NBC Jumps on the OTT TV Bandwagon with Roku App

Cord cutters now have another reason to say “no” to cable forever – NBC. NBC is the latest player to jump on the over-the-top

Cord cutters now have another reason to say “no” to cable forever – NBC. NBC is the latest player to jump on the over-the-top (OTT) television bandwagon, reports Digital Trends.

Earlier this week NBC was added to the Roku Channel store. NBC’s free app will offer instant access to the latest episodes and highlights from NBC favorites, including The Voice, Blacklist, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and more. Some of those shows will require a cable subscription and TV provider login, but no login will be required for access to episodes of certain new series including Blindspot, Heroes Reborn and The Player. Full episodes are only streamable in the United States.

Digital Trends says the new NBC app could result in more cancellations of Hulu subscriptions, but we don’t see that happening. NBC is one of many networks on Hulu, including ABC, FOX and the CW. Rob Hayes, executive vice president of NBC Entertainment Digital, said this about the launch:

“We want our shows available where our viewers are watching content. As consumers shift to connected devices, we are committed to working with platform partners like Roku so our fans and audiences interested in entertainment can discover, engage with, and watch our shows.”

Insider Take:

In 2014, 8.2% of former pay TV subscribers became cord cutters, a 1.3% increase over the prior year. During that same period of time, 45.2% of cable and satellite TV users said they reduced their service, says TechCrunch. Whether the cable companies want to acknowledge it or not, cord cutting is a growing reality. People are tired of paying exorbitant prices for cable bundles. Instead, they want to watch what they want when and where they want, without getting nickeled and dimed to death.

NBC is the latest player on the scene, and we think its move is smart both short and long-term. In the short-term, NBC gets credit for being one of the early adopters of Roku and OTT TV. It also gets additional exposure to some of its new fall series by making them accessible without a cable subscription.

In the long-term, NBC is growing and retaining brand loyalty, and positioning itself to be cord-cutter friendly, so when cable and satellite TV morph to sustain themselves, NBC will still be sitting pretty. Well played, NBC. Well played.

Filed in Auto-renew Subscription, Business Strategy, Consumer Services, Entertainment and Streaming, News, Subscription Apps

Dana E. Neuts

Dana Neuts is Subscription Insider's Editorial Director, covering our daily subscription news as well as member features, case studies, premium content, and reports. Dana is also a writer, editor, marketer and communications professional. Her work has appeared in AARP Bulletin, The Seattle Times, Seattle Business, 425 Business, 425 Magazine, South Sound Magazine, Northwest Travel and more. Her specialties include business writing, community news, senior issues, travel and, of course, subscriptions!