FX Offers Ad-Free Viewing for Comcast Cable Customers
August 07 2017 - 9:29AM
Dow Jones News
By Joe Flint
Comcast Corp. and 21st Century Fox's FX Networks unit are
teaming up to offer commercial-free viewing of popular shows like
"American Horror Story" and "It's Always Sunny in
Philadelphia."
The new on-demand channel, dubbed FX+, will be available to
Comcast Xfinity subscribers for an extra $5.99 a month, the
companies announced Monday. In addition to offering current FX
shows without ads at the same time new episodes air on the linear
channel, FX+ will also have the majority of older FX shows
available as well. FX+ is set to launch Sept. 5.
FX becomes the second network to join with Comcast on a
noncommercial, on-demand offering. In June, Comcast and AMC
Networks launched AMC Premiere, a $4.99-a-month service. It too
allows viewers to watch AMC programming without commercials at the
same time a show airs on AMC's flagship network.
Both services are looking to appeal to viewers who are willing
to pay a little extra for a commercial-free experience similar to
Netflix and HBO. But because they are only available as an upgrade
for Xfinity cable customers, the services aren't designed for
cord-cutters.
In unveiling the service, FX Networks Chief Executive John
Landgraf said FX+ "begins to put us on equal footing with premium
networks and streaming services." FX+ will include content from
both FX and its sister channel FXX, which also has original
programming.
As is the case with AMC Premiere, subscribers to FX+ will still
have to pay for the linear FX channels.
21st Century Fox and Wall Street Journal parent company News
Corp share common ownership.
Write to Joe Flint at joe.flint@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
August 07, 2017 09:14 ET (13:14 GMT)
Copyright (c) 2017 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.
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