AppleInsider Staff
Apple TV users have flocked to ABC News's recently-unveiled live video offerings, the network said on Wednesday, with Apple TV viewers consuming 50 percent more live ABC News programming than viewers on desktops and mobile devices combined.
Live programming accounted for some 20 percent of the channel's total views, making the live stream the channel's most-watched video content. Viewership peaked on July 17, as Apple TV users tuned in for live coverage of the Malaysia Airlines flight that was downed over Ukraine.
Apple TV users also spend more time with ABC News's content in total. Those using the set-top streamer racked up 65 percent more viewing time than those on desktop computers.
Viewers also appear to be turning to the Apple TV in lieu of traditional cable programming, as ABC News reported that daily usage peaks at 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. That comes in the middle of the hours traditionally referred to as "prime time," which generally runs from 8 p.m. Eastern to 11 p.m. Eastern.
ABC News launched on Apple TV in late June, bringing live and on-demand content to users with a cable subscription. Thanks to the channel's success, existing local content from New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh, Fresno, and Milwaukee is set to be augmented by affiliates in Albuquerque, Boston, and Honolulu.
Malcolm Owen
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20 Comments
Now if we could do without needing a cable subscription to watch certain things that would be a dream come true
Now if we could do without needing a cable subscription to watch certain things that would be a dream come true
That will be a long time, if ever.. Comcast and other cable and satellite tv providers have a death grip on much of the networks. If they didn't they'd see a mass exodus and they are very afraid of seeing that. It's all about who's greasing who's palms..
Only way to break that really is for someone like Apple to come out with a great, easy, "Channel Store", similar in concept to the App Store, where independent digital streaming broadcasters and the like can be born and can buy-in cheaply and bypass the networks, al la carte. That would require a lot of change with the Apple TV though and Apple would need to get into the TV advertising as such and that would open a whole NEW can of worms..
The Apple TV UI would need a MAJOR overhaul though.. it's current form is clunky and would not be very good for a massive volume of streaming digital broadcasters.
AppleTV users turned to Apple and cried "save us from cable!" and Apple turned to the cable companies, who just shook their heads. "Not on our watch," they said to Apple.
And that's supporting only a handful of local regions- think about if they supported all the local regions.
The PBS app, for example, uses your location to determine what programming you get. Why couldn't ABC do the same?
Now if we could do without needing a cable subscription to watch certain things that would be a dream come true
You actually don't need a cable subscription to watch that particular channel.