Comcast to Launch Comedy-Focused Subscription Video Service
October 15 2015 - 11:20AM
Dow Jones News
Comcast Corp.'s NBCUniversal said Thursday it will launch a
comedy-focused subscription video service for $3.99 a month
featuring content from the likes of Jimmy Fallon and other
talent.
The new on-demand streaming service, which will be called Seeso,
will be available widely in January. It was developed in a
ten-month sprint led by NBCUniversal Executive Vice President Evan
Shapiro. At an event in New York, Mr. Shapiro emphasized that the
service is meant to serve a "big niche."
NBCUniversal has been aggressively paving a digital path for
itself as its TV networks have come under pressure. The company
recently invested in new-media players BuzzFeed and Vox.
NBCUniversal's new service will enter a market crowded with
streaming offerings from the likes of Netflix Inc., Hulu and Dish
Network Corp.'s Sling TV. Many other media companies, including
Time Warner Inc.'s HBO, CBS Corp., and Viacom Inc.'s Nickelodeon,
have launched subscription online services for their networks.
In March, The Wall Street Journal reported Comcast was
developing the comedy streaming service.
Beyond Mr. Fallon's "Tonight Show," Seeso will include
programming from comedian Seth Meyers, shows like "30 Rock" and
"Parks and Recreation," and all of the "Saturday Night Live"
library. It will also include three to five films a month plus a
library of all the Monty Python movies, and live streamed comedy
concerts once a month, the company said.
In addition, NBCUniversal will offer original series through
Seeso. Mr. Shapiro scoured both the traditional television world
and the Web for the talent that will star in and produce
originals.
Write to Shalini Ramachandran at
shalini.ramachandran@wsj.com
Subscribe to WSJ: http://online.wsj.com?mod=djnwires
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
October 15, 2015 11:05 ET (15:05 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2015 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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