YouTube is coming after the airwaves. Joining Hulu, Apple, and others, it’s offering a “skinny bundle” that’s extremely generous, but can it overcome the problems cable has faced?
You certainly can’t claim YouTube isn’t listening to what consumers are saying. For $35 a month you get a fairly complete package: In addition to the broadcast networks, you also get all the major news channels, ESPN, USA, FX, Oxygen, E!, Disney Channel, National Geographic, and, most importantly, local affiliates. If that’s not enough, you can, of course, add channels and you also get a cloud DVR with unlimited storage, plus six accounts.
It’s safe to say that goes well beyond the usual skinny bundle. But arguably it has to. Despite the huge hype behind Sling, DirecTV Now, and other services, none of them have made a particular dent in streaming viewing. This is engineered to, for example, be split up among an entire family or a bunch of roommates, or a cable-obsessed household on the go. But at $35 a month, admittedly a low price for a skinny bundle, will YouTube see more bites? Or will this just once again prove people want streaming over “appointment viewing?”
(via Ars Technica)