This week, Peacock finally landed on the Fire TV platform — just in time for the Olympics. Meanwhile, a few streaming services added some highly requested features. And rumors started swirling about Comcast’s plans to make an impact in the streaming world. Elsewhere, Amazon’s deal with MGM may have caught the attention of the Federal Trade Commission.
Here’s what happened in the world of cord cutting and streaming.
Breaking News
Here are some of the top streaming stories from the past week.
Peacock Available on Fire TV Devices
This week, Peacock finally arrived on Fire TV. The streaming service launched nearly a year ago, but without support for Roku or Fire TV. Roku was added to the list late last year and this week finally sees Fire TV come on board.
Learn more about Peacock landing on Fire TV here.
Peacock Will Stream Live Tokyo Olympics Coverage of Select Events
NBCUniversal shared more of its coverage plans for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Peacock will serve as a hub for live coverage, wrap-ups, highlights, and more. The streaming service will add a section dedicated to the event, including a selection of channels focused on the Olympics as well as past and present athletes.
Check out what Peacock has planned here.
Paramount+ App Update Now Includes a ‘My List’ Feature
Paramount+ finally added a My List feature so users can customize their content and highlight their favorite shows and movies. The frequently requested feature should start popping up in the latest app update this week.
Find out more about Paramount+’s new customization features here.
Locast Update Allows Users to Create Profiles, Set Favorites & Use Closed Captioning
Non-profit local streaming service Locast also added some oft-requested features this week. In all, users can now create profiles, add favorite channels, and enable closed captions.
Learn how to set up Locast’s new features here.
YouTube Picture-in-Picture Mode Coming to All iOS Users in the US, Premium Members First
YouTube users on iOS will finally be able to enable picture-in-picture mode, with Premium subscribers in the US getting access first. PiP mode support has been uneven on the platform for some time now, but it looks like YouTube and Apple have sorted things out.
Read more about picture-in-picture support coming to YouTube on iOS here.
Industry Report
What’s the latest on the industry?
Report Suggests Comcast Exploring Deals with ViacomCBS, Roku As Part of Streaming Push
Rumors started swirling this week about Comcast’s plans for streaming. The cable giant is reportedly exploring ways to make a bigger impact in the world of streaming, which could include deals with ViacomCBS or maybe even acquiring Roku. It’s all speculation, but the possibilities are intriguing.
Learn more about the latest Comcast rumors here.
Amazon’s $8.45 Billion MGM Deal Could Get FTC Antitrust Review
The deal that would send MGM’s extensive catalog to Amazon may be subject to an antitrust review by the Federal Trade Commission. Reports suggest the FTC asked to take part in vetting the deal since it’s already investigating Amazon’s larger business practices.
Read more about the $8.45 billion deal here.
More Than Half of Viewers are Happy to Watch Ads in Exchange for Free Content
A new survey suggests a slight majority of respondents are OK watching ads if it means they’ll get free access to streaming content. And around two-thirds would skip an ad if the opportunity presented itself.
Check out the latest survey data on how we stream here.
Distributors Say They’re ‘In the Dark’ About Bally Sports DTC Plans
We’re still waiting to learn more about Sinclair’s direct-to-consumer plans for its Bally Sports regional sports networks. And, apparently, so are some cable distributors — a pair of unnamed execs said they’re “in the dark” about Sinclair’s plans and warned they might drop its RSNs depending on what happens.