Roger Fingas
YouTube TV — Google's recently-launched live streaming service — will soon expand to 10 more U.S. urban markets, the company announced this week.
The new regions include Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas-Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, Phoenix, and finally Washington, D.C. The expansion will happen in "a couple of weeks," according to Google.
Currently YouTube TV is available in just five markets: Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The base package costs $35 per month, and focuses mainly on the four major broadcast networks — ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC — along with related channels.
Notably missing are Turner and Viacom channels such as BET, CNN, the Cartoon Network, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon. Add-ons are available for Showtime and Fox Soccer Plus though, and by default the service provides access to original content from YouTube Red. Another selling point is a built-in cloud DVR, which only deletes recordings after 9 months.
Aside from the Web, YouTube TV can be viewed on iPhones and iPads running iOS 9.1 or later, plus Android devices and Chromecasts. There is no native Apple TV app, but the set-top is indirectly supported by way of AirPlay.
New subscribers can try the service free for the first month. A free Chromecast becomes available after the second month is paid for.
William Gallagher
Malcolm Owen
Amber Neely
Andrew O'Hara
Christine McKee
13 Comments
So, I am to pay Google $35/month to watch publicly broadcast stations I can get for free? Really? Wow! I'm going to jump on that!
I'm just confused what benefit this is supposed to have over existing services. "The benefit is that we get to know what you're doing absolutely everywhere at all times!" Oh, thanks, Google.
I'm delighted to report that I never have and never will get cable or satellite TV. Over the air, plus occasional Internet program watching has saved me countless thousands of dollars.