ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has launched Sling Essentials, a new programming package that costs $19.99, providing subs with what might be the lowest cost way to stream ESPN and ESPN2.

The channel lineup for Sling Essentials includes:

• Sports: ESPN and ESPN2
• Family & Kids: Disney Channel, Freeform, and Game Show Network (GSN)
• Movies & Drama: Lifetime Movies (LMN), Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Bounce
• Classic & Nostalgia: MeTV, startTV, GRIT, and Heroes & Icons (H&I)

In a note to investors, LightShed Partners financial analyst Richard Greenfield noted that the pricing undercuts ESPN DTC pricing by 33% and “appears to be the cheapest way to subscribe to ESPN and ESPN2 without taking a larger bundle of channels or subscribing to ESPN’s DTC service, ESPN Unlimited.”

ESPN’s Unlimited DTC product costs $29.99/month on a standalone basis. “With the launch of Sling Essentials, you can stream ESPN and ESPN2 for $19.99/month…and you can authenticate with Sling into the ESPN app," he wrote. "This is $10 or a 33% discount to the cost of ESPN Unlimited, albeit Sling Essentials subscribers cannot access ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited exclusive content….It will be interesting to see if any other MVPDs/vMVPDs copy what Sling is doing with Essentials and how Disney responds.”

More information is available at Sling.com.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has launched a new offering called Select that provides a package of cable channels for $19.99 a month.

The mix of channels includes Fox News, National Geographic, GRIT, NFL Network, FX, FS1, METV, Game Show Network, Heroes & Icons, Lifetime Movie Network and Vice. It also features specific 4K content across Fox and FS1.

In select markets, subscribers will also receive local broadcast channels ABC, NBC and Fox. A nominal surcharge applies based on local channel availability: $5 per month for markets with one or two local channels, and $10 per month for markets with all three.

"Sling Select is perfect for customers who want a streamlined, cost-effective way to enjoy the channels they love," said Seth Van Sickel, senior vice president, product and operations, Sling TV. "With the freedom to choose what you watch and how much you pay, Sling continues to lead the way in TV that works for real people."

In addition to the launch of Select, Sling TV continues to offer Sling Extras, curated add-on channel packages that let viewers tailor their channel lineups by interests and genres.

Sling described the Select Extra packages as follows:

• Sports Extra – for the ultimate sports fan (includes NFL Red Zone, Big Ten Network, FS2 and more).
• News Extra – for expanded global and national news coverage (includes Newsmax, NewsNation, Fox Business and more).
• Entertainment Extra – featuring popular entertainment networks (includes Paramount Network, CMT and more).
• Hollywood Extra – offering blockbuster movies and Hollywood favorites (includes FXX, FXM and more).
• Lifestyle Extra – covering home, food and travel content (includes Hallmark Channel, UPtv and more).
• Heartland Extra – with westerns, outdoor adventures and classic Americana (includes INSP, Great American Family and more).
• Kids Extra – packed with family-friendly programming (includes NickToons, TeenNick and more).
• Latino Extra – providing top channels in Spanish (includes Nat Geo Mundo, beIN Sports, History en Espanol and more).

For more information about Sling TV and Sling Select, visit Sling.com.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV said it is launching short-term subscription options for users that include a new $4.99 Day Pass, a $9.99 Weekend Pass and a $14.99 Week Pass.

The Day Pass, Weekend Pass and Week Pass include live and on-demand access to popular networks on Sling Orange such as ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, TNT, A&E, TBS, Disney Channel, Comedy Central, History Channel, CNN and more.

The passes are targeted to sports fans but do not include broadcast stations that carry many popular sporting events.

The launches highlight the flexibility that streaming vMVPDs like Sling and YouTube TV have in easily turning subscriptions on or off, compared to some traditional pay TV operators that require equipment to be installed.

“This launch is about putting control back in the hands of the fans, whether it’s tuning in for college football, professional sports, award shows or a spontaneous movie night, all without having to sign a long-term, binding contract,” said Seth Van Sickel, senior vice president, product and operations, Sling TV. “With college football just around the corner, our new Day Pass offering is all consumers need to win on game day, for just $4.99.”

Sling described the passes as follows:

• Day Pass ($4.99): Instant 24-hour access. Perfect for a big game, an awards show or an impromptu movie night.
• Weekend Pass ($9.99): Access from Friday to Sunday. Ideal for a weekend of games, a movie marathon or catching up on a show.
• Week Pass ($14.99): Seven-day access. Great for a week-long tournament, watching a new series or keeping the family entertained on break.

Along with the launch of Day Pass, subscribers can also add Sling Extras, add-on channel packages. These add-ons offer a way to customize channel lineups by category. Current Sling Extra packages include Sports Extra, News Extra, Entertainment Extra, Hollywood Extra, Lifestyle Extra, Heartland Extra and Kids Extra. Users can add Sling Extras to their passes for $1 for Day Pass, $2 for Weekend Pass and $3 for Week Pass.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. —SlingTV has announced that it has been working with Vizio to integrate free, live local over-the-air (OTA) channels directly into the Sling TV guide, making it easier for Vizio TV users to watch local programming.

The new OTA tuner feature is available on select Vizio TV models, allowing users to seamlessly access their local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS and other local broadcasters within the Sling TV app when connected to an OTA antenna without the need to switch inputs or applications.

“At Sling TV, we’re always looking for ways to simplify the viewing experience while delivering the best value in television," said Seth Van Sickel, senior vice president, product and operations, EchoStar video services. “This integration with Vizio allows our customers to effortlessly access their favorite local programming right alongside their Sling content, reinforcing our commitment to affordability, flexibility and ease of use.”

In announcing the integration, the two companies explained that Vizio TV owners can quickly activate the OTA integration by connecting an OTA antenna directly to their TV’s coax input and scanning for channels. To do so, users can follow these simple steps:

1. Open the SlingTV App
2. Navigate to Settings > Local Channels > Configure Locals
3. Select Scan for Channels

Once the scan is complete, available local channels will be displayed within the Sling TV guide. Viewers can easily access their free local programming by selecting the local filter on the left side of the guide.

While broadcasters heavily promote the advantages of OTA feeds, the integration would allow Sling TV's streaming subscribers to access local broadcast TV without changing the input or paying a streaming provider like YouTube TV extra for a package that offers the local channels. It does, however reduce retransmission consent revenues that broadcasters might get from a pay TV provider or a streaming service.

For more information about Sling TV, visit Sling.com.

LONDON & LOS ANGELES—ThinkAnalytics has announced that Dish Network has selected the Think360 content discovery platform, along with ThinkContentExplorer to streamline its editorial operations, speed up deployments of new services and boost viewer engagement.

"In today’s competitive marketplace, having the most advanced tools to deliver a great user experience is crucial,” explained Seth Van Sickel, senior vice president of product and operations at Dish, said,ThinkAnalytics’ solutions will not only enhance our operations but also provide us with actionable insights through the ThinkContentExplorer, driving better decision-making.”

Using Think360’s advanced AI, intelligent search and a robust dataset enriched with ThinkAnalytics 40,000 metadata video tags, Dish reported that it will be able to use the Think360 platform to automate the tagging of its content, making it more searchable, more easily curated and provide better, more personalized content recommendations for subscribers. ThinkAnalytics’ proprietary AI will also be integrated into search, voice search discovery and personalized recommendations across millions of viewers on Dish, Sling TV and Dish Anywhere services - both satellite and OTT platforms.

With its ability to quickly identify viewing trends and relevant content, ThinkAnalytics will also help Dish more efficiently and continually refresh its offerings. Operational teams at Dish will utilize the ThinkInsight dashboard to better analyze the business and improve the customer experience, the companies said.

"We are excited to partner with Dish to enhance the overall viewing experience, making content engagement easier, more rewarding and boosting brand loyalty,” explained Greg Riker, senior vice president at ThinkAnalytics. “Our solutions empower content editors and curators to maximize the value of their content investments, quickly and efficiently."

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—In an effort to become more competitive in the virtual live TV streaming market, Sling TV said it will add unlimited DVR storage for only $5 per month, effective immediately. Unlimited DVR (previously called DVR Plus) will allow customers to record as much content as they want, with recordings saved for up to nine months.

Sling’s announcement comes amid a number of recent shakeups in the streaming industry, in particular in the market for virtual multichannel video program distributors (so-called “vMVPDs”). With YouTubeTV’s announcement of a $10 price hike starting this month, the monthly subscription rates for both it and competitor Disney’s Hulu + Live TV now range from $80-85. Last week’s kerfuffle over Disney merging Hulu + Live TV with live sports streamer FuboTV, followed days later by the cancellation of the joint venture live sports streamer Venu, created the kind of negative publicity none of the companies involved needed or wanted.

Both satellite broadcasters DirecTV and EchoStar, Sling’s parent company, criticized the settlement, telling the Justice Department that they were considering litigation against the transaction. Days later, Venu was scrapped. Yesterday, DirecTV announced the launch of its “MySports” streaming service, which, if Venu had survived, would have been a direct competitor.

Hulu added unlimited DVR to Hulu + Live TV in 2022.

Unlimited storage usually tops the list of most desired features in a vMVPD, and with Sling’s monthly rates ranging between $45-$60, EchoStar felt the time was right.

“With Unlimited DVR and our exclusive Auto Record, Sling TV continues to redefine what value and convenience look like for streaming customers,” Seth Van Sickel, senior vice president, product and operations at Dish Video Services, said. “This enhancement ensures that our subscribers can capture and enjoy their favorite shows, movies, and events on their terms, anytime and anywhere.”

Sling will offer three tiers: “Freestream DVR” provides 10 hours of storage at no cost, with recordings available for up to 30 days; “DVR Free” includes 50 hours of storage with recordings kept for nine months, also free of charge and for $5 per month, Unlimited DVR offers endless storage, allowing users to record as much content as they like with a nine-month retention period.

