CBS Content Coming to AT&T's DirecTV Now Service in the Coming Weeks

Monday August 7, 2017 6:33 PM PDT by Juli Clover
AT&T today announced that it's managed to ink a deal with CBS to bring CBS channels to the DirecTV Now streaming service. The deal includes CBS entertainment, sports, and news programming, plus Showtime, The CW, CBS Sports Network, and Pop.


"This is another key milestone in bringing DIRECTV NOW users access to their favorite entertainment, news and sports from all of the major broadcast networks," said Daniel York, senior executive vice president and chief content officer - AT&T Entertainment Group. "As we add more live national and local channels, we know even more people will choose DIRECTV NOW as their go-to streaming service."
Video-on-demand catalogs will be available from CBS, The CW, Pop, and Showtime, and DirecTV Now customers will be able to access live local coverage on close to 25 local CBS and The CW stations in the following areas:
  • New York
  • Los Angeles
  • Chicago
  • Philadelphia
  • Dallas - Ft. Worth
  • San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose
  • Boston
  • Detroit
  • Minneapolis-St. Paul
  • Miami-Ft. Lauderdale
  • Denver
  • Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto, CA
  • Pittsburgh
  • Baltimore
CBS and The CW content will be available in all DirecTV Now packages, which start at $35 per month. Pop will be included in the "Just Right" and higher tier, while CBS Sports Network will be available with the "Go Big" plan. Showtime can be added to any plan for $8 per month. According to AT&T, the new content will be rolling out "in the coming weeks."

AT&T also plans to add 30 additional ABC, FOX, and NBC affiliates on DirecTV Now in the near future, bringing the total to more than 170 live local channels in over 80 metro areas. Some DirecTV Now customers have also begun receiving beta invites for the cloud DVR feature that is being added to the service this fall.

Tags: CBS, DirecTV Now
40 comments


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mnsportsgeek
14 months ago
Love it. This service gets better every month.
Rating: 4 Votes
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Michael Scrip
14 months ago
All this talk about "DVR coming soon" makes me wonder:

How much longer will scheduled broadcast television be a thing?

My question is somewhat rhetorical... as I don't think it will go away in my lifetime. I'm sure the billions of dollars in ad sales on the hundreds of hours of daily programming will keep it around for a while.

But it seems like we are clinging to an obsolete idea.

The reason you even need a DVR is because most television is still delivered to your home on a set schedule. If you're not home at 8:30pm on a Tuesday... you can't watch your show.

DVR fixes that problem. Hooray!

But today... nearly all pre-recorded TV content exists on a server somewhere. There's no technical reason why a TV show needs to be broadcast at 8:30pm on a Tuesday.

Everything could be delivered on-demand. Wouldn't that be better?

But like I said... I doubt scheduled television will go away anytime soon.

Though today's younger generation doesn't abide by a set TV schedule. Broadcast TV might be in for a tough time in the future.

Sorry for the rant... hearing "DVR" sparked this thought. :)
Rating: 4 Votes
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farewelwilliams
14 months ago
now if only they can make the stream work 100% of the time and fix the GUI on Apple TV
Rating: 3 Votes
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rezwits
14 months ago
DVR coming, I heard they are beta testing now...
Rating: 2 Votes
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mthomas184
14 months ago

now if only they can make the stream work 100% of the time and fix the GUI on Apple TV


Whats wrong with the GUI? I like it. The only thing they need to add is a "Return to previous channel" option
Rating: 2 Votes
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FactVsOpinion
14 months ago
I'm really enjoying my $10 monthly direct tv now service with free HBO. This is a nice addition.
Rating: 2 Votes
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Mtmspa
14 months ago

now if only they can make the stream work 100% of the time and fix the GUI on Apple TV


DTVN works 100% for me now. It was a rocky start their first 3 months, but I am happy I stayed with it. I like the ATV interface. Maybe because I was on VUe and this GUI was a total POS. Hated it.
Rating: 1 Votes
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AppleFan91
14 months ago
I dropped DTV for PSVue. Haven’t looked back. That being said, if they add DVR I’ll definitely look back then
Rating: 1 Votes
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Tinmania
14 months ago

DTVN works 100% for me now. It was a rocky start their first 3 months, but I am happy I stayed with it. I like the ATV interface. Maybe because I was on VUe and this GUI was a total POS. Hated it.

Yea it has gotten a lot better in the last few months. I signed up from the very start and still have my $35 Go Big promo price with free HBO. I came -><- this close to cancelling back in March but kept with it.

Ironically I have had CBS All Access since last September due to getting it for year free, from another promo. So didn't miss it on DTVN--but looks like I should have it by the time my CBS promo expires.



Mike
[doublepost=1502206339][/doublepost]

All this talk about "DVR coming soon" makes me wonder:

How much longer will scheduled broadcast television be a thing?

My question is somewhat rhetorical... as I don't think it will go away in my lifetime. I'm sure the billions of dollars in ad sales on the hundreds of hours of daily programming will keep it around for a while.

But it seems like we are clinging to an obsolete idea.

The reason you even need a DVR is because most television is still delivered to your home on a set schedule. If you're not home at 8:30pm on a Tuesday... you can't watch your show.

DVR fixes that problem. Hooray!

But today... nearly all pre-recorded TV content exists on a server somewhere. There's no technical reason why a TV show needs to be broadcast at 8:30pm on a Tuesday.

Everything could be delivered on-demand. Wouldn't that be better?

But like I said... I doubt scheduled television will go away anytime soon.

Though today's younger generation doesn't abide by a set TV schedule. Broadcast TV might be in for a tough time in the future.

Sorry for the rant... hearing "DVR" sparked this thought. :)


I agree with you.... It seems silly to need a DVR for a 100% streaming TV service.

That said people are fond of DVRs not just for recording shows they couldn't watch when they "air": many people do it just for the ability to skip ads. Heck, I have often recorded a show for no other reason than to be able to skip the ads. The ability to skip ads is already being taken away by PS Vue's DVR. If there is an on-demand agreement for that show you will only get the on-demand version should it be available. You can't skip ads in that case.

Then there is the Netflix and Amazon Video model, which at this point in time I prefer. No ads, aside from before the show starts to play (I am talking to you Amazon).

I prefer the Netflix/Amazon Video model of content rather than ad-sponsored. It is not just having to endure ads: many shows are designed around the ad paradigm. For example, a 30 minute--when aired--true story crime show might only be 22 minutes of content. And then there might be even less content due to the after commercial break "recaps" for those "just tuning in." That Forensic Files episode you wasted a half hour watching only had like 8 minutes of real programming. :)



Mike
Rating: 1 Votes
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Eduardo1971
14 months ago
I've had DIRECTV Now since January ( with the Apple TV promotion). I must admit that the I've never missed not having CBS as part of the lineup but I do welcome this news. I'm looking forward to adding Showtime for $8/month.
Rating: 1 Votes
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