When NBC's Peacock streaming service arrives in April 2020, it will offer a variety of service plans, including paid and free tiers, according to CNBC.
The free version will include ads in a model that will resemble what's done on cable/satellite TV—commercials before, during, and after streaming. For $5 per month, you can reduce the number of ads, but not eliminate them completely, for a budget-friendly alternative to Hulu and Disney+.
Pay $10 per month to get rid of commercials on Peacock, according to CNBC, which is in line with competitors like Netflix and the yet-to-launch HBO Max. Based on the report, it sounds like the paid tiers will present identical content. The ad-supported tier could restrict which series and films are available.
In addition, the service could include some amount of live TV. NBCUniversal is exploring an idea in which NBC News Now gets integrated into Peacock. It operates as a free news service on weekdays, and Peacock might borrow the content or task NBC News with creating an on-demand show for its viewers. Peacock probably won't include any series currently airing on NBCUniversal-owned cable networks such as Bravo, USA, and Oxygen.
Sources tell CNBC that NBCUniversal has tested several versions of Peacock. Plans could be altered at any time, but an investor day on Jan. 16 might provide a lot more clarity on what's coming.
The majority of Peacock's library will rely on older series. Peacock should arrive with more than 15,000 hours of content, and NBCUniversal will add The Office in January 2021. Original programming includes a Brave New World adaption as well as reboots belonging to Battlestar Galactica, Punky Brewster, and Saved by the Bell. A Real Housewives spin-off will also land on Peacock.
Free and paid tiers could assist in Peacock's battle against well-established competitors. The most popular streaming services require subscriptions to access their libraries, but Peacock could attract viewers without any commitment needed. Ads will generate revenue for NBCUniversal, and viewers tired of the ads can switch over to one of the subscriptions.
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