Content companies are suddenly clamoring for cord cutters.
Now, CBS is jumping into the so-called over-the-top TV with its own live streaming service called CBS All Access.
Just Wednesday, HBO announced plans for a streaming subscription video service that doesn't require traditional pay TV service.
The $5.99-per-month service from CBS — the first of its type among major networks — will offer a catalog of on-demand episodes that includes full seasons from 15 shows including The Good Wife and Survivor. Episodes will be available on-demand one day after they air, too.
The app, which is out today at CBS.com and in the Google Play and iTunes stores, will also stream live local CBS broadcasts in 14 of the largest U.S. markets including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, Sacramento, Pittsburgh and Baltimore. CBS plans to add more.
The live streams will be counted by Nielsen's viewership measurement systems.
Also available on CBS All Access: a CBS Classics catalog of more than 5,000 ad-free episodes of shows such as Star Trek, Cheers, Twin Peaks and CSI: Miami, as well as content from past broadcasts of The Grammy Awards, Academy of Country Music Awards and Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
"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 CBS Corp. president and CEO Leslie Moonves. "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."
