HBO announced today that it will begin producing a daily newscast from Vice. The two signed a four year deal, which also extends the weekly documentary series. This is good news for journalism, but it’s also the answer to a tiny question I had about HBO Now and Go.
HBO is all about highly produced, binge worthy content. And that means there’s a reason to log into their OTT (and Apple TV) on a daily basis to see what’s up. Because you can only catch up on “Looking” for so long before you really wish there was a new show you could watch.
This also plays into research that millennial viewers — Vice’s demographic — aren’t totally opposed to appointment viewing, it’s more about the option to watch wherever and however they choose. From a report in MediaPost today:
The viewing habits of cord-cutters ages 22-55 are not that different from the typical TV viewer, according to research from Horizon Media’s Where Group. They are most likely to be watching content on their couches at 8 p.m. for 1-3 hours. The vast majority (72%) watch content through smart or connected TVs, 36% prefer to watch via laptops, and 31% with mobile devices. In bed, however, they like to watch with laptops or tablets.
That sounds about right. With daily, fresh, exclusive, content to tune into, it makes HBO Now more interesting. It’s also in line with both company’s brands. You can watch re-runs of “Law and Order” on Sling, Hulu, or Netflix. Daily, compelling news? That’s a reason to subscribe.