Not content to sit back and let online video titans like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon slug it out alone, CBS is jumping into the fray with a new streaming service. Entitled “CBS All Access,” the service will give TV fans access to the company’s online streaming catalog for $5.99 a month.
All Access customers will be able to stream a selection of 15 primetime shows a day after they air, and will also get access to a library of past seasons of current shows, including “The Good Wife” and “Blue Bloods.” All Access also includes ad-free access to a library of “CBS Classics,” including “Star Trek,” “Twin Peaks” and “CSI: Miami.”
CBS is also partnering with local affiliates in the 14 largest television markets to offer live TV streaming at launch, with more markets coming onto the service at a later time.
Customers who would prefer to stream for free can still get access to the most recent episode of current-run TV from CBS’s website the day after they air, and on the company’s mobile app a week later for primetime shows.
It’s unclear how well the service will fare. One of the great advantages to a service like Netflix is the broad selection available, but All Access will only give users the ability to watch shows that CBS produces. Right now, CBS All Access is two-thirds the price of Netflix, so it will be interesting to see if consumers decide to bite, especially since a pricing increase slowed Netflix’s user growth this past quarter.
CBS isn’t the only television company launching its own online streaming service: HBO announced yesterday that it would start offering streaming of its shows to customers without cable or satellite service next year.
People interested in trying out the service can get started today on CBS.com, or on the CBS app for iOS and Android.
