head talked about the possibility of introducing IP based linear channels onto the Q platform - which sounds rather similar to the tech used across Peacock/Now TV and Xumo so again would expect to see any tech innovations from Peacock make their way onto the existing platforms rather than an entirely new premium product which likely not serve any purpose in Sky's existing markets.


It's the same to an extent with HBO Max.


Absolutely. Both Peacock and HBO Max are being built to almost eventually serve as mini bundles within themselves and to potentially pick up the slack as pay tv bundles decline.
AJ
AJ
AJ posted:
Peacock won't be coming to the UK any time soon. It's built on NOW TV technology, and we have that here already.

Sure, they're different propositions, but the content would largely be the same across the two streaming services over here.

Could you elaborate me on that? I don't live in either UK, Ireland, Germany, Italy, Spain or USA, so I don't have a chance to compare both Now TV (or other Sky services based on it) and Peacock.

That said, could Peacock be launched as a catalogue of original shows in areas where Sky operate?


There's not much to elaborate on really. NOW TV, Sky X, Peacock - they all run on the same streaming technology and there's a lot of overlap in the content catalogues.

Even some of the Peacock Originals are rebadged Sky Originals - and I expect you'll see content flow the other way too in a similar way. You won't see NOW TV (or even a Sky branded streaming service) and Peacock in the same country at the same time - one would cannibalise the other.

135 days later

PL
Plektrum
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/peacock-hits-26m-sign-ups-says-nbcuniversal-ceo?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

No real surprise....

Shell added the international rollout for Peacock will avoid major markets like the UK, Germany and Italy where Comcast parent NBCUniversal has a major presence with Sky.

"Peacock is a product we will use selectively in markets," he told investors, as the AVOD's programming will still land on Sky in the UK market.
JO
Jonwo
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/peacock-hits-26m-sign-ups-says-nbcuniversal-ceo?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

No real surprise....

Shell added the international rollout for Peacock will avoid major markets like the UK, Germany and Italy where Comcast parent NBCUniversal has a major presence with Sky.

"Peacock is a product we will use selectively in markets," he told investors, as the AVOD's programming will still land on Sky in the UK market.

Bit like WarnerMedia and HBO Max.

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