Time Warner Cable added 26 live local broadcast channels in New York City to its TWC TV apps for iPhones and iPads and TWCTV.com website for in-home viewing -- just three days after startup Aereo launched a "no cable required" service offering New Yorkers access to local TV anywhere on Apple devices.
New York-area operator Cablevision Systems launched a similar iPad app last April, and has offered local channels as part of the lineup from the get-go.
The TWC TV service is available to Time Warner Cable customers with broadband connection and a standard (expanded basic) or higher video package.
The operator's New York customers now have access to: WCBS, WNBC, NBC NY Nonstop, WNYW (Fox), WABC, WABC News Now, Live Well, WWOR (My9), WPIX, WPXN (Ion), WXTV (Univision), WFUT (Telefutura), WNJU (Telemundo), WFME, WLIW (PBS), World, WLNY, WMBC, WNJN (PBS), WNYE (NYC TV Life), WRNN, WNET (PBS), V-ME, Create, Kids13 and Rise (Al Jazeera).
Time Warner Cable announced the addition of the local New York channels in a blog post Friday.
That was after Aereo, whose backers include Barry Diller's IAC, said it officially launched its $12 per month service providing access to 27 local broadcast networks on up to five iPad, iPhone 4/4S or Apple TV devices.
Aereo is facing two copyright-infringement lawsuits from broadcasters, who assert the service is engaged in unauthorized retransmission of their signals. In a countersuit filed last week, the startup claims it is fully within its rights to operate the arrays of dime-size antennas on behalf of its customers.
Unlike Aereo's service, the TWC TV service is confined for use within a subscriber's home over a Wi-Fi connection.
TWC now offers more than 200 channels via the apps in New York -- but it still lacks Viacom networks.
Viacom sued TWC over the iPad app last year, while the MSO sought a declaratory ruling that it has rights to offer programming to video devices under existing carriage deals. The parties agreed to suspend the litigation while they attempt to come to terms. Separately Viacom reached an agreement with Cablevision to provide access via the MSO's live TV apps.
