One day after HBO announced its intentions to offer a standalone streaming service to customers, CBS on Thursday announced it will bring its programming directly to consumers through a new digital subscription video service, which costs $5.99 a month.
CBS says the new service, called "CBS All Access," will offer thousands of episodes from current and previous seasons of CBS shows, as well as "classic shows," all on-demand. It will also live stream local CBS stations in 14 of the largest US markets.
Here is the company's press release, courtesy of CBS.
NEW YORK - Oct. 16, 2014 - CBS Corporation today announced the launch of CBS All Access, a new digital subscription video on demand and Nielsen-measured live streaming service for the CBS Television Network. CBS All Access will offer subscribers thousands of episodes from the current season, previous seasons and classic shows on demand, as well as the ability to stream local CBS Television stations live in 14 of the largest U.S. markets at launch.
CBS All Access is available beginning today at CBS.com and on mobile devices through the CBS App for iOS and Android. The service allows fans to watch more CBS programming online and on mobile devices, while introducing yet another monetization window for the Company's industry-leading content. CBS All Access will be available on other major connected devices in the coming months.
"CBS All Access is another key step in the Company's long-standing strategy of monetizing our local and national content in the ways that viewers want it," said Leslie Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Corporation. "This new subscription service will deliver the most of CBS to our biggest fans while being additive to the overall ecosystem. Across the board, we continue to capitalize on technological advances that help consumers engage with our world-class programming, and we look forward to serving our viewers in this new and exciting way."
For $5.99 per month, CBS All Access includes the following programming, with more to be added in the coming months:
- Full current seasons of 15 primetime shows with episodes available the day after they air.
- Unprecedented ability to live stream local CBS stations in 14 of the largest markets at launch, with more to be added as affiliates join the new service.
- Full past seasons of eight major current series, including THE GOOD WIFE, BLUE BLOODS and SURVIVOR.
- More than 5,000 episodes of CBS Classics, including every episode of STAR TREK, CHEERS, MACGYVER, TWIN PEAKS and CSI: MIAMI.
- Access to exclusive additional content for CBS Television's biggest special events, such as THE GRAMMY® AWARDS, THE ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS and THE VICTORIA'S SECRET FASHION SHOW.
- Ability to stream the BIG BROTHER 24/7 Live Feeds service for no additional fee when the show returns next summer.
- Advertising-free environment for all CBS Classics.
CBS All Access offers an even more robust viewing experience on CBS.com, the #1 network website across platforms (comScore), and the CBS App, which has been downloaded more than 10 million times.
Jim Lanzone, President and CEO, CBS Interactive said: "Our focus is to develop the best cross-platform video experience possible. We want our audiences to be able to watch CBS's industry-leading content live and on demand whenever and wherever they want. CBS All Access delivers on that promise by giving our audience not only more CBS content, but also more ways to watch in a seamless user experience. We've integrated the service into our existing offerings and look forward to bringing it to all major digital platforms - including additional connected devices - in the coming months."
CBS All Access brings thousands of episodes to digital platforms, making it simple for fans looking for more CBS content to get it via one easy-to-use, multi-platform service.
Marc DeBevoise, Executive Vice President, Entertainment, Sports and News, CBS Interactive added: "ThroughCBS All Access, we are enabling our biggest fans to tap into CBS's content - including the current seasons of many of the biggest shows on television - and bring it to existing and new audiences alike. CBS All Access reflects our efforts to distribute as much of our leading content as possible on new platforms in ways that are strategically sound and provide additional value to our audiences."
The ability to live stream local CBS stations through CBS All Access was built in close collaboration with CBS's owned and operated stations. Syncbak, in which CBS has a minority investment, powers the delivery and geo-targeting of the live feeds to in-market subscribers. At launch, live streaming will be available in CBS's 14 owned and operated markets, including: New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, Sacramento, Pittsburgh and Baltimore, with more to be added.
Peter Dunn, President, CBS Television Stations said: "With video consumption habits changing all the time, it is very important that we continue to provide the best local news, entertainment and sports via a service like CBS All Access. Television stations have been the fabric of local broadcasting for 75 years, and today's announcement is part of paving the way for the next 75. We are extremely pleased to be a part of this exciting new service, and look forward to reaching a whole new set of viewers in our major markets across the country."
Non-subscribers will continue to have access to the most recent current episodes of CBS programming on CBS.com, select CBS Audience Network partner sites and through the CBS App. Programming will be available the day after the shows air on TV, with an eight-day delay on mobile devices for primetime series only.