As a streamer, how important are local TV affiliates to you? Do you just want the network channels for your favorite primetime movies? Or is staying connected with your local news and other programming important to you? Whatever the case, you might want to keep reading because the acquisition of local channels can plays a direct role in how much you pay for your favorite streaming service. If you’re a current or future streamer who loves watching local TV, this should be very important to you!
Sling TV Takes a Pass on Some Locals
Sling TV is actually turning down some local TV affiliates. This is in stark contrast to what other streaming service providers are doing. Local affiliates cost streaming providers a lot of money to acquire. By saying “no” to TV channels – most recently turning down a deal with CBS – Sling TV is able to keep its costs down. Sling TV has the highest number of viewers of all streaming services that offer a live TV app.
Currently, scarfing up as many local affiliates as possible is the trend for most streaming service providers. Coincidentally, fuboTV, PlayStation Vue, and YouTube TV have recently raised their subscription rates. Local TV affiliates are part of the reason for this. If all you want are prime time network shows, you can stream them through the network’s on-demand services. Are your local TV news and other programming is important to you? You’ll likely have to pay extra for that luxury.
fuboTV Snags Six New TV Affiliates
In its ongoing effort to scarf up more local TV affiliates, fuboTV added seven new NBC and CBS channels. This brings fuboTV’s total to 193 local affiliates, which is an impressive number for TV fans who might be considering this streaming service as an alternative to cable TV.
These three NBC affiliates were recently added to fuboTV’s live TV app:
- WECT – Wilmington, DE
- WTHR – Indianapolis, IN
- WWBT – Richmond, VA
These three CBS affiliates were also added:
- KKTV – Colorado Springs, CO
- WISC – Madison, WI
- WTOL – Toledo, OH
These recent additions to its live TV offerings help make fuboTV a serious player among streaming service providers. It currently has CBS coverage in 64 percent of U.S. households. This includes 20 of the top 20 markets, and 35 of the top 50 markets. Its NBC coverage is in 72 percent of American households, with 19 of the top 20 markets, and 42 of the top 50. Its Fox coverage includes 75 percent of all U.S. households, 20 of the top 20, and 45 of the top 50 markets.
Calculate Your Streaming Costs
Everyone streams for different reasons. Some people flock to streaming service providers such as Netflix and Amazon Prime because we love original series and movies. (Admittedly, that’s my thing.) Other people embrace streaming as a new way of cutting the cord on cable TV and its expensive monthly bills… and horrible customer service. Like I said, different strokes for different strokes. Whether local TV is your thing or not, the number of TV affiliates a given streaming service provider has will affect its costs. This is just one more thing for streamers to consider.
