Comcast announces Now TV for just $20 per month

Comcast is unveiling its own simplified version of cable offerings with Now TV, which will cost subscribers $20 per month. This is available to Xfinity internet subscribers and provides access to 40 channels, ad-supported streaming content and a Peacock subscription. Note that Comcast announced subscribers will lose free access to Peacock next month. Subscribers to Now TV, though, will get that back.

There is not a set date for the launch of Now TV, but Comcast did say it is arriving “in the coming weeks.”

The 40 channels included on Now TV from Comcast feature some popular ones. For example, subscribers get A&E, the History Channel, Food Network and more. Yet, and crucially for many, Now TV does not include access to channels like ESPN or TBS. For many, these are mainstays of cable offerings, and they can often pull in subscribers just to those.

Given ESPN’s recent statements on its ambition to make the ESPN TV channel available via streaming, Now TV is following a similar path when it comes to making traditional cable channels on streaming. Only, this creates a gap between those major channels, such as ESPN, TBS or CNN, and those on Now TV.

The complete list of channels that’ll be available on Now TV are:

A&E, Afro​, AMC​, Animal Planet​, BBC America, BBC News, Comedy.TV​, Cooking, Crime + Investigation, Discovery, Discovery Life, Food Network, FYI, Great American Family, Great American Living, Get TV, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Drama, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, HGTV​, The HISTORY Channel, Investigation Discovery, IFC, Justice Central, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Magnolia Network, Military History, MotorTrend​ Network, OWN​, Pursuit, Recipe.TV​, Science Channel, Sony Movies, Sundance TV, TLC, Travel Channel, Vice, WEtv and Weather Channel

Comcast and Now TV price raises questions

Now TV’s price, which is $20 per month, is more affordable than the average cable price. For reference, that is, on average, about $83 per month, according to Randy Harward. Yet, you have to consider what you are getting for that $20 and whether it is worth it.

Those more expensive cable options have ESPN, TBS, CNN and other key channels when it comes to cable offerings. The channels on Now TV certainly have audiences, but those groups are more niche. Therefore, one possibility could be Comcast’s bid to keep some subscribers that are looking to cut the cord. In other words, if some of those niche audiences want to cut the cord, they can still maintain access to their respective channels with a subscription to Now TV.

Specifically for soccer fans, the only benefit of Now TV is the included Peacock subscription. That has access to many exclusive Premier League soccer games each matchday and the simulcasts of those on NBC. However, Peacock is still just $4.99 per month, and it is one of the more affordable streaming services. CBS, for example, is making Paramount+ $5.99 per month, which is still far less than Now TV. Still, Now TV will have those that want access to channels like Lifetime, OWN, AMC, Animal Planet, the Travel Channel and more.

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