Apple And NBCUniversal Haven’t Talked About A TV Streaming Service

There have been many reports over the past few weeks that Apple is developing an internet TV streaming service of its own. The service is expected to be unveiled at Worldwide Developers Conference 2015 this June before it goes live in the fall. There have been rumors that Apple and Comcast have had a falling out and as a result Comcast is withholding NBCUniversal content from the service. Comcast’s attorney has set the record straight in a letter he wrote to the FCC.

The letter is part of Comcast’s efforts to get its merger with Time Warner Cable approved. It was sent in response to a filing from Stop Mega Comcast, a coalition that is actively working to thwart this merger.

It was claimed in the filing that “Comcast may be withholding affiliated NBCUniversal (“NBCU”) content in an effort to thwart the entry of potential new video competitors.” The filing referenced a recent article by The Wall Street Journal which claimed that Apple wasn’t talking to Comcast anymore about this service due to a falling out.

Francis Buono, attorney for Comcast, wrote to the FCC that NBCUniversal has not withheld programming from Apple’s internet TV streaming service. He mentioned that “Apple has not even approached NBCUniversal with such a request.”

Apple’s internet TV streaming service will reportedly offer around 25 channels for up to $35 per month. Major networks like CBS, Fox and ABC are expected to be onboard. Surely one would expect that NBCUniversal wouldn’t want to miss out, but if Buono is believed, Apple and NBCUniversal have yet to even sit across each other at the table.

Adnan Farooqui
Categories: Apple
Tags: comcast, Entertainment, internet tv