CBS Launches Digital Subscription VOD, Live-Streaming Service

“CBS All Access” will be Nielsen-measured and feature more than 5,000 episodes of classic CBS TV, in addition to current series

CBS All Access

Netflix got even more competition this week, a day after HBO revealed that it will introduce a stand-alone streaming service in 2015: CBS released digital subscription video-on-demand service “CBS All Access” on Thursday.

The new product — which costs $5.99 per month — will be measured by Nielsen, the network said.

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“All Access” offers episodes from the network’s current season, previous seasons and classic shows on-demand. Viewers are also able to stream local CBS TV stations live in 14 of the biggest U.S. markets, including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Detroit, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, Sacramento, Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Also read: Netflix CEO Gives HBO Streaming Service the Brush-Off: ‘Not Much of a Change’

The service is currently available at CBS.com and on mobile devices through the CBS App for iOS and Android. Non-subscribers will still be able to access the most recent current episodes of CBS programming on CBS.com, select CBS Audience Network partner sites and through the CBS App.

Here are some more specifics included at launch, per the press release:
– Full current seasons of 15 primetime shows with episodes available the day after they air.
– 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 Grammys, the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
– Ability to stream the “Big Brother” 24/7 Live Feeds service when the show returns next summer.
– Advertising-free environment for all CBS Classics.

Also read: HBO to Offer Stand-Alone Streaming Service Next Year

“‘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.”

Jim Lanzone, president and CEO, CBS Interactive added: “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.”

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