Sling TV said Wednesday that it will be the first live over-the-top Internet TV service to offer HBO programming, and will carry the premium cable programming across all Sling TV supported devices incliding the Amazon Fire TV
HBO programming will be available as a $15-per-month add-on package to the $20-per month basic “Best of Live TV,” service, which offers about 20 mostly basic-cable TV channels, Sling TV said. Exact timing for the launch of the service on Sling TV was not yet announced, but the company said it will launch in time for the season premiere of “Game of Thrones” on April 12th.
More on Sling TV’s HBO offering after the break:
Sling TV will join the Apple and Cablevision in providing a paid streaming alternative for receiving HBO service. Apple recently announced it would carry the $15 per month HBO Now service, presumably on its Apple TV
The offering on Sling TV will include one live channel plus “the same extensive VOD library HBO provides on its other platforms.”
Previously, HBO has provided its HBO Go streaming app, which is available at no additional cost to subscribers of HBO cable, satellite and telco TV services. Some HBO content also has been available on select on-demand streaming movie services.
Sling TV said it will be the first live Internet TV service to offer linear and Video-On-Demand (VOD) content from HBO. Content will be provided in high definition resolution.
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Sling TV with HBO will be available on all devices supported by Sling TV including: Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick; current-generation Roku players and Roku TV models; Xbox One; Android and iOS devices; and Macs and PCs.
“Sling TV is bringing HBO to our customers on all of our supported devices in time for one of the most important TV moments of the year,” said Roger Lynch, CEO of Sling TV. “HBO delivers hit shows and movies that TV viewers crave, and with this addition we’re adding another heavy hitter to a lineup that includes ESPN, AMC, TNT and more.”
“It has always been our desire to make the HBO subscription widely accessible,” Tom Woodbury, President of Global Distribution, HBO, said in a statement. “Sling TV is a part of that ongoing evolution and we believe HBO is a great addition to the platform.”
The $20 “Best of Live TV” core package carries: ESPN, ESPN2, AMC, A&E, TNT, History Channel, H2, TBS, Food Network, HGTV, Travel Channel, IFC, El Rey, Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, ABC Family, Disney Channel, CNN, Lifetime and Galavision. This package additionally features access to WatchESPN, including ESPN3 and an array of VOD entertainment.
The $15 per month HBO add-on pack, joins a selection of add-on channels, most of which carry a $5 per month fee, including: the optional “Sports Extra,” “Hollywood Extra,” “Kids Extra,” “Lifestyle Extra” and “World News Extra.” In addition to live channels and VOD entertainment, Sling TV customers have access to content from Maker Studios.
Sling TV recently revealed that it must block a few programs it did not have programming rights to on a handful of A+E Networks channels.
By Greg Tarr
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