DirecTV said Wednesday it will drop its bid to merge with EchoStar due to concerns over financing of the deal. The merger would have created the nation’s largest satellite TV service in an industry that launched just 30 years ago.

When the two companies said they would pursue a merger in late September, they struck a deal calling for DirecTV to acquire EchoStar’s video business—comprised of satellite-TV platform Dish TV and streaming pay TV service Sling TV—for $1 (not a typo) plus Dish’s net debt, valued at about $9.75 billion.

In a separate announcement on the same day, TPG, which AT&T has partnered with since 2021 to operate DirecTV’s satellite and streaming services as a joint venture, agreed to acquire the remaining 70% stake in DirecTV that it does not already own for $7.6 billion. The deal was expected to be formalized by the end of 2025. At the time of the original announcement, AT&T and TPG said their separate agreement would "not be affected by the merger."

Bondholders were turned off by the massive debt arrangements in the deal, which had been updated in late October, lowering DirecTV’s minimum loss on $8.9 billion of bonds to $1.5 billion. The deadline to accept the offer was close of business ET on Tuesday. A letter to DirecTV was delivered on Wednesday announcing that “this group has roundly and resolutely rejected the latest proposed exchange offer.”

“The debt holders are saying, ‘You need us to get the deal through, and we’re not going to do it at that much of a discount,’ ” New Street Research analyst Jonathan Chaplin told The Washington Post. "DirecTV is saying, ‘We’re paying full price for the asset and we don’t have any more discount to give.’ And Dish is saying, ‘We’re selling the asset for nothing, for a dollar, so we’ve got no more value to give, either.’ So there’s an impasse.”

A DirecTV spokesperson told the Post: “A successful [debt] exchange was a condition for acquiring the Dish video business. Given the outcome of the EchoStar exchange, DirecTV will have no choice but to terminate the acquisition of Dish by midnight Nov. 22.”

Based on its declining business in recent years, it appeared that EchoStar needed the deal more than DirecTV did. However, an EchoStar representative told the Post it has a “more robust foundation” that would allow the company to survive without a merger, noting that EchoStar secured $2.5 billion in financing to pay its upcoming debt maturity.

A combined DirecTV-Dish would have counted about 17 million subscribers, making it the nation’s largest pay TV service after Comcast, which has just under 13 million as of the end of September. DirecTV currently has about 11.3 million subscribers and Dish roughly 6.7 million subscribers.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., —EchoStar, which hopes to sell its pay TV operations to DirecTV, continued to hemorrhage subscribers in its third-quarter earnings report, with its Dish TV satellite-TV service losing about 188,000 customers.

But Sling TV, its virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD), gained 145,000 subscribers. That put EchoStar’s total pay TV losses at 43,000 subs in Q3, a slight improvement over the 65,000 total video losses it sustained in the year-ago period. Sling TV subscriber growth also represented an improvement over Q3 of 2023, when it gained 117,000 subs.

The subscriber counts are important because they could impact the proposed sales of Dish's pay TV assets to DirecTV and because EchoStar needs the cash from its pay TV operations to help fund its buildout of 5G services.

The company closed the third quarter with 8.03 million pay-TV subscribers, including 5.89 million Dish TV customers and 2.14 million Sling TV households. This decrease in net pay-TV subscriber losses resulted from higher net Sling TV subscriber additions in the third quarter compared to the year-ago quarter and a lower Dish TV churn rate, offset by lower gross new Dish TV subscriber activations, EchoStar said.

Overall, EchoStar reported total revenue of $11.86 billion for the nine months ended Sept. 30, down from $12.85 billion in the year-ago period. Net loss attributable to EchoStar in the first three quarters of 2024 was $454.78 million, a significant decline from a year ago, when it had net income of $327.83 million. Diluted loss per share was $1.67, compared to earnings per share of $1.06 in the year-ago period.

Consolidated operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA) totaled $1.23 billion for the nine months ended Sept. 30, compared to $1.69 billion in the year-ago period. That decline is notable because EchoStar hopes to use its cash to fund its pivot to 5G.

Retail wireless subscribers, excluding Affordable Connectivity Program subscribers, increased by about 62,000 in the third quarter. The company closed the third quarter with 6.98 million retail wireless subscribers.

However, retail wireless subscribers decreased by about 297,000 in the third quarter, compared to a decrease of 225,000 a year ago. EchoStar’s wireless losses were up due to net losses of ACP and other government-subsidized subscribers, mainly due to the ACP program concluding on June 1.

The company closed Q3 with 912,000 broadband satellite subscribers, down about 43,000 for the quarter, compared to 59,000 in the year-ago quarter. The decrease in net broadband satellite subscriber losses was primarily due to the new EchoStar XXIV (Jupiter 3) satellite service launch and increased subscriber demand for new satellite service plans.

The third quarter was negatively impacted by the ACP program funding concluding on June 1, EchoStar said.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has inked an agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery that will allow the Dish Network-owned virtual pay TV provider to offer Max to its customers as an add-on or in a discounted bundle.

With the new agreement, Sling TV users can seamlessly add the Max Ad-Free plan to their subscription starting at $16.99 per month, getting all of the streaming service’s content via the Max app as well as eight distinct HBO channels.

In addition, Sling is offering a new bundle that provides new and existing customers a $5-per-month discount when they subscribe to the Sling Blue With Max or Sling Blue + Orange With Max tiers.

New customers can also take advantage of Sling’s current promotion of 50% off their base package for the first month. This means in the first month, new subscribers will receive both the half-off discount on their base package, plus an additional $5 per month discount followed by a recurring $5 discount each month thereafter for as long as they maintain the bundle, Sling said.

“Sling TV is committed to providing our customers with the ultimate choice and flexibility in entertainment and that only continues with this partnership,” Dish Video Services group president Gary Schanman said. “By adding Max to our lineup, we’re ensuring our subscribers have the power to watch what they want.”

As with Dish satellite-TV service, when a customer subscribes to Max via Sling TV, they will gain access to the Max app, eight HBO channels and HBO on Demand within the Sling interface.

Sling described the Max Channels available on Sling TV as follows:

• HBO East: Groundbreaking original series, documentaries, and blockbuster movies.
• HBO West: A West Coast schedule of HBO's top content.
• HBO 2: Original programming and rebroadcasts of new films and episodes.
• HBO Latino: Spanish-language simulcasts of HBO East.
• HBO Family: A mix of family-friendly films and series for all ages.
• HBO Signature: High-quality films, HBO originals, and specials that resonate emotionally.
• HBO Zone: Theatrical movies, comedy and alternative series for young adults.
• HBO Comedy: Features comedy series, films and specials.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—EchoStar Corporation joined the chorus of growing woes in the pay TV industry during this quarter’s earning season by reporting lower revenue and worse losses both for Q2 ending June 30, 2024 and for the first six months of the year. 

In Q2, net pay-TV subscribers decreased approximately 104,000 in the second quarter, compared to 294,000 in the year ago quarter. The company closed the quarter with 8.07 million Pay-TV subscribers including 6.07 million Dish TV subscribers and 2.00 million Sling TV subscribers. 

EchoStar said that the change in net Pay-TV subscriber losses resulted from Sling TV subscriber additions in the second quarter compared to losses in the year ago quarter and a decrease in net Dish TV subscriber losses due to a lower DISH TV churn rate, offset by lower gross new Dish TV subscriber activations.

The company is investing heavily in 5G and wireless to take up the slack from its declining pay TV business but in Q2 retail wireless net subscribers decreased by approximately 16,000 in the second quarter. The company closed the quarter with 7.28 million retail wireless subscribers. The decrease in net retail wireless subscriber losses resulted from a lower retail wireless churn rate, offset by lower gross new retail wireless subscriber activations, the company said.

EchoStar also noted that the second quarter was negatively impacted by net losses of government subsidized subscribers, including Affordable Connectivity Program ("ACP") subscribers, compared to net additions in the year ago quarter, primarily due to the ACP program funding concluding on June 1, 2024. Excluding the impact of net losses of government subsidized subscribers EchoStar added approximately 32,000 retail wireless subscribers in the second quarter.

Broadband net subscribers decreased by approximately 23,000 in the second quarter, compared to 55,000 in the year ago quarter. The company closed the quarter with 955,000 Broadband subscribers. The net broadband subscriber loss improvement was primarily due to the new EchoStar XXIV satellite service launch and increased subscriber demand for our new satellite service plans.

For the six months ending June 30, 2024, EchoStar reported total revenue of $7.97 billion for the six months ending June 30, 2024, down significantly compared to $8.74 billion in the year ago period.

Losses also widened. The net loss attributable to EchoStar in the first two quarters of 2024 was $312.97 million, compared to net income of $466.20 million in the year ago period. Diluted loss per share was $1.15, compared to earnings per share of $1.51 in the year ago period. Consolidated operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA) totaled $912.31 million for the six months ending June 30, 2024, compared to $1.32 billion in the year ago period.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has announced that it will begin offering its first 4K streams of sporting events and that the first 4K stream will be the July 16, 2024 Fox Sports’ broadcast of the MLB All-Star Game. 

The move will allow Sling TV subscribers, in certain markets, to enjoy live events in stunning 4K resolution, on supporting Roku and Amazon Fire TV devices.

“At Sling TV, we’re all about delivering the ultimate gameday experience,” said Seth Van Sickel, senior vice president, product & operations, Sling Video Services. “With live sports now in 4K, we’re upping our game and giving fans front-row seats to every thrilling moment. Get ready to see your favorite sports like never before, with crystal-clear action that brings you right into the heart of the play!”

Competitor Fubo TV has been offering 4K streams on some sports events since 2019.; YouTube TV launched 4K in 2021. 

Sling TV reported that it will continue to offer a lineup of top and most-watched sports available in 4K for no additional cost, including NBCUniversal’s 24/7 coverage of the 2024 Paris Olympics on USA Network and college and pro football games on FS1, ESPN and more.

For more information and additional 4K details visit sling.com/4k. 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish Media has launched Pause Ads, a new ad format that shows interactive, customized ads when viewers pause live or on-demand content.

