Comcast’s NBCUniversal division will likely make its upcoming streaming service entirely ad supported and free to everyone who uses it, according to company news platform CNBC.
NBCU previously announced that the platform would include ads but only be free to Comcast broadband subscribers. The CNBC report said NBCU now is “leaning” on supporting the platform with three to five minutes per show of advertising. The platform, branded as Peacock, is set to launch in April. NBCU CEO Steve Burke said earlier that the company expects to make around $5 a month per user.
Citing unnamed sources, CNBC said NBCU is also considering a separate ad-free, subscription version of Peacock.
Related: Comcast Brands New NBCU Streaming Service ‘Peacock,’ Announces Launch Slate
Peacock will launch with 15,000 hours of programming, making it one of the deeper platforms amid the fury of streaming launches occurring over the next six months. That onslaught started today with the launch of Apple TV+, a $4.99 subscription service with a limited amount of original programming at launch, but no advertising.
Also ad-free, Disney+ ncorporates The Walt Disney Company’s film and TV properties, along with ESPN+ and Hulu. It’s priced at $6.99 a month and is set to launch November 14.
Earlier this week, AT&T announced a $14.99-a-month price point and May launch date for HBO Max, which will launch with more than 10,000 hours of content.
