Posts with «professional services» label

X will host a new 'WWE Speed' weekly series starting in the spring

WWE has been shaking up its broadcast platforms recently, with the latest development coming via a partnership with X, formerly known as Twitter. The pair have signed a two-year deal for a new weekly series called WWE Speed, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The show will be exclusive to X and feature timed matches lasting under five minutes.

Well-known wrestlers across the WWE franchise are set to participate in WWE Speed. The plan is for the show to be shot with a studio audience, with new episodes airing every week, starting this spring. WWE Speed will be the latest sports show on X. The platform aired exclusive content in partnership with Fox during the last FIFA World Cup. This year, it will work with NBC Universal to stream segments during the Paris Olympics.

As for the WWE world, X isn't the only company getting in on the action. The news follows Netflix's recent acquisition of WWE's flagship show, Monday Night Raw, for a reported $5 billion over 10 years. The deal includes weekly shows in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and more, along with airings of the WWE shows NXT and SmackDown in countries outside of the US. International audiences will also get access to documentaries, new shows and more original series starting next year.

Netflix users in the US will likely have to wait a while for access to more WWE programs. NBC Universal is reportedly paying $1.4 billion over the next five years to broadcast Smackdown on USA Network, while the CW is paying between $100,000 and $250,000 for the same time period to air NXT.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-will-host-a-new-wwe-speed-weekly-series-starting-in-the-spring-103013383.html?src=rss

ESPN's standalone streaming service will launch by fall 2025

On the company's quarterly earnings call today, Disney CEO Bob Iger said the previously-announced standalone ESPN streaming service will arrive by the fall of 2025. The company had already tipped the service, which Iger explained will offer "the full suite" of ESPN networks as a streaming option, but a general launch date or any additional details hadn't been revealed. 

Iger said that the standalone ESPN offering will serve up the live games and studio programming that's currently available on a host of cable channels. What's more, the service will provide access to ESPN Bet and fantasy sports alongside detailed stats and shopping. Of course, all of that will also include "robust personalization," according to Iger. 

These new details come a day after Disney announced it would team up with Fox and Warner Brothers Discovery on a combined sports streaming service this fall. The yet-to-be-named option will include games from NFL, MLB, NHL and the NBA via channels including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS, truTV and ESPN. There's no word on pricing yet, but subscribers will be able to bundle it with their existing Disney+, Hulu, and Max subscriptions. This means that you'll actually be able to stream ESPN networks without a cable or other live TV subscription before Disney's own standalone service launches. However, the combo effort is sure to be more expensive as it mashes up all of those additional channels from Fox and Warner Brothers Discovery. 

Disney already offers ESPN+ as an alternative to cable. The service makes live games available for streaming, but it doesn't provide access to action as it airs on ESPN networks. For that reason ESPN+ has been complement to the cable channels, but Disney hasn't yet said how its services will exist after fall of next year. 

Standalone ESPN will also be available on Disney+ for bundle subscribers, just like the company has done with Hulu. No word on pricing for the new iteration of ESPN yet either, but there's also plenty of time for Disney to hype the service between now and fall 2025. Iger did say that the the price "would be more attractive" than the typical cable bundle. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/espns-standalone-streaming-service-will-launch-by-fall-2025-220624127.html?src=rss

Disney+ has started cracking down on password sharing in the US

Disney+ started getting strict about password sharing in Canada last year, and now it's expanding the restriction to the US. According to The Verge, the streaming service has been sending out emails to its subscribers in the country, notifying them about a change in its terms of service. Its service agreement now states that users may not share their passwords outside of their household "unless otherwise permitted by [their] service tier," suggesting the arrival of new subscription options in the future. 

The Verge says Disney+ told subscribers that they can analyze the use of their account to "determine compliance," though it didn't elaborate on how its methods work exactly. "We're adding limitations on sharing your account outside of your household, and explaining how we may assess your compliance with these limitations," Disney+ reportedly wrote in its email. In its Service Agreement, the service describes "household" as "the collection of devices associated with [subscribers'] primary personal residence that are used by the individuals who reside therein." The rule already applies to new subscribers, but old ones have until March 14 to feel its effects. 

Disney's other streaming service, Hulu, also recently announced that it's clamping down on password sharing outside the subscriber's "primary personal residence." It used the same language in its its warning to users, also telling them that their accounts will be analyzed for compliance and that it will start enforcing the new rule on March 14. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/disney-has-started-cracking-down-on-password-sharing-in-the-us-070317512.html?src=rss

ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery are launching a streaming service just for sports this fall

Three of the biggest sports TV companies in the US — ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery — will launch a streaming sports service in the fall of 2024, the companies said in a joint statement on Tuesday. It will stream sporting events from networks that all three companies own, including games from the NFL, MLB, NHL, and the NBA. Importantly, subscribers will also be able to stream linear channels, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS, truTV, and ESPN+