Cutting the Cord: Few options for streaming live news
Live TV news and digital streaming sound like a pair headed for an inevitably intertwined future.
But for cord-cutters, it's been a rocky path. The pay-TV industry's tight grip on 24-hour news channels — similar to sports programming — underscores its need to hold onto news junkies who otherwise might ditch cable. Cable news operators are largely forbidden by their contracts with pay-TV providers from offering live streaming to those who can't "authenticate" that they have a cable subscription.
Until two years ago, Al Jazeera English enjoyed a cult following among the digitally savvy until it decided in mid-2013 to stop streaming in the U.S. The uproar over its decision was something of a surprise, given that the network, owned by the Qatari government, was hardly a mainstream news source here. But the brouhaha highlighted the bare cupboard in the market for cord-cutters who want live video news they can watch on a laptop or tablet.
TV news operators haven't gotten much more accommodating. Major cable news networks, including CNN and Fox, require a password to verify that you have cable. And their smorgasbord of previously aired clips and highlights are hardly enough to satiate avid news consumers, particularly during breaking news. But there are some early experiments that could serve as blueprints for the future. Here are some options available today:
• CBSN. In November, CBS News launched CBSN, a digital news channel that is available on Roku, Apple and Android devices and Amazon Fire TV. It streams anchored coverage 15 hours each weekday highlighted by a 60-minute format delivering live, updated news content from 9 a.m. to midnight on weekdays. Clips of segments can be replayed.
It's run separately from CBS News, but employs video footage and other resources of the larger news operation, including CBS News special reports and content from CBS affiliates CNET and CBSSports.com.
Streaming experiments are easier for broadcast networks whose content is available over the air and whose delivery isn't entirely dependent on cable contracts. But CBS's attempt, like others, is a reach for new audiences and Web-ad dollars. "We're confident this service will appeal to both traditional news consumers and a whole new set of viewers," Leslie Moonves, CEO of CBS Corp., said at the time of its launch.
• Sky News. Global-minded news consumers can turn to Sky News, which began streaming its British feed live on YouTube. Expect a good dose of news about European and British politics and business.
• Bloomberg TV. One of the rare cable networks that is willing to provide content for free in other places, Bloomberg TV is available on a wide range of devices, including the Web, Apple TV, Roku and others. Owned by Michael Bloomberg's media empire, the network is heavy on business and economic news and that may not be everyone's cup of tea.
• ABC News. The network has an app available on Apple TV, Xbox One and Roku, but it's not quite ready to be labeled its own digital network. While not manned by live anchors, it contains some digital special reports for big breaking news items and has a couple of Web-only shows, including a movie review segment called Popcorn with Peter Travers. But it's mostly made of some live clips and segments from other ABC News shows.
• MSNBC. In December, MSNBC launched Shift, a video-heavy page on its main site. Shift contains some live feed (government news conferences, for example), MSNBC clips, 15 new Web-only shows and short documentaries.
• CNNgo. The Time Warner-owned network introduced the CNNgo app last year and it's now available on the Web, Apple TV and other smart devices. Viewing live programming requires "authentication" but some news clips are available to all.