PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- Comcast is preparing to roll out a streaming service that the Philly-based media giant hopes will win viewers — largely because of one big difference from Netflix.
From ‘Saturday Night Live’ to ‘Jurassic World,’ NBCUniversal has a universe of its own shows and movies. But it’s not only content that parent company Comcast will put into orbit. It’s also a business model it believes is missing among competing streaming services.
Theirs would be free to those who already pay for cable TV — even Comcast’s competitors. NBC CEO Steve Burke says people prefer a no-charge offering with few ads than, say, Netflix, where prices are now rising to top out at $16/month. Deals with rival companies would give Comcast’s service swift and massive scale.
For those who’ve cut the cable cord, NBC is expected to charge about $12/month when the service launches in 2020.
It’ll be part of a fast-crowding galaxy that this year will see entries from Disney, AT&T’s WarnerMedia, and possibly Apple.