Roger Fingas
Live streaming service Sling TV on Wednesday began rolling out Sling Kids, a completely on-demand channel aimed at making it easier to find child-friendly video.
Both Orange- and Blue-tier subscribers will get video from Kabillion, Kaboom, and Splash, organized by age groups. To access Sling Kids, though, people need to choose the $5-per-month "Kids Extra" add-on for their regular subscription.
Kids Extra content varies based on the exact plan a parent is subscribed to — while the Blue tier includes video from NickToons, TeenNick, Nick Jr., Boomerang, Cartoon Network, ducktv, and Baby TV, only Orange subscribers can also get Disney, Disney Junior, and Disney XD.
While Sling offers on-demand content outside of the dedicated Kids channel, it's typically tied to each individual station, and can mix in material some parents might consider inappropriate. Cartoon Network, for example, offers shows from its Adult Swim block.
The move may be necessary to keep up with rivals like Netflix, which not only filters kid-friendly on-demand content but offers a locked-down interface so children can browse on their own.
Basic Sling TV plans start at $20 per month. Supported platforms include iOS, Mac, Windows, and Android, as well as dedicated hardware like the Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV.
Wesley Hilliard
Malcolm Owen
Marko Zivkovic
William Gallagher
4 Comments
Wait, what if Apple buys sling TV instead? They seem to be on the right track.
Streaming hasn't evolved to offer choose your channels to make your own Ala-crate but Sling is one fine example of putting together low cost affordable streaming packages(Orange- $20, Blue-$25) and than add smaller packages for $5 as your need dictate. You can also add international channels package. Sling like suppose to be Apple-TV streaming service with value add of AI/Siri search across channels contents and consolidated/customized TV guide..
Sling needs to get their other channels like TNT, HDTV, AMC and others to allow Sling users to go and log in to the content of these content provider websites. Only ESPN lets that happen. Every other site does not list Sling at all. Evernote HBO which you have to pay for separate $15 a month still does not list Sling TV to go watch on demand content!