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It's only natural for a potential cord-cutter to think, 'Why do I need cable when I can just stream everything online?' Indeed, most of the major networks - from ABC to TNT - have web portals and, all of them capable of streaming their current shows. Just one problem: Once you ditch cable or satellite or whatever 'traditional' (read: paid) service that pipes TV into your home, you may lose access to some of those networks.
That's because many of them won't let you stream their content unless you have an active TV-provider subscription. I'm looking at you, AMC. You, too, SyFy. Oh, and don't try to slink away, TBS. Give us your shows!
We'll gladly (well, 'gladly') sit through your commercials. Fortunately, some networks are more generous, allowing pretty much anyone with an internet connection and PC or mobile device to watch all - or at least some - of their programming. Here's the scoop on what you can watch for free.
(Note: Show availability may vary between desktop browsers and mobile apps.) Home to popular shows such as ',' ' and ',' ABC offers only some shows for free; others do require a sign-in. For example, at this writing, you can watch three of the four most recent episodes of 'Black-ish.' The most recent, however, meaning the one that just aired, requires a sign-in. And if you want earlier episodes or previous seasons, you're out of luck.
CBS will give you some episodes for free, and lots more with an All Access subscription. Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET CBS, which owns CNET, has the best online streaming network in history! Actually, the network offers a considerable library of TV, everything from current series like ' to soaps like '.' In between: classics like ' and ' (every series to date, including the upcoming ' ') and every single episode of '.' You'll find a total of around 100 shows, new and old alike. However, while you can watch a smattering of episodes for free (the number varies from show to show), it's not a sign-in you'll need to access the larger library - it's a subscription to.
The service costs $5.99 per month, or $9.99 if you want to watch commercial-free. Fox makes full current seasons available, but you'll need a sign-in for all but the most recent episodes. Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET If giving up cable means giving up ',' forget it! Fortunately, Fox employs a model similar to that of ABC, though with a little extra confusion thrown in for good measure. Without a sign-in, you can watch the latest five episodes of current shows, and new episodes of returning shows unlock eight days after airing on TV.
However, the Fox site imposes a 'Preview Pass' that limits you to one hour of free viewing (though not commercial-free). After that, it appears that you'll need a sign-in if you want to continue watching in your browser.
The mobile apps don't seem to have that limitation. NBC's model is also similar to that of ABC, with a mixture of free and sign-in-required offerings - but a lot more of the former, thankfully. You can watch the latest five episodes of ',' including the most recently aired, along with a couple weeks' worth of '.' Even better, you can watch the entire first season of ',' and NBC also has classic shows like the original ' and more recent fare, including the pretty-good-while-it-lasted '.' All The CW's shows are available for streaming without a sign-in, though not all episodes.
Be sure to check out CW Seed as well. Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET The CW's deal is simple: You can watch the five most recent episodes of just about every show that's currently on the air, from ' to ' to '.' But there's also a spin-off service, that offers free access to an eclectic wealth of extra content, including ',' ',' ' and over 200 episodes of ' This is an especially good source of animated DC shows such as ' and five iterations of '.' Other networks As noted previously, networks like AMC, Science Channel, SyFy, TBS and TNT won't stream anything unless you sign in with valid TV-provider credentials. That's definitely a bummer if you're interested in staying current on shows like ' ' (AMC), ' (SyFy) and ' (TBS). But Food Network, HGTV, History Channel and others will let you stream at least some of their content - usually a smattering of recent episodes of any given series. As you're browsing shows, look for a little 'key' icon - that's usually the indicator that a sign-in is required.
Without it: no streaming for you.
Roku is today bringing its free, streaming entertainment destination, to non- devices for the first time, with a launch on both the web and on select Samsung smart TVs, ahead of a wider cross-platform rollout. The channel, which offers free, ad-supported movies and TV shows, will be available across PCs, mobile phones and tablets, the company says. In addition, Roku is updating the navigation on its own devices, including Roku players and Roku TVs, to include a new feature called “Featured Free,” which will directly point users to free content from The Roku Channel, as well as other apps, like ABC, The CW, CW Seed, Fox, Freeform, Pluto TV, Sony Crackle, Tubi and more. The Roku Channel, as a way for Roku to differentiate its connected media devices and TVs running Roku software from rivals like Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Chromecast.
Despite Roku’s popularity — it’s — the company hadn’t really used its platform to promote its own content — the way Amazon pushes Prime Video shows on Fire TV owners, for example — until then. The channel itself is populated with movies that Roku gained access to through licensing deals with studios like Lionsgate, MGM, Paramount, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Warner Brothers. However, it also leveraged Roku’s strength as a platform by pulling in free content from its existing channel partners (with permission), including American Classics, FilmRise, Nosey, OVGuide, Popcornflix, Vidmark and YuYu. The content itself is monetized through advertising, which Roku’s in-house ad sales team is in charge of selling, with some portion going to partners.
The company’s goal has been to smartly place the ads to respect the content they interrupt, and not to inundate viewers with the same ad over and over again. With the channel’s expansion to the web and other TV platforms, Roku can further grow its advertising business, while also making the case for itself as a device platform. For existing Roku device owners, the channel is just another value-add for being a Roku user — and one that may keep them from jumping ship to another player in the future. “Roku is the leading platform for free entertainment and our users love it. We’re delighted to deliver even more value to our customers without subscriptions, complicated logins or fees,” said Rob Holmes, Roku’s vice president of Programming and Engagement, in a statement about today’s expansion.
“By expanding The Roku Channel to the Web, we’re broadening the access points to high-quality, free streaming entertainment. With Featured Free, we’re making it easy for our customers to see the great, free content already available on the Roku platform in one place, while creating value for our content providers by connecting them with Roku’s growing audience.” Meanwhile, Roku is again taking advantage of its platform nature with the launch of the “Featured Free” section on its home screen. This top-level navigational menu — just above “My Feed” on Roku’s home screen — will include a list of popular free content from its channel partners. The shows are identified by name and include a thumbnail image, but it doesn’t indicate which partner’s channel they’re coming from. And, when launched, customers are taken directly to the content itself. This section will include the latest in-season episodes of top network shows, full past-season catch-ups, classic series and hit movies.
The news of these launches follows that claimed Roku is planning to launch its own Amazon Channels-like subscription marketplace, as well. The report said Roku would bring together a number of paid subscription services into the same section, to make it easier for consumers to subscribe to paid channels without needing to first find the right app. The “Featured Free” section paints a good picture of what this new subscription marketplace could look like — a single destination where the content itself, and not the channel it comes from, is what’s highlighted. These new features also indicate a shift in Roku’s larger business from being fully reliant on device sales, to transitioning more into services; for now, specifically ad-supported services. Roku is expected to report its later today, after the market’s close, so the timing of the launches is not coincidental. Wall Street is a net loss of $0.15 per share, down from $0.18 in the year-ago quarter, and sales up 41.46 percent to reach $99.6 million, in Q2.
Overall, analysts predict Roku will report annual sales of $697.9 million. Roku says the “Featured Free” section will begin to roll out to U.S. Users starting today, and will reach all customers over the weeks ahead. The Roku Channel, meanwhile, is available on the web as of now, via.