Google signs up CBS for upcoming YouTube Unplugged live TV service - report

Google has forged a deal to carry CBS channels on its upcoming live TV streaming service, YouTube Unplugged, a report claimed on Thursday.

CBS is the first major network to join, sources informed the Wall Street Journal. Google is said to be nearing an agreement to carry Fox channels though, while talks with Disney and NBCUniversal are allegedly in their advanced stages.

Google is hoping to offer a "skinny" channel bundle costing between $25 and $40 per month, media executives told the Journal. That would put Unplugged in league with Sling TV and PlayStation Vue — and maybe keep it cheaper than Hulu's future live service.

Rumors have suggested that Unplugged could arrive as soon as early 2017. One Journal source indicated that while Unplugged subscriptions will probably be separate from YouTube Red, they will at least include some Red videos as a bonus.

Earlier this week YouTube executives are said to have met with several local TV station owners in New York, suggesting that Unplugged will also carry local content.

Google has allegedly encountered resistance from some potential partners, though, over plans to overlay data on live feeds. People watching ESPN might see statistics, while a news broadcast could be paired with Twitter posts. The networks are said to be concerned that people might, for instance, use Twitter to insult a news anchor.

Another worry is that Google might mix the networks' "premium" content in with regular YouTube material, which they see as lower-value.

Apple has been rumored as working on a similar live TV service, but making little to no progress in negotiations. The company has supposedly been low-balling content owners, even Disney, a long-time corporate partner.

25 Comments

mwhite 287 comments · 9 Years

About 8 years ago

sog35 said:

Why. Is. apple. So. slow.

get with it already Apple.

Stop trying to low ball content providers. Just close the deals already. Then once you have 20 million subscribers then you can negotiate lower prices.

I'm getting sick of Tim Cook's slow action.

Apple is keep getting left behind because of Cook's inability to act:

1. Took forever to bring out large phones - thus Samsung got a massive foothold in the market
2. Took forever to make an AppleTV with Apps - thus Roku, Amazon, Google got a foothold in streamers
3. Taking forever to make a home hub device - thus Amazon Echo has made a big push
4. Taking forever to close a LiveTV package and a streaming package - falling behind again
5. Took forever to bring out streaming music - thus Pandora/Spotify got a huge early lead
6. Took forever to bring out a powerful iPad - thus Surface made some gains in mind share
7. Taking forever to bring out an iOS desktop
8. Taking forever to make phones with a smaller bezel
9. Taking forever to build their cloud
10. Taking forever to build out Apple Pay
11. Taking forever to build out HomeKit

Tim Cook's Apple is all about being slow and being left behind.

Apple could have easily dominated multiple markets but they are so damn slow

I think you need to drop Apple and go with Android because everyone here is tired of your bitching!!!

rogifan_new 4297 comments · 9 Years

About 8 years ago

sog35 said:

Why. Is. apple. So. slow.

get with it already Apple.

Stop trying to low ball content providers. Just close the deals already. Then once you have 20 million subscribers then you can negotiate lower prices.

I'm getting sick of Tim Cook's slow action.

Apple is keep getting left behind because of Cook's inability to act:

1. Took forever to bring out large phones
2. Took forever to make an AppleTV with Apps
3. Taking forever to make a home hub device
4. Taking forever to close a LiveTV package and a streaming package

We don't normally agree but I agree with everything here. I see some apologists on Twitter often use the Apple isn't first but is best line which I think is bunk.

iPhone 6 was a great phone but I don't think it blew every other phone out of the water. There are phones on the market today with the same screen size (or bigger) but in a smaller overall body because they don't need large bezels to accomodate a physical home button. Can Apple claim they waited to make a bigger phone until they could do it best? Not if they're honest. I use my Apple Watch every day and like it a lot. But is it really that much better than all the other wearables out there? It might be selling the most because of brand recognition and customer loyalty but is it really some blow away breakthrough device? Same with Apple TV. It seems like we wait a long time for stuff and then what's announced is a bit underwhelming.

I hope we get a really great Mac event that does blow everyone away. Ben Bajarin says his research data shows that premium Windows machines are taking share from the Mac. And Microsoft has been pushing them hard. I see Windows 10 PC commercials on TV all the time. I can't remember the last time I saw a Mac commercial on TV. I hope we see killer new Macs and a big holiday ad campaign to go with it.

ireland 17435 comments · 18 Years

About 8 years ago

sog35 said:

Why. Is. apple. So. slow.

So slow their phones don't explode. So slow $250B in the bank.

rogifan_new 4297 comments · 9 Years

About 8 years ago

sog35 said:

mwhite said:

sog35 said:

Why. Is. apple. So. slow.

get with it already Apple.

Stop trying to low ball content providers. Just close the deals already. Then once you have 20 million subscribers then you can negotiate lower prices.

I'm getting sick of Tim Cook's slow action.

Apple is keep getting left behind because of Cook's inability to act:

1. Took forever to bring out large phones - thus Samsung got a massive foothold in the market
2. Took forever to make an AppleTV with Apps - thus Roku, Amazon, Google got a foothold in streamers
3. Taking forever to make a home hub device - thus Amazon Echo has made a big push
4. Taking forever to close a LiveTV package and a streaming package - falling behind again
5. Took forever to bring out streaming music - thus Pandora/Spotify got a huge early lead
6. Took forever to bring out a powerful iPad - thus Surface made some gains in mind share
7. Taking forever to bring out an iOS desktop
8. Taking forever to make phones with a smaller bezel
9. Taking forever to build their cloud
10. Taking forever to build out Apple Pay
11. Taking forever to build out HomeKit

Tim Cook's Apple is all about being slow and being left behind.

Apple could have easily dominated multiple markets but they are so damn slow

I think you need to drop Apple and go with Android because everyone here is tired of your bitching!!!

it isn't bitching. Its truth.

Do you not agree Apple was way to slow in bringing out an AppleTV with Apps? If they did this 4 years ago they would be dominating the streaming device market. Instead Cook was slow and Roku/Amazon/Google has taken huge chunks of the market.

Same thing with a home hub device like Echo.

I'm getting tired of Apple dragging their feet on obvious opportunities

What do you think about this Goldman Sachs proposal for Apple to create an Apple Prime subscription service where a consumer would pay, say, $50/mo for an iPhone, TV, Music and iTunes 'subscription'? I think this is an idea the executive team should be looking at.

http://ped30.com/2016/10/17/apple-prime-goldman-sachs/

matrix077 868 comments · 9 Years

About 8 years ago

I don't think I want to pay $30-40 monthly for TV contents. $8 for Netflix, yes. $9 for Apple Music, OK. $5 a month for unlimited Amazon Cloud Drive, sign me in. $30? Maybe, if it includes HBO. Otherwise no!