Fox Unveils Streaming Plan to Affiliates

The Fox TV Network unveiled a plan to its affiliates Tuesday that will allow them to stream network content, in addition to their local content, through a dedicated Fox mobile app and on the Web.

The TV everywhere plan, which is expected to launch this fall, has been in the works for about a year and affiliates started learning about it six months ago.

Similar to Disney’s Watch ESPN  strategy, paid TV subscribers would be able to access local and network content through a an app and on the Web. Once authenticated, users could watch a live, linear stream or individual video-on-demand programming.

The app would use a mobile device’s built-in GPS to restrict local access to that market, says Steve Pruett, chairman of the Fox affiliates board. For example, a user in El Paso, Texas, would be able to receive KFOX local content. If that user opened the app in Denver, however, it would pick up the market location and stream KDVR, that market’s local Fox affiliate.

“We want to make sure our content is on every device, either through the Fox national app, on the Fox Sports Go app or something similar with our entertainment content,” says Michael Hopkins, Fox Networks president of distribution. “If consumers are going to go to a local station site or app, we want our content to be there.”

The service would be offered by cable and satellite operators, who pays stations for the TV everywhere rights. Under a TV everywhere plan, the affiliates would presumedly pay Fox for the rights to network content. Hopkins declined to comment on any contractual agreements between the network and affiliates. “I think, by and large, everyone will be onboard by the fall.”

Additionally, Fox plans to update its Fox Sports app to include streaming of its national sports coverage, in addition to regional coverage. For example, users in Michigan would be able to watch live Detroit Pistons games from Fox Sports Detroit.

The plan also allows for additional, local advertising opportunities for the affiliates.

Erik Moreno, Fox Networks Group SVP corporation development, briefly spoke on Fox’s plan in a session at the NAB Show Tuesday. “We completely understand, as Fox, that being able to get our content — our live simulcast — to the consumers, in partnership with the affiliates, is absolutely a great idea.” Moreno, who is also the CEO of Dyle, one of two consortiums aiming to make mobile DTV successful, declined to comment further on Fox’s plan.

Fox isn’t the only network looking into different ways to get its content out to mobile devices. Hopkins says that includes dynamic ad insertion. “They could put in their linear ads today, or sell different ads.” Broadcasters could charge more for adds that also appear in the app, or sell ads that only run on the mobile app.

TVNewsCheck broke news about ABC’s similar streaming plan in February. ABC affiliates could be restricted to their over-the-air markets by ABC’s technology, but they would be able to put their own branding on their local service. The plan received some scrutiny in an ABC affiliate board meeting in Las Vegas on Monday.

CBS is also working with app-maker Syncbak to let its owned stations and affiliates stream content, while restricting reception to mobile devices within the stations’ markets.

The streaming announcement comes a day after News Corps. COO Chase Carey threatened to move the Fox broadcast network to cable if broadcasters lose their legal battle against Aereo, a service that takes over-the-air signals for free and streams them to users who pay $12 a month.

Steve Pruett, chairman of the Fox affiliates board, said affiliate members were excited about the news. “The affiliate body is favorably impressed in what they’re doing and excited about it and embracing it,” he says. “From the board of governors level, we all think they have made a very strong effort to create a way for us to be where our viewers need to be with our Fox content.”