Comcast has expanded its subscription VOD offerings with the launch of Gaiam TV Fit & Yoga, an offering that will fetch $6.99 per month and will be offered on set-tops and the MSO’s Xfinity TV Go app for smartphones, tablets and Web browsers.
Comcast said Gaiam TV Fit & Yoga features more than 100 programs covering a range of fitness levels and areas of focus, including cardio, pilates, yoga, meditation, pre- and postnatal exercise, sculpting and toning, walking, circuit training and dance, and will be expanded throughout the year.
The SVOD service, which will feature yoga and fitness instructors and trainers such as Jillian Michaels, Rodney Yee, Leslie Sansone and Shiva Rea, will also offer programs tailored for certain health conditions, including arthritis and stress-related illnesses. The launch comes soon after Comcast corporate cousin NBCUniversal launched a multiplatform SVOD service called Radius that fetches $9.99 per month and is being billed as a "virtual trainer." Radius programming also airs on NBCSN from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET each weekday.
"Consumers today are seeking specialized workouts and greater convenience to work out on their own terms. Our customers are constantly on the go, and need access to their fitness programming wherever they are and on any device," said Andy Hunter, VP of programming for Comcast Cable, in a statement. "Gaiam TV’s comprehensive collection of programming is a great complement to our existing cross-platform Sports and Fitness On Demand programming, and this partnership represents another way we are innovating to deliver the content our customers want, when they want to watch it."
"Partnering with Comcast to make a premium selection of this content available to their vast subscriber base enables us to reach millions of people who might be searching for ways to stay fit and balanced in the convenience of their own home,” added Jaymi Bauer, Gaiam TV’s chief marketing officer.
Outside of its MVPD partnerships, Gaiam TV also offers OTT access to more than 6,000 titles on a range of platforms, including Roku, the PlayStation 3, Apple TV, and Amazon Fire TV, among others. It sells direct OTT streaming access for $9.95 per month, or an annual plan for a one-time payment of $89.40 (equivalent of $7.45 per month).