“We are always looking to provide advertisers with the most effective, full-funnel ad solutions," said Tom Fochetta, senior vice president, Dish Media. “Pause Ads introduce an additional opportunity for advertisers to lean into our first-party data and Sling TV’s robust targeting capabilities to create highly compelling and interactive ad experiences.” 

In making the announcement Dish Media noted that Sling TV reaches millions of monthly viewers, including cord-cutters and a younger demographic who may not be reached through traditional linear TV. According to a recent iSpot.tv campaign measurement report, 85% of households reached by Sling TV were not exposed to a traditional linear TV campaign. 

Pause Ads provide a new avenue for advertisers to connect with this valuable and often elusive audience, Dish reported.

The launch means that advertisers can, for example, add a QR code to Pause Ads to provide a direct pathway for viewers to interact with the advertised products or service. With this e-commerce component viewers can quickly learn more about a product, view pricing details, and make purchases with just a simple scan. These ads load 10 seconds after a viewer-initiated pause and disappear when content is resumed, ensuring a seamless and non-intrusive viewing experience, Dish said. 

This announcement complements Dish Media’s ongoing partnership with BrightLine, which introduced interactive ad units on Sling TV that can engage audiences with scrollers, games, QR codes, and tailored content based on viewer location. The latest addition of Pause Ads further expands Dish Media’s innovative ad offerings, providing even more dynamic and effective solutions for advertisers to connect with audiences and drive action, the company reported.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has announced the launch of its original feature, Auto Record, which will make it easier to record games during March Madness. 

After users opt in, the feature automatically records NCAA Football, NFL, NBA, NCAA Men's Basketball, MLB, NHL, Premier League, NCAAW, WNBA, Bundesliga and La Liga Santander. With the feature, users no longer need to worry about setting the DVR or missing out on their favorite games.

Games are subject to a subscriber's Sling package and availability on Sling. Each game is saved for three days after its live broadcast.  

"We understand the passion our viewers have for sports, and with the introduction of Auto Record, we're enhancing their streaming experience like never before," says Gary Schanman, group president, Dish Video Services. "With Auto Record, fans can catch the dunks, three pointers, and upsets offered on Sling."

To access Auto Record, users will need to subscribe to DVR Plus for $5 a month. Once subscribed, users must accept and opt in, in order to access Auto Record, then they can enjoy the convenience of recorded games, allowing you to watch only the parts of the game you want without any interruption. Auto Record does not count toward their 200 hours of DVR space provided by DVR plus.

"With Auto Record, we are empowering our users," added Schanman. "At Sling our priority is to make streaming simple, flexible and to fit into the lives of our users. Auto Record does that."

Sling TV also reported that it offers users these features to make watching multiple games easier.

• SPORTS SCORES: Just in time for all the action to start, Sling improved this already popular feature and is rolling it out to users now. Users can browse all sports scores while streaming TV. The feature is available via a dedicated Home screen row that enables users to check matchups, view scores and jump into the best live games, letting sports fans keep an eye on the latest scores while they switch between games, all in one view. Amazon, Android and Apple TV users have access to the latest version. Other devices will get their upgraded version soon.
• SPORTS SIDE VIEW: Want to watch while at work or busy with other things? Sports Side View allows viewers to watch all the action in a small screen overlay, while still working on presentations and spreadsheets. Available by logging in at watch.sling.com.

 Auto Record is now available to Sling TV users on Roku, Samsung, Vizio and Xbox devices. All other devices will have access in the upcoming weeks. Sling is offering a free first month of DVR Plus, available to all new and former subscribers. For more information on the new Auto Record feature, visit Sling.com/value/DVR. 

NEW YORK—Fox News Media has announced that it has inked deals that will expand the distribution of its subscription-based streaming service Fox Nation to Dish TV and Sling TV. 

Beginning mid-March, Dish customers will be able to add Fox Nation for $5.99 per month. Once subscribed, customers can access Fox Nation via channel 296 in the guide, the On Demand menu or the Dish Anywhere app.

Fox Nation, which offers over 10,000 hours of programming, will also be available to stream on Sling for $5.99 per month to all of its users on Sling TV and on Sling Freestream, beginning in mid-March.

In making the announcement, Fox News Media President Lauren Petterson said, “We’re thrilled to partner with Dish and Sling to make our on-demand content more readily available to viewers who crave Fox Nation.”

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—In another example of streaming services adding games to their lineup, Sling TV has launched its first-ever game offering, Arcade. 

The free Arcade gaming platform allows users to launch and play games in Arcade while simultaneously enjoying their favorite sports, news and entertainment TV. Arcade is available for Sling TV and Sling Freestream customers.

"Sling continues to put its subscribers and users first. We want people to not only love the flexibility and control but we want the entire experience to be fun and engaging," said Gary Schanman, group president, Dish Video Services. "Sling is now more than just TV. We want people to enjoy their entertainment just as much as we do. The new Arcade offering combines some great classic games with our great TV programming. No other streaming platform gives you access to more entertainment options for free."

Sling is working with Play.Works to offer a classic games that will be updated regularly the company said. 

"Play.Works continues to innovate on TV and Arcade is another example of this," said ceo Jonathan Boltax of Play.Works. "Play.Works catalog of games built from the ground-up for TV drives retention and usage."

Ten games are currently available to subscribers and users on Fire and Android TV. Those gaming titles include, Tetris, Wheel of Fortune, Sweet Sugar, Solitaire Clash, Poker Online, Neon Rider, Pixel Dash, Centipede, Doodle Jump, Coin Town. Arcade will continue to roll out to additional devices over the next few months.  

"Sling is the most versatile, straightforward streaming service where subscribers and users can tailor everything to match their personal interests," added Schanman. "Arcade will allow our users to experience the thrill of an immersive arcade gaming experience like never before with our innovative technology."

Arcade is currently available for users on Fire and Android TV all other platforms are arriving shortly. Find more information about Arcade, visit www.sling.com/arcade. 

REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—PubMatic has announced that it is working with Dish Media to help Dish’s Sling TV boost programmatic demand by allowing it to access private marketplace deals.

The companies said that their partnership comes as more consumers seek ad supported streaming providers as a primary means for engaging with TV content. According to Insider Intelligence, virtual multichannel video programming distributor (vMVPD) viewership is expected to rise by over 40% since 2020, reaching 42 million U.S. viewers in 2024, while traditional pay TV viewership declined by more than 30% over the same period. 

To help advertisers tap into this growing audience, the partnership will help advertisers to improve targeting and campaign ROI.

"We are strategically expanding our partnerships with SSPs to amplify scale and flexibility for our buyers,” said Andrew Tint, head of programmatic partnerships, Dish Media. “Transparency remains a core focus, and in this pursuit, we are excited to announce PubMatic as our newest partner. With an extended SSP footprint, we are providing buyers with unparalleled flexibility, empowering them to make purchasing decisions that align seamlessly with their strategic goals.”

Brad Stockton, senior vice president of video innovation at dentsu added, “Dish Media and PubMatic’s partnership will create more opportunities for advertisers to be in front of the right audiences during major seasonal advertising periods while accessing valuable targeting signals to improve ROI. We are excited to be partnering with them to bring more innovative solutions to clients and build on our advertising supply chain.”

As part of the partnership, PubMatic’s buyers will have access to premium programming on Sling, plus a diverse range of live sports content with channels like ESPN, NFL Network, FS1, TBS and TNT. Major global sporting events including the Paris Summer Olympic Games and Copa America in the U.S., will account for a significant boost in ad spending in 2024. In search of performance amidst ongoing structural changes to the digital ad market, advertisers are expected to look towards programmatic CTV that combines the precision targeting of digital with the prestige user engagement of traditional TV, the companies said. 

“This year is shaping up to be a monumental year for CTV advertising as targeting signals disappear from other digital channels and the political season drives increased live TV viewership,” said Nicole Scaglione, vice president CTV/OTT and Online Video at PubMatic. “We are excited to partner with Dish Media to offer our advertisers access to the valuable inventory on Sling and enable them to tap into rich targeting signals to drive their campaign objectives.”

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish Media has announced that it has deployed Unified ID 2.0 (UID2), an identity solution that improves first-party data and improves targeted advertising. 

The move makes Dish the first MVPD and the largest vMVPD to integrate the solution across its suite of traditional TV and OTT services at Dish and Sling TV. 

Pioneered by The Trade Desk, UID2 is an identity solution that enables targeted advertising with more precision and measurement across the open internet.

"Over the past decade we have invested heavily in harnessing the power of our first party data," said Kevin Arrix, senior vice president, Dish Media. "Unified ID 2.0 captures that power and opens doors to heightened precision in targeting. This partnership enables advertisers to leverage our enriched datasets for more effective campaign strategies and ushers in a new era of privacy-conscious, yet impactful, advertising experiences."

The adoption of UID2 across Sling TV and Dish Connected enables advertisers to build their media buys around Dish Media's valuable first-party data. Dish Connected, the companies said. 

Launched last spring, Dish Connected is a first-of-its-kind solution that allows Dish TV's live linear inventory to be executed in real-time, programmatically. Advertising campaigns transacted via UID2 allow for a clearer picture of Dish viewers across devices.

"Dish Media's adoption of Unified ID 2.0 reflects their commitment to provide a high-quality ad experience for viewers," said Taylor Ash, general manager, inventory development for CTV, The Trade Desk. "Publishers who share their first-party data with advertisers in a secure and privacy-conscious way will come out on top as the TV landscape continues to evolve."

Sling TV’s free ad-supported streaming platform Sling Freestream has quietly begun offering users a free DVR. 

Viewers who register for Sling Freestream get a free DVR that allows them to record up to 10 hours of programming. 

The DVR also allows them to fast forward and rewind through content and to record multiple programs simultaneously. 

The Sling Freestream service offers over 300 FAST channels and is available via the Sling App on many major devices, including Apple TV, Roku, Comcast, Vizio, Samsung and LG. 

The upgrade was first reported on Cord Cutter News. 

Further details are available here. 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish Network Corporation continued to hemorrhage pay TV subs in its Q3 2023 earnings report. 

During the quarter its vMVPD Sling TV gained 117,000 subs to end the quarter with 2.12 million but that wasn’t enough to overcome 181,000 sub losses at  Dish TV’s satellite pay TV offering, which fell to 6.72 million subs.

That produced an overall loss of 64,000 pay TV subs for the company; a year ago in Q3 2022, Dish reported a net gain of 30,000 subs for its satellite and streaming operations. 

Dish reported revenue totaling $3.70 billion for the quarter ending September 30, 2023, compared to $4.10 billion for the corresponding period in 2022 and it reported a net loss of $139 million for the third quarter 2023, compared to $412 million in net income earned in the year-ago quarter. Diluted loss per share was $0.26 for the third quarter, compared to earnings per share of $0.65 during the same period in 2022. 

Retail wireless net subscribers also decreased by approximately 225,000 in the third quarter, compared to a net increase of 1,000 in the year-ago quarter and the company closed the quarter with 7.50 million retail wireless subscribers.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has announced a number of new viewing features that include live sports scores, Apple purchase capability, user profiles and in app “one click” content purchases.

The improvements are designed to give users more power and control over what they watch, allowing for a more personalized and unique experience that is individualized for everyone, the virtual MVPD said. 

“Our top priority at Sling is to provide our customers with the best television experience possible. We want to put people in charge of their entertainment,” said Gary Schanman, executive vice president and group president, Dish Video Services. “That means, we look for ways to deliver new innovative functions that elevate the viewing experience and give customers more personalized features and menus allowing them to control what they watch, and how they watch and interact with the information available to them on our service.”

The new features include:

• Live Sports Scores: Viewers can still access real-time scores to help them find the most exciting games to watch, but now they can do it across all the major leagues Sling carries, including NCAA Football and Basketball, NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. Sling has added team records, seeding and ranking, game clock, live scores and the network the game is on. If the user is a subscriber they can immediately click into the game, other users will be sent to a page to add the content. The Sports Scores feature is built right into the home screen and can be accessed right next to the video player, so viewers can quickly find the game or the scores they need. 
• Apple Purchase Capability: Now Sling users can use their Apple ID to buy Sling, manage purchases, subscriptions and add-ons within the app utilizing Apple Pay. Sling and Apple users can pay quickly in 44 currencies using payment methods associated with their Apple ID, access their purchased content on all devices the app supports and restore purchases on new devices. It also allows customers to quickly view payment history and manage all their Sling TV subscriptions or add-ons in one place. 
• In App “One Click” Content Purchase: Free and current Sling paid subscribers can now immediately subscribe to recommended content they find through search, home page and even on partner platforms. This feature adds convenience and awareness to our users to find and enjoy all of our great content.
• User Profiles On All Devices: Enables users to create personalized profiles that have all their favorite shows, movies and DVR recordings. The feature allows for up to four additional user profiles that can be labeled and color-coded to easily differentiate among multiple users. Other features include more relevant personalized content on the Home Screen of each profile, the ability to schedule, manage and watch DVR recordings by profile, the ability to pick up where you left off with profile-specific “Continue Watching” and favorite channels specific to each profile. 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has relaunched Disney Star, a major provider of popular South Asian programming as part of the Sling South Asian offering of linear channels and on demand content. 

With the relaunch Sling is providing access to 19 linear channels and offering 150 hours of on-demand entertainment every week from Disney Star's portfolio. 

"We have been looking for a way to bring Disney Star's content back to DISH and Sling because it is beloved by our South Asian customers," said Liz Riemersma, vice president of business development, strategy and international, Sling TV. "The addition of Star's 19 live channels and a selection of Hotstar's original programs will provide our customers with the best South Asian content, all in one place."

"We are excited to further extend the reach of our compelling and multilingual portfolio to our audiences in the United States, through our collaboration with DISH and Sling TV," said Sudhir Nagpal, head, international business, Disney Star. "The US has a strong viewer base for our content especially the series and format shows on our class-leading channels across languages. In addition to our much-loved channel offering, we will also be serving our most sought-after Hotstar Specials to the US viewers. We constantly explore opportunities to connect with our audience and this latest collaboration with Sling TV is another step in that direction."

Upon Disney Star's launch on Sling, new content will become available with Hindi, Dakshin and Desi Binge packages (among others), which also offer a wide variety of live and on-demand Desi entertainment.

U.S. viewers seeking access to the best of Disney Star programming and Hotstar Specials will need to add one of the Sling South Asian packages to their Sling subscription.

NEW YORK—In a notable expansion of its programmatic advertising capabilities, Dish Media has launched Dish Connected, a new advertising solution that for the first time allows Dish TV's live linear inventory to be programmatically executed. 

The new Dish Connected solution blends CTV and linear addressable TV advertising by allowing advertisers to complement their CTV buys on Sling TV with access to premium Dish TV inventory. 

"Marketing dollars continue to shift more towards the most effective and efficient solutions that allow for optimal targeting and full campaign measurement," said Kevin Arrix, senior vice president of Dish Media. "Dish Connected is the latest example of how technology can resolve traditional TV's inefficiencies and puts Dish Media at the forefront in driving more accountable, impression-based buying." 

With the launch advertisers are now able to programmatically transact on premium Dish set-top box inventory through private auctions set up with demand-side platforms (DSP) like The Trade Desk and Yahoo DSP, as well as the sell-side platform (SSP) Magnite, Dish reported. 

As viewers watch content on their Dish internet-connected set-top boxes, advertisers can bid on and deliver advertisements to them in real-time. This allows advertisers to extend their reach to an expanded footprint and to make a single buy programmatically across both Sling and Dish inventory.

CTV ad spend continues to surge and with this new effort Dish Media combines CTV and linear advertising accessibility, delivering new inventory, expanded reach, and added scale to advertisers like Horizon Media, Havas Media, Stagwell and Camelot Strategic Marketing & Media, Dish said. 

"We continue to place a strong emphasis on programmatic advertising, recognizing it as a powerful tool for delivering targeted and effective ad campaigns," said Alexander Stone, senior vice president of advanced video and agency partnerships, Horizon Media. "Having invested heavily in programmatic buying across premium CTV inventory, we're excited to take advantage of this new offering from Dish Media. Dish Connected allows us to open up a larger inventory pool for our clients, making the buying experience more accessible than before."

Accessing programmatic ad inventory is easy and familiar for digital buyers. Dish Connected™ introduces a new set of impressions to the market, giving advertisers a new opportunity to capture premium live inventory with programmatic efficiency.

Matt McLeggon, senior vice president, advanced solutions at Magnite also praised the launch: "Magnite has long worked closely with streaming platforms, like Sling TV, to provide the industry with a single touchpoint for execution across the entirety of the premium ecosystem. The addition of linear television inventory to the platform through Dish Media's breakthrough offering, Dish Connected, gives buyers the ability to reach their most valuable audiences holistically, regardless of how they consume their content. The programmatic automation of convergent television advertising will allow buyers and sellers alike to unify end-to-end campaign planning, execution, and measurement, accessible through Magnite."

"Linear media buys have historically used endemic metrics to inform their decisioning," added Verna De Jesus, vice president of CTV, The Trade Desk. "Now with Dish Media creating this innovative solution, media buyers can use today's advanced data ecosystem – including a brand's first party data – to make the most informed buy possible on linear TV. As the level of impressions scales through tools such as Dish Connected, consumers will enjoy a better ad experience that is more consistent with their streaming counterparts."

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish Network has once again reported heavy pay TV sub losses with its total pay TV subs falling by 552,000 to 9.198 million, as satellite subs fell by 318,000 to 7.098 million and its streaming Sling TV subs fell by 234,000 to 2.1 million. 

The Sling TV streaming sub losses were the worst since the 234,000 sub losses reported in Q1 2022 and mark a steep decline in the virtual MVPD’s subscribers from 2.252 million in Q1 2022 and 2.439 million in Q1 2021. 

The losses raise doubts about Dish’s ability to fund its transition into a 5G wireless company as it reported revenue totaling $3.96 billion for the quarter ending March 31, 2023, compared to $4.33 billion for the corresponding period in 2022.

Net income attributable to Dish Network totaled $223 million for the first quarter 2023, compared to $433 million for the year-ago quarter.

Diluted earnings per share were $0.35 for the first quarter, compared to $0.68 per share during the same period in 2022. 

Retail wireless net subscribers decreased by approximately 81,000 in the first quarter, compared to a net decrease of 343,000 in the year-ago quarter. The company closed the quarter with 7.91 million retail wireless subscribers.

MERIDIAN, Colo.—Sling continues its push into the free ad-supported TV (FAST) streaming business with the addition of eight new channels, including services dedicated to dog programming, Broadway shows, poker and coverage of pickleball.

With the addition of the new programming, Sling Freestream said that it is now an industry leader in free sports programming with more than 24 channels. Overall, Sling Freestream now offers more than 275 free channels and over 41,000 free on demand titles.

The new Sling Freestream channels are: 

• Ace TV
• Pickle TV
• The Red Green Channel 
• Fido TV
• Lacrosse TV 
• MotoAmerica TV
• Broadway on Demand
• World Poker Tour  

 Sling Freestream is available through the Sling app on Roku, Comcast, LG, Samsung, Xbox and Vizio devices, and continues to roll out across other major devices.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Facing sluggish pay TV growth, Sling TV continues to bulk up its free ad-supported service Sling Freestream and has added 16 new channels that include documentary, exploration, Spanish-language, history and true crime services. 

The expanded Sling Freestream lineup now includes nearly 250 channels and 41,000 free on demand titles. 

With the additions, Sling Freestream now has 83 Spanish language channels, six True Crime Channels, 11 Educational, 16 Food/Lifestyle, four Westerns and Heartland Dramas. 

The new channels are: 

• MagellanTV Now - A linear streaming offering of global documentary streaming service MagellanTV. Explore the rich and dramatic stories of real life, from the discoveries of science that shape our lives to the majesty of nature, and the people and events that shaped history.
• True Crime Now - From global documentary streamer MagellanTV, True Crime Now features hundreds of hours of true-crime documentary films and series, with thrilling new content added weekly. On True Crime Now, the dark side of human nature meets the quest for justice in stories of notorious serial killers, criminal psychology, organized crime, the paranormal and more.
• Space Science Now - Space Science Now features a deep collection of premium space and science documentaries and series carefully curated by MagellanTV’s team of award-winning filmmakers. The channel’s robust catalog explores everything from black holes to dark matter and beyond.
• History & Warfare Now - Offers an array of content sourced from MagellanTV’s vast collection of historical and modern-era war and military feature documentaries and docuseries.
• Wild Nature Now - From global documentary streaming service MagellanTV, Wild Nature Now explores the Earth as it once was, where predators and prey enact the ancient rituals of survival, and the pulse of life molds ecosystems as rich and majestic as the creatures that inhabit them.
• Forensic Files - Sit down with experts and look through evidence to solve real crimes, disease outbreaks and accidents around the world.
• Unsolved Mysteries - Hosted by Robert Stack, this series uses reenactments and interviews to retell the circumstances of mysteries that remain unsolved. Covering crimes, tales of lost love, unexplained history and paranormal events.
• FilmRise True Crime - Classic true crime shows from the mysterious to the ridiculous with acclaimed series like Unsolved Mysteries and Forensic Files.
• Hell's Kitchen / Kitchen Nightmares - Get your fill of cutthroat contests, culinary cookalongs, and delicious drama from shows like Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares.
• FilmRise Western - Saddle up and head West to watch acclaimed series like The Rifleman and The Real McCoys, plus iconic Westerns features starring talent like Tony Todd and the late Christopher Reeve.
• Heartland - Visit the Heartland ranch and its close-knit multi-generational family in Canada’s longest-running hour long drama series.
• Miamivelas - Explore Miami through different productions that will take you on a tour of exciting locations.
• ¿Que Pasa, USA? - What is the experience of leaving your country for one you don't know? Find out together with the Peña family.
• Una Familia Con Suerte - A good deed completely changes Pancho's life, do you want to witness this stroke of luck?
• Vevo Iconos Latinos - Videos and performances from Latin music's most legendary artists.
• Vevo Regional Mexicano - From mariachi to banda, videos and performances that define the genre.

Sling Freestream is available through the Sling app on Roku, Comcast, LG, Samsung, Xbox and Vizio devices, and continues to roll out across other major devices.

LOS ANGELES—Cinedigm Corp. has inked a distribution deal with Sling TV for the vMVPD to carry its free ad-supported TV streaming channels Midnight Pulp, The Country Network and AsianCrush on Sling Freestream. 

The new agreement expands the number of Cinedigm channels offered by Sling to more than a dozen. 

Midnight Pulp offers an curated selection of genre and cult movies; The Country Network provides an intimate look at country’s superstars and music; and AsianCrush, offers pan-Asian entertainment. 

“We are thrilled to add ​three​ of our top-performing FAST channels, Midnight Pulp, The Country Network and AsianCrush, to Sling ​Freestream’​s lineup,” said Jennifer Soltesz, vice president, business development and strategy at Cinedigm. “Our extensive portfolio complements S​LING’s​​ wide array of channel offerings. The depth of our catalog is sure to excite consumers and we know advertisers will respond to Cinedigm’s diverse channel offerings on this innovative streaming platform.” 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—In another example of how virtual MVPDs continue to struggle, Dish reported that Sling TV’s subscribers declined by 77,000 to 2.334 million in Q4, 2022 compared to 2.411 million in Q3 and 2.486 million a year earlier in Q4 2021. 

Meanwhile its total pay TV subs declined to 9.750 million in Q4 from 10.018 million in Q3 and 10.707 million in Q4, 2021. 

Its pay TV satellite service sub count declined to 7.416 million in Q4 from 7.607 million in Q3 and 8.221 million a year ago in Q4 2021. 

By way of comparison Dish had 14.1 million satellite pay TV subs in 2010. The current satellite figure is below the 8.18 million subs it had in 2002. 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has jumped into the free ad-supported streaming business in a major way with the launch of Sling Freestream, a advertising-supported streaming television service (FAST)  that provides viewers with 210+ free channels and 41,000+ on-demand titles. 

Unveiled on Sling’s eighth birthday and National Cut the Cord Day, Freestream is available through the Sling app on all Roku devices, and is rolling out across LG, Samsung and Vizio devices. Freestream will roll out across all Sling-compatible devices throughout the coming months.

While the service marks a major strategic shift towards FAST services, the launch is also notable because the Sling Freestream platform pioneers flexibility between paid and FAST TV by allowing viewers to upgrade to paid services, including Sling’s pay TV packages and 50 standalone subscription channels, easily from Sling Freestream. 

Sling is billing the service as the first to enable “One-Click” upgrades to premium pay TV within a FAST service.

“Sling Freestream is a great new service that helps meet consumers’ evolving needs,” said Gary Schanman, group president, Sling TV. “We know some people want free content, some may want a year-round paid subscription, while others may want to subscribe for certain events or shows. We have coupled world-class content with the option to easily flex in and out of premium pay TV, creating a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience.”

Sling Freestream delivers more than 210 channels and 41,000 on-demand titles - for free. In addition Freestream uniquely offers industry-leading international programming in nine languages, such as AajTak International, DesiPlay, Noticias Univision 24/7, ARY News, France24, beIN SPORTS XTRA, SonyKal, TVP World, Al Jazeera English and Al Arabiya.

Sling reported that Sling Freestream will grow its free content catalog over the next few months and continue to enhance the user experience. Future Sling Freestream features include universal search functionality, enhanced channel surfing, updated guide filters and autoplay capabilities.

“On top of the popular content and a seamless user experience, Sling Freestream provides a premium advertising experience that benefits viewers and advertisers alike,” Schanman added. “Sling Freestream gives our advertisers expanded reach across a wider range of streaming customers, allowing for greater reach and engagement with their target audiences.”

More information is available here.  

What’s the best live streaming TV service in 2022 according to U.S. News & World Report? According to its analysis, three services vie for the top honors: fuboTV, YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV.

One differentiator that probably didn’t make a big impact in its final tally is price: Both fuboTV and Hulu + Live TV start at $70 for a monthly subscription (with options to increase the fee) while YouTube TV is close behind at $65. 

Granularly, Hulu + LiveTV and YouTube TV garnered 4.1 stars while fuboTV came in at 4.0 but all three were considered the top contenders according to the publication. Trailing behind were SlingTV at 3.8, Philo at 3.7 and DirecTV Stream at 3.5.

As for Hulu + Live TV, U.S. News liked its unlimited DVR storage as well as its extensive library, which includes Disney+ and ESPN+ as part of its $70 monthly subscription. “That’s multiple libraries of original content and exclusive movies and TV series that no other live TV streaming service offers,” it said.

fuboTV, which has branded itself as a leading source of live sports streaming, was ranked the #1 Sports Streaming Service in the report, as well as tying for first among overall live TV streaming services. “It also offers a full range of entertainment channels, making it an appealing option for both devoted sports fans and general TV viewers,” they said. “With plans starting at $69.99 per month, it’s priced on the higher side of live-TV streaming services, but that price also includes up to 1,000 hours of cloud DVR storage and unlimited screens for simultaneous viewing at home.”

YouTube TV, which is most like Hulu + Live TV, differentiates itself from its competitor by offering a wider availability of broadcast channels (including PBS) as well as NBA TV and NFL Network and a lower-priced Spanish plan, U.S. News said. 

As for the also-rans, U.S. News says it likes Philo’s $25 monthly rate, calling it “a bargain for subscribers who are primarily looking for entertainment programming and aren’t interested in live sports or news.” Sling TV offers more live news and sports than Philo, including CNN and ESPN, but it doesn’t have the extensive sports programming of pricier live-TV streaming services and DirecTV Stream is the most expensive of the seven live streaming services. 

One factor also working against DirecTV Stream’s favor, however, is that, unlike the others on the list, it is more likely to get caught up in the ongoing retrans battles, resulting in loss of over-the-air channels. And despite the lack of daylight between monthly subscription rates among the leaders in the survey, picking the best live TV streaming service still comes down to price, U.S. News said. 

"Picking the right live-TV streaming service largely comes down to price. Smaller-scale services, Philo and Sling TV, may cost less than half of the monthly fee for pricier services like fuboTV and Hulu + Live TV."

The National Association of Broadcasters is planning to ask the FCC to adopt new regulations that would recognize changes in the television marketplace and force streaming services to be regulated more in line with existing rules for broadcasters. 

In a Politico article, NAB President Curtis LeGeyt said that the effort to re-open rules that had been proposed during the Obama administration was discussed during a recent private board meeting. Such changes would be more inline with “changes in the marketplace” LeGeyt told Politico. It would also reflect comments NAB made to the commission earlier this year in an ex parte filing, which, while it dealt mainly with radio ownership issues, also touched upon reforms to existing rules that would include streaming companies. 

"While this submission primarily responds to invalid claims made by those opposing reform of the local radio rule, NAB’s legal and economic analyses also refute arguments against ownership rule reform more generally, including for local TV broadcasters," NAB said at the time.

Top of mind is retrans: broadcasters want the commission to look into expanding broadcasters’ ability to negotiate contracts beyond traditional cable and satellite pay-TV providers to services that carry broadcasters’ local channels, so-called “virtual multichannel video program distributors” (vMVPVDs) like YoutubeTV, Hulu and SlingTV.  

The move doesn’t come without opposition, however from within NAB, where the networks have differed with the association’s decision to pursue updated rules and the local stations, who are pushing to extend retrans rules to apply to streaming platforms. 

LeGeyt acknowledged this reality, telling Politico, “NAB membership is a large tent, and it is not uncommon for there to be differences of views among our companies. Like any member-driven organization, we move forward when a critical mass of our membership is in agreement, and even in those instances we strive for advocacy that maintains unity for the good of the broadcast industry and the tens of millions of Americans who rely on our service every day.”

The American Television Association, a critic of the NAB, especially over retrans battles that often result in broadcast stations pulling their signals, responded to the Politico article, saying the FCC should pay more attention to updating rules and protecting consumers from rising costs. 

“The broadcast industry wants to take the current framework, which is already responsible for thousands of consumer blackouts and massive annual price increases, and expand it to streaming,” stated ATVA spokesperson, Jessica Kendust. “The FCC should focus on modernizing and fixing the broken system, not imposing new costs on streaming customers.”

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV gained subscribers in Q3 2022, reversing several quarters of losses, and producing an overall slight gain of pay TV subscribers for Dish Network’s combined satellite and streaming operations. 

Sling TV ended Q3 with 2.411 million subs, up from 2.197 subs in Q2, but that was still 145,000 subs lower than the 2.556 million subs reported for Q 3 2021. 

Sling’s growth helped boost Dish Network’s overall pay TV subs by 30,000 to 10.018 million in Q3 compared to Q2. But this was still 962,000 subs lower than the Q3 2021 results. 

Those figures highlighted the ongoing troubles facing virtual MVPDs like Sling Tv, which have not grown as fast as analysts had expected. 

Dish’s satellite operations continued to bleed pay TV subs, losing 184,000 subs and falling to 7.607 million subs in Q3 2022. This was significantly down from 8.424 million subs reported in Q3 2021. 

LOS ANGELES—Cinedigm Corp. has expanded the distribution of its free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels with the launch of RetroCrush on Sling TV. 

The agreement expands Sling TV’s partnership with Cinedigm to include fourteen channels, available free to consumers. 

“The expansion of our partnership with Sling TV embraces Cinedigm’s mission to bring its channels to the widest enthusiast audiences possible,” said John Stack, Senior Director, Cinedigm Business Development. “In turn, Sling will provide the opportunity for a passionate fan base to immerse itself in best-in-breed classic anime content it won’t find elsewhere with the addition of RetroCrush.”

RetroCrush, which focuses on the Golden Age of anime, is being added to Sling’s lineup of 190+ free live TV channels. 

Other Cinedigm channels already carried by Sling include: Bloody Disgusting TV, The Bob Ross Channel, Comedy Dynamics, Realmadrid TV, Dove Channel, CONtv, Docurama, The Only Way is Essex, MyTime TV, The Elvis Presley Channel, So…Real, Film Detective and Lonestar.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—On Oct. 1, ESPN, ABC-owned local stations in eight markets, FX, Disney channel and other Disney owned services went dark on the Dish and Sling TV services after Disney and Dish were unable to come to terms on a new carriage deal. 

In announcing the blackout, Dish complained that Disney had declined Dish's offer for a contract extension, walked away from the negotiation table and refused to keep its programming accessible for millions of Dish and Sling customers across the United States. Dish also claimed that Disney had demanded nearly a billion dollar increase. 

ABC owned stations impacted by Disney’s blackout include: Chicago, IL (WLS), Fresno, CA (KFSN), Houston, TX (KTRK), Los Angeles, CA (KABC), New York, NY (WABC), Philadelphia, PA (WPVI), Raleigh, NC (WTVD) and San Francisco, CA (KGO), Dish said.  

“Disney has exploited its market position to increase fees without regard for the public viewing experience,” said Brian Neylon, executive vice president and group president, Dish TV. “Clearly, Disney insists on prioritizing greed above American viewers, especially sports fans and families with children who watch their content.”

In a statement quoted by Next TV Disney replied that “After months of negotiating in good faith, Dish has declined to reach a fair, market-based agreement with us for continued distribution of our networks. As a result, their Dish and Sling TV subscribers have lost access to our unrivaled portfolio of live sports and news plus kids, family and general entertainment programming. The rates and terms we are seeking reflect the marketplace and have been the foundation for numerous successful deals with pay TV providers of all types and sizes across the country. We’re committed to reaching a fair resolution, and we urge Dish to work with us in order to minimize the disruption to their customers."

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish and the Game Show Network have reached a new multi-year carriage agreement that restores the channel to Dish TV and Sling TV and ends a three week blackout. 

The Game Show Network went dark on Dish and Sling on Sept. 6 after the two sides were unable to reach a new agreement. 

"We're pleased to have reached a multi-year agreement that benefits all parties, especially our customers," said Brian Neylon, executive vice president and group president, Dish TV. "I want to thank our customers for their patience and understanding as we worked through the negotiations."

"We are happy to have entered into a long-term agreement with Dish and that Dish customers can resume watching their favorite shows on Game Show Network for years to come," said Tim Carry, executive vice president distribution for Game Show Network. 

NEW YORK—Warner Bros. Discovery and Dish Network have announced that the discovery+ streaming service has launched on Sling TV and that it will bow on Dish TV on August 25. 

The platform launched 70,000+ episodes of premium content, including original series and on-demand programming, on Sling on August 8. 

All Sling users, including users of Sling Free or any Sling subscription, may customize their viewing experience by adding discovery+ as a premium a la carte streaming service. 

Sling and Dish users can access the streaming service for $4.99 per month, or upgrade to a commercial-free subscription for $6.99 per month.

“Providing our customers with the best entertainment experience has always been our number one priority at Dish and Sling,” said Gary Schanman, group president, Sling TV. “The addition of discovery+ on our platforms offers iconic and acclaimed content for the a la carte experience our customers love. We offer more than 50 premium a la carte services to enable our users to customize their viewing experience, all with a single account login so they can easily manage their services in one place.”

“With discovery+, we are committed to making our world-class content accessible to all of our fans across all platforms, and this partnership with Sling and Dish allows us to deliver on that commitment,” said Gabriel Sauerhoff, senior vice president digital distribution and commercial partnerships, Warner Bros. Discovery. “We always put our dedicated viewers at the forefront of our decision making, and we’ll continue to do so as we expand the reach of our beloved programming, talent and brands.”

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish Network reported Q2 2022 earnings that marked a new low in its video subscriber counts with its pay TV satellite and video customers dropping below 10 million for the first time since June of 2004. 

In Q2, 2022, Dish TV satellite subscribers fell by 202,000 to 7,791,000 while the Sling TV virtual MVPD dropped 55,000 subs to 2,197,000 subscribers for a total of 9,988 million, down from 10,245 million in Q1, 2022.

The company also reported loses in its wireless operations with wireless subs falling by 210,000 to 7,867,000.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish Network has announced the nationwide launch of TelevisaUnivision’s ViX+ on Dish TV and Sling TV, which will allow customers to subscribe to Spanish-language streaming service ViX+ directly through its platforms for $6.99 a month.

ViX+, which is the premium tier of ViX, features more than 10,000 hours of entertainment programming and 4,000 hours of premium live sports coverage in the U.S. in its first year. 

It launched nationwide on July 21 directly to consumers and is also available on Amazon Prime Video Channels. 

ViX+ is the only Spanish-language streaming service in the U.S. with coverage of the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League matches, the companies said. 

Subscribers also will have access to more than 70 ViX+ original series and movies in the first year, which represents, on average, at least one new original per week. 

"We're excited to expand our robust Spanish-language content offering with the addition of ViX+ available now on Dish and Sling," said Alfredo Rodríguez, vice president, DishLATINO. "Offering consumers a broad range of content has long been a core Dish tenet and the launch of ViX+ to both satellite and streaming customers builds on our longstanding tradition of being the leading provider of Spanish-language programming with more Spanish channels than anyone else."

Dish TV offers ViX+ subscriptions through internet-connected Hopper and Wally devices for $6.99 per month. 

ViX+ is available as a stand-alone streaming service through the Sling app on all supported devices including Roku, Amazon, LG, Vizio and more for $6.99 per month. 

OTTAWA—What do AT&T, Starbucks, and Tesla have in common? They all accept payments using various forms of cryptocurrency. Granted, these payment options are currently limited; for instance, you can use Dogecoin to buy Tesla clothing and car accessory purchases at shop.tesla.com, but not an electric car. Still, the fact that “crypto” (as it is commonly called) is finding growing acceptance as a legitimate form of payment is likely a sign of things to come.

In the TV broadcasting/content distribution market, companies such as Sling TV, Replay, Script TV and ZEBEDEE are pushing ahead with crypto payment transactions. The reason? “Crypto payments enable smart contracts that automatically generate payments in real time whenever video is viewed,” said Replay CEO Krish Arvapally. “For TV broadcasters and content deliverers, this eliminates the time spent tracking down and managing these payments.” 

Creators are happier too, Arvapally adds. “Instead of chasing down or waiting on royalty checks coming from a variety of sources, months after a video is played, the open-source and transparent nature of blockchain payments means that creators can trust that they’re being paid as soon as possible.”

Sling TV: Early Adopter
As of Feb. 22, Sling TV allows subscribers to pay their monthly bills using the crypto payment provider BitPay, which handles digital currencies such as Bitcoin, Dogecoin, or Ethereum. 

The only catch: “BitPay is available to established Sling customers and can be used to extend an existing monthly subscription,” a Sling TV spokesperson told TV Tech. “Notably, BitPay cryptocurrency payment is available any time after the first bill as a monthly subscriber, including after a free trial or promotional offer.”

This proviso notwithstanding, “accepting crypto payments was a natural next step for Sling subscribers,” the spokesperson added. “Sling’s new integration with BitPay adds to DISH Network’s already robust reputation as an industry innovator. In fact, DISH TV [which owns Sling TV] has accepted crypto payments since 2014.”

