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Charter Communications expands streaming options for Spectrum TV customers
Charter’s new deal with NBCUniversal brings Peacock Premium to Spectrum TV
Charter Communications has taken another significant step in integrating streaming services into its cable TV offerings. In a recent announcement, Charter and NBCUniversal revealed a new multiyear distribution agreement that will provide Peacock Premium to Spectrum TV Select customers at no additional cost.
Expanding the streaming lineup
This latest addition to the Spectrum TV lineup follows similar deals Charter has made with other major streaming services. Over the past year, Charter has secured agreements to include Disney+, ESPN+, Warner Bros. Discovery’s Max, Discovery+, Paramount+, BET+, AMC+, and TelevisaUnivision’s Vix. According to Charter, these deals will soon offer Spectrum TV Select customers up to $65 per month in retail direct-to-consumer streaming value.
The financial dynamics
While the streaming services are marketed as “free” to some of Charter’s cable TV customers, Charter is understood to be paying a per-subscriber wholesale fee to the media companies. This suggests that Charter may eventually raise monthly subscription rates to cover the additional costs of the expanded programming.
Details of the NBCUniversal-Charter agreement
The financial terms of the NBCUniversal-Charter deal were not disclosed. However, the agreement ensures that Charter will continue to carry NBCUniversal’s full portfolio of broadcast, entertainment, Hispanic, news, and sports networks. Additionally, Peacock Premium will be bundled with Spectrum TV Select in the coming months.
Charter will also offer video customers the option to upgrade to the ad-free Peacock Premium+ tier. Furthermore, both Peacock products will be available for purchase to Charter’s broadband-only customers starting in 2025.
Industry reflections
Matt Bond, chairman of content distribution at NBCUniversal, expressed satisfaction with the deal, stating, “This extension of our strategic relationship with Charter ensures Spectrum video customers will continue to have access to the leading media portfolio, whether they choose to watch on traditional TV or stream it on Peacock. We also achieved our primary goal, which was to strike a deal that recognizes the value of our linear programming and the investments we’ve made in developing premium content, expanding the distribution of Peacock to more consumers. We are pleased to partner with Charter to reach these objectives to the benefit of our viewers.”
Comprehensive channel lineup
In addition to Peacock Premium, the distribution agreement guarantees Charter’s continued carriage of NBCUniversal’s extensive range of channels, including:
- NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations
- Bravo
- CNBC
- CNBC World
- E!
- MSNBC
- Universo
- Oxygen
- SYFY
- Telemundo Network
- Universal Kids
- USA Network
- The Golf Channel
- NBC Sports Regional Networks
- New England Cable News
Moreover, the following channels will be included in the Spectrum TV Stream service: Bravo, CNBC, CNBC World, E!, MSNBC, Oxygen, SYFY, and Universal Kids.
Charter’s strategic vision
Tom Montemagno, Charter’s executive VP of programming acquisition, highlighted the significance of the deal, stating, “With the renewal of our long-standing partnership with NBCUniversal, we now have completed deals with every major programmer to create better flexibility and greater value to our customers by including DTC streaming apps with their Spectrum TV service, at no extra cost.”
Charter’s subscriber base
As of the end of June, Charter reported having 12.72 million residential video subscribers, a decrease of 393,000 during the period and down 9.6% year over year. Including business pay-TV customers, Charter’s video base stood at 13.3 million as of June 30.
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