DirecTV Now Gets CBS Corp.’s Networks

0

AT&T’s DirecTV NOW over-the-top (OTT) service has finally gotten its “Big Bang.”


Ahead of the release of its Q2 2017 earnings today (8/7), CBS Corp. revealed that it has reached a carriage agreement with AT&T that brings select CBS and The CW O&Os and affiliates; the Showtime premium pay-TV network; the Pop basic cable TV network; and the CBS Sports Network to the OTT platform.

All five networks will be available as live streams, and the deal includes on-demand programming.

Financial terms were not disclosed.

The addition of the CBS and The CW local stations is a big win for DirecTV NOW, following weeks of negotiation.

However, it is not a universal deal: At launch live streaming of CBS O&Os “in many of the largest U.S. markets.” But CBS did not state which markets were included in the deal. Furthermore, CBS said all non-O&O affiliates of CBS and The CW “will have the opportunity to participate going forward.”

“We are pleased we have reached a deal,” said Ray Hopkins, President of Television Networks Distribution at CBS Corp. “For any bundle to be truly successful, CBS is must-have content. This agreement fits perfectly into our strategy to deliver industry-leading content to viewers across multiple platforms and screens.”

DirecTV NOW, which launched in 2016, features a lineup of some 120+ channels, delivered via high-definition video streaming.