Watch TV, Get Rewarded
Imagine paying viewers to watch an ad-free, subscription-free OTT TV service with crypto: That’s the business based behind Rewarded TV, which is being launched by blockchain video tracking and payments platform Replay. 

“Our viewers will receive rewards and pay for premium content with RPLAY, a new crypto token built on Theta, the leading blockchain for entertainment organizations,” said Arvapally. “RPLAY will be available to exchange for cash, or can be earned by watching free content on Rewarded TV. 

“Users can also earn multipliers on their RPLAY earnings through ‘gamified content’—by engaging with certain promoted content or earning NFT passes in relation to specific viewing activities,” Arvapally added. “For example, sharing a specific piece of content or creating a playlist featuring certain movies or shows can yield additional rewards for driving engagement.” 

Viewers can also purchase NFTs, whose crypto payments will be used to pay content providers (along with revenues from gamified content promotions.) Worth noting: As soon as someone’s content is viewed, they get paid in RPLAY, a theta token by Replay.

If the Rewarded TV concept sounds rather unconventional for commercial OTT TV, it is. Using Rewarded TV to introduce new models of monetization, Replay is launching this service as a proof-of-concept, for their own open-source Replay video tracking and payments platform. But Arvapally is confident that the time is right for Rewarded TV and Replay. 

“The continued adoption of crypto payments in film and TV is a trend that is here to stay,” he said. “Digital streaming and syndication are perfect use cases for crypto payments: content owners and distributors will turn to crypto for its ease of use in distributing earnings in real time.”

In another deal with Theta, OTT distributor Cinedigm entered the crypto universe in 2021 by agreeing integrate the native Theta peer-to-peer streaming technology, blockchain protocol and Theta Fuel (TFUEL) micropayments on its CONtv Anime branded channel page. It allows visitors to Cindegigm’s CONtv to view its large library of anime, sci-fi, horror and cult shows and films directly using Theta’s fully decentralized technology and protocol.

Theta says integrating its blockchain allows entertainment and streaming platforms like Cinedigm to lower their video delivery CDN costs by 50% or more, while increasing user engagement, viewing times and monetization. Users in return can earn FUEL rewards for sharing video content utilizing their excess bandwidth and computing resources. The company adds that its blockchain approach enables fans to earn as much as $10-$15/month simply by watching their favorite content on their browser with no download required.

‘Tipping’ Content Providers
Although aimed at the online gaming world to allow viewers to “tip” their favorite live gamers using Bitcoin, ZEBEDEE’s ZBD Streamer software could potentially be used by broadcasters and OTT creators to boost their own revenues. For instance, viewers could signify their support for a specific player on a live TV series through tipping, with the crypto being split between the player and content producer.

“ZBD Streamer is a free OBS plugin that pairs with the user’s ZEBEDEE account, and allows live broadcasters to post a static QR code overlay onto their stream to accept tips from viewers via their smartphone,” said ZEBEDEE Marketing Director Mark Mulvey. “What’s great about this solution is that the audience can send payments as ‘microtransactions’—fractions of a penny—which until now was completely uneconomical and technically infeasible. 

“By transacting in tiny satoshi increments (a satoshi, or ‘sat,’ is 1/100,000,000th of one Bitcoin), broadcasters can collect affordable tips from viewers in a fun, frictionless way—without losing the ability to exchange those sats into their local fiat currency at a later time if they choose.” Mulvey added.

Could this technology be used in traditional OTA/OTT content advertising? According to Mulvey, the answer is, theoretically, yes. 

“The underlying Bitcoin Lightning Network technology certainly allows for this type of functionality, though no one to our knowledge has built out this specific solution just yet,” he said. “But similar innovations are occurring in the podcasting space, as something called ‘Podcasting 2.0’ [also known as the ‘Value-for-Value’ model] is allowing creators to receive sats streamed directly to them by listeners in lieu of, or in addition to, their traditional audio advertising revenue. This technology also makes the inverse possible: for advertisers to compensate listeners directly, streaming sats to their wallets based on how much of the ad was actually listened to.”

Script.TV Balances All Sides
About to be launched in its beta version, Script.TV seems to resemble Rewarded TV in that it too pays viewers in crypto for watching. However, the Script.TV model is actually quite different. 

Unlike Rewarded TV, Script.TV will play out its stable of free-to-watch TV channels and movies online like a conventional broadcaster. Its online TV programs will run on a schedule with no ability for viewers to jump back to the beginning, and with non-skippable ads being part of the content. This model will ensure that everyone, including content providers and advertisers, benefit from the Script.TV platform. 

“Although Script.TV gives viewers the opportunity to profit from their viewing time and personal data in return of SCRIPT blockchain tokens [SCPT] to reward them, it of course, is not our business model to purely just give out tokens,” said Script.TV Co-Founder Akeem Ojuko. As well, the company will encourage viewers to spend their SCPTs within the company through the sale of special NFTs.

In reality, Script.TV is actually an attempt to resolve content delivery bottlenecks commonly encountered online by creating a distributed, decentralized online base of content storage/playout. And it will make money for itself and content providers as well, with the latter being paid using a second class of tokens known as SPAYs based on how much their content is watched. These tokens will be convertible into conventional currencies, should content providers choose to sell them. 

In doing all of this, Script.TV’s goal “is to fix a lot of the problems that content providers and advertisers have in working in the online market,” Ojuko said.

SIDEBAR 

What is Theta? 

In 2017, Sliver.TV subsidiary Theta Labs announced that it was developing a decentralized video streaming network enabled by blockchain to provide less expensive video storage and playout to content providers worldwide. “The core of the network enables users worldwide with un-utilized PC bandwidth and resources to cache and relay video streams to others in the network and in turn mine Theta tokens, similar to Bitcoin and Ethereum,” the company said at the time.

Today, Theta Labs runs the “Theta Network” decentralized blockchain-enabled streaming platform using the company’s Mainnet 4.0 software. Google, Samsung, Sony, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Binance, Blockchain Ventures, DHVC and gumi are  global enterprise validator partners while strategic corporate investors reportedly include Samsung NEXT, Sony Innovation Fund, Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI), CAA, plus Silicon Valley VCs including DCM and Sierra Ventures.

To explain the company’s market position in more tangible terms, Replay and Rewarded TV are using Theta Labs’ TNT-20 (Theta Network Token-20) tokens as the basis of their RPLAY tokens on both services. 

Meanwhile, game show producer Fremantle is marking the 50th anniversary of CBS game show “The Price is Right” by issuing NFTs (non-fungible tokens) in collaboration with Theta Labs. The NFTs will feature popular “The Price Is Right” games such as Cliff Hangers, Plinko, and Punch-A-Bunch.

In addition, the “American Idol” brand partnered with Theta Network to launch NFTs to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the reality show which wrapped up in May. Featuring the Top 14 contestants from Season 20 of American Idol, the NFTs were sold for $99 as packs of digital trading cards. “Holders of the NFTs will participate in a five-week-long competition where they can win prizes based on how far contestants go,” Benzinga.com reported in April.  

BOISE, Idaho—Evoca, the hybrid OTA-OTT pay-tv service that leverages the ATSC 3.0 standard for content delivery, today announced a partnership with Sling TV that allows its subscribers to add Sling Blue, Sling Orange or both to their Evoca subscriptions.

Subscribers who add the Sling offerings to their Evoca package of more than 60 channels, which includes live local sports and family programming, will receive a $5 bundle discount, Evoca said.

“Between Sling’s innovative live streaming packages and Evoca’s unique converged broadcast-broadband system, consumers can now experience the future of television at an affordable price,” said Todd Achilles, president and CEO of Evoca. “This partnership supports our commitment to provide high-quality regional and national sports, news, lifestyle and educational programming to the communities we serve.”

Evoca subscribers wishing to participate can sign up for Sling via Evoca’s online ordering process and then access the Sling TV app directly through the Evoca user interface, the company said.

Among the Sling channel offerings are CNN, BBC, ESPN, FS1, HGTV, Disney Channel, AMC and A&E. Evoca will continue to offer sports fans access to regional favorites. 

The monthly subscription fee for Evoca and either Sling Orange or Sling Blue is $55 plus the receiver. Both Sling Orange and Blue as well as Evoca is $70 per month plus receiver. An Evoca subscription alone is $25 per month plus receiver.

Current Evoca subscribers can add Sling TV by responding directly to a company email announcement or contacting customer service directly at support@evoca.tv.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish Networks reported accelerated pay TV sub losses in Q1, 2022 as net pay TV subscribers decreased approximately 462,000 in the first quarter, double the sub declines of about 230,000 a year earlier in Q1 2021. 

Overall, the company closed the quarter with 10.24 million pay TV subscribers, including 7.99 million DISH TV satellite subscribers and 2.25 million SLING TV virtual MVPD subscribers.

For Sling TV, subs declined from 2.486 million in Q4 of 2021 and 2.374 million in Q1 of 2021 to 2.252 million in Q1 of 2022. The virtual MVPD had shown sub gains in Q2 2021 and Q3 2021 before losing subs in Q4 2021 and the first quarter of this year, when it lost about 234,000 subs. 

Overall the company has lost nearly 1.1 million pay TV subs since Q1, 2020 when it has 11.3 million subs. 

Meanwhile, retail wireless net subscribers decreased by approximately 343,000 in the first quarter of 2022, compared to a net decrease of 161,000 in the year-ago quarter.

The company closed the quarter with 8.20 million retail wireless subscribers.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish says it lost 273,000 subscribers to its Sling TV vMPVD service in the latest quarter, ending Dec. 31, 2021, compared to a drop of 133,000 in the same quarter a year earlier. 

The company closed the quarter with 10.71 million pay-TV subscribers, including 8.22 million DISH TV subscribers, a reduction of 200,000 and 2.49 million Sling TV subscribers. Net income for Dish was down to $552 million, or 87 cents a share, from $733 million, or $1.24 a share, a year ago and revenue dropped 2% to $4.45 billion.

In a call with analysts, Dish Chairman Charlie Ergen attributed the drop in to several “headwinds” including the loss of Tegna viewers during the NFL season. That standoff was resolved when the two reached agreement earlier this month. Also during the quarter, Dish raised the subscription fee to Sling TV by $5 per month.

Despite the drop in subscriptions, Ergen was optimistic during a call with analysts this week. 

“Sling is a profitable business that will grow,” he said. “It's going to require a little patience, but with the platform overhaul last year, we're now positioned to be able to innovate and enhance the customer experience with new features and differentiated offerings.”

Dish, which is increasing its focus on wireless services, reported that its retail wireless net subscribers decreased by approximately 245,000 in the fourth quarter, compared to a net decrease of 363,000 in the year-ago quarter. The company closed the quarter with 8.55 million retail wireless subscribers.

ENGLEWOOD, Co.—Sling TV has begun allowing subscribers to pay for their monthly subscriptions with BitPay and cryptocurrencies.

BitPay is one of the largest global blockchain payment providers, and is the cryptocurrency payment processor for Sling. 

“It doesn't matter where you buy, store, spend or swap your cryptocurrency, BitPay supports more than 90 different crypto wallet applications to make paying with crypto more convenient,” Sling TV’s support page for using cryptocurrencies explained. 

But the use of cryptocurrencies for the streaming pay TV platform has some notable limits. 

Using BitPay, Sling TV customers can only make one time, manual payments and currently there is no recurring payment option for BitPay.

Subscribers have a choice of prepaying for one to six months at a time with BitPay. But, once the prepaid period ends, the subscription will be billed to the payment method on file, usually a credit or debit card, unless the user chooses to manually prepay using BitPay again. There are also no refunds for prepaid subscriptions, Sling said. 

Moreover, BitPay cannot be used for or during promotional offers such as prepay device bundles, and can not be used towards the payment of a past due balance. Past due balances must be brought current using a credit/debit card before being able to use BitPay to prepay for services.

Accounts currently on pause cannot use BitPay to restart and BitPay cannot be used for PPV, TVOD or video rental purchases, Sling said. 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has announced a new, exclusive channel in collaboration with Barstool Sports that is now available for both Sling subscribers and Sling Free users. The Barstool Sports Channel delivers various sports and pop culture content covering the latest news and viral highlights.

"We're thrilled to partner with Barstool Sports to bring the new Barstool Sports Channel to streaming TV audiences across America, giving broader exposure to their highly engaging content and personalities," said Michael Schwimmer, president, Sling TV. "We're confident that Barstool's incredibly engaged and loyal audience will embrace the Sling experience, where we continually push the boundaries in streaming live and on-demand TV."

The Barstool Sports Channel features live content from the brand's portfolio of video podcasts, blogs and video series. Sling users can access the Barstool Sports Channel via the Sling guide to catch special commentary, live content and more in time for the college football season.

"Having our own channel on Sling is another way for Barstool to continue to move the goal post and break barriers in broadcast and streaming," said Erika Nardini, CEO, Barstool Sports. "We are ready to bring both Barstool and Sling's engaged audiences our content and personalities in time for the college & pro football seasons and much more."

The Barstool Sports Channel is accessible in Sling Free which offers a mix of live and on-demand content completely free. The channel offers a unique viewing experience featuring a range of innovative content from fan favorites:

As part of the partnership, Sling will sponsor the Barstool College Football Show with live shows set to stream on Sling ahead of several games, including: Washington at Michigan; Wisconsin at Notre Dame; Notre Dame at Virginia Tech; Ohio State at Indiana and Army v. Navy at MetLife Stadium.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has launched a beta version of its app on Amazon Fire devices that is more personalized for users, has an improved user interface and features a new home screen, a redesigned guide, and other features that will make it easier to find content. 

The beta version launched on Amazon Fire TV devices on May 25th, with plans to rollout the revamped app to all Sling TV compatible devices throughout this year, including availability on Roku devices this summer.

"Our goal with the new app is clear: to make our customer experience as compelling as the extraordinary live content we deliver," explained Michael Schwimmer, group president, Sling TV, who also noted that the new app was based on a "a year of talking to customers and working with our design and advanced engineering teams."

In addition to the redesigned home screen and reimagined guide, the app features an easy-to-use DVR with 50 hours of free DVR storage, an enhanced video experience for pausing and recording live TV, more intuitive navigation and smart search features for easier content discovery. 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has debuted its first sports betting information channel in partnership with DraftKings, the DraftKings Basketball channel. The new channel is now available for Sling TV subscribers and Sling Free users.

In March, Dish Network, which is the parent company of Sling TV, announced a strategic agreement with DraftKings to integrate sportsbook and daily fantasy sports experiences with its brands, including Sling TV.

On the DraftKings Basketball channel, viewers will be able to see real-time game scores and betting odds.

Sling TV is also planning to launch DraftKings Baseball and DraftKings Hockey channels in the coming weeks.

RESTON, Va.—Comscore has finalized a deal with Dish Media that will extend its data license to Sling TV. The deal covers cross-platform measurement of advanced advertising and content via Comscore TV products.

Comscore claims that the deal will help accelerate the industry shift to census-based audience measurement across linear and OTT programming by using de-identified viewership data from Dish set-top boxes and Sling TV. It also says that it is the first independent measurement service to be awarded rights to measure National Addressable on Dish and Sling TV footprints.

As part of the deal, Comscore will also provide Dynamic ad insertion measurement of addressable advertising on Dish video on demand content on set-top boxes, Dish Anywhere and on third-party OTT apps with authenticated Dish credentials.

“Comscore’s new partnership with Dish Media continues our company’s significant steps in our transformation of television and cross-platform measurement of linear and OTT, as we have built the largest viewing dataset of second-by-second viewership data that is aggregated across all premium video providers from the device, to the household, to the zip code, to the market and to the nation,” said Bill Livek, CEO, Comscore.

For more information, visit www.comscore.com.  

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish isn’t ready to play ball in certain parts of the country, as it announced that MASN and NBC Regional Sports Networks were dropped from Dish TV and Sling TV on March 31, just before Opening Day of the 2021 MLB season.

Dish TV customers now do not have access to the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), and Dish TV and Sling TV customers have lost NBC Sports Washington, NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California. Overall, this impacts customers across 10 states and Washington, D.C.

The NBC RSNs impacted by this decision cover the Golden State Warriors, Washingotn Wizards and Sacramento Kings in the NBA; the NHL's Washington Capitals and San Jose Sharks; and MLB's San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics.  MASN provides coverage of Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals Games.

According to Dish, MASN and the NBC RSNs are demanding rates that would be passed on to practically all customers, whether they watch these RSNs or not.

“The current RSN model is fundamentally broken,” said Brian Neylon, group president, Dish TV. “This model requires nearly all customers to pay for RSNs when only a small percentage of customers actually watch them. As the cost of these channels continues to escalate, we no longer think it makes sense to include them in our TV lineup.”

Neylon says that Dish has proposed a plan that would allow customers to choose to subscribe to the RSN channels they want on an a la carte basis. Dish said that MASN and NBC did not accept the proposal.

An NBC Regional Sports Network spokesperson provided TV Tech the following statement:

"The NBC Regional Sports Networks offered to continue distribution on fair market terms. Dish and Sling declined those terms and have dropped the networks. The many other distributors that continue to carry the RSNs are listed on each RSN website."

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Dish Network experienced another quarter of net losses for its pay-TV subscriptions, but according to the company’s financial report, losses were less than a year ago, and in the instance of Sling TV, subscriptions are actually on the rise.

Dish’s fourth quarter and year-end 2020 financial report shared that the company lost 133,000 net pay-TV subscribers in Q4 2020. However, that is an improvement compared to Q4 2019’s 194,000 lost subscribers. 

Dish TV’s subscriptions dropped from 8.986 million in Q3 2020 to 8.82 million. But Sling TV, Dish’s vMVPD platform, actually saw modest growth from 2.458 million subscribers to 2.47 at the end of Q4.

In total, Dish ended 2020 with 11.29 million pay-TV subscribers. That is down from where it finished a year ago—11.986 million.

As for the entire company, Dish reported $4.56 billion in revenue for Q4 2020, up from $3.24 billion in Q4 2019. For the full year, Dish earned $15.49 billion in revenue, up from 2019’s $12.81 billion.

For more information, visit ir.dish.com. 

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Sling TV has gotten the thumbs up from Google Fiber, with the announcement that it is the latest streaming partner that is being recommended to Google Fiber TV customers.

Sling TV joins YouTube TV (owned by Google’s parent company Alphabet), fuboTV and Philo as being labeled preferred, affordable streaming options by Google Fiber.

One of the first live streaming TV options, Sling TV offers multiple subscription packages, starting at $30 per month. It reportedly has 2.46 million subscribers.

Google Fiber points to the move away from traditional TV and toward streaming options, citing how a little more than a quarter of homes have cut the cord, while about 78% have some type of streaming service. “Frankly, it’s been clear for a while now that the best TV is already online,” Google Fiber said. 

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV hopes to make TV a communal experience again through its new Watch Party feature, which is currently in its beta phase.

“Sling Watch Party” enables viewers to connect with others in remote locations via video or text chat while streaming a live or on-demand program together. All participants of the Watch Party, which includes a Sling TV customer and up to three guests, have control over their video camera, the volume of their individual content stream and volume of video chat streams. The host of the Watch Party manages the controls for play, pause and rewind for on-demand programming.

Content for Watch Party can be chosen from live or on-demand content available in Sling Orange, Sling Blue, Sling Latino and Sling International services, or any Sling TV Extra, depending on the current subscription.

Watch Party is available on Google Chrome web browsers. To access Watch Party, customers sign in on sling.com, select any eligible program and then click “Create Watch Party” from the title’s information screen, then click “Start Watching” when the selected title is about to begin. A Watch Party may be created up to an hour prior to airtime for live programs.

A special beta preview of Watch Party is going on through Sept. 30.

For more information, visit www.sling.com/watchparty.