Select NBC-owned television stations will launch the mobile product TV Everywhere the second week of September, according to Valari Staab (pictured), president of NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, who acknowledged “a million and one details” being ironed out prior to launch.
The target date was initially June. WNBC New York, WMAQ Chicago and KNSD San Diego will be NBC’s first launch markets, with the rest of the group rolling out two or three weeks later. Digital rights and authentication are among the logistics broadcasters must work out before debuting mobile television.
NBC’s affiliated stations will start launching TV Everywhere in October, according to an NBC spokesperson. Staab said NBCU’s owned Telemundo stations will debut the product next year.
NBC convened a special meeting April 7 in Las Vegas, coinciding with the NAB convention, to show affiliates the TV Everywhere application. The product is described as a redesign of NBC.com with live TV as one of the options presented to the user. Jordan Wertlieb, then the NBC affiliates board chairman, said the presentation was "really positive," and was pleased that the product’s VOD component will offer local ad insertions for affiliates.
Jim Conschafter, current NBC affiliates board chairman, did not return a query for comment at presstime.
"We've taken a leadership position in developing the strategy and the tactics for our affiliates to get their live local signal seen by their viewers on as many platforms, and in as many places, as possible,” said Jean Dietze, NBC’s executive VP of affiliate relations, at the time.
Each station group negotiates with the network on terms for digital distribution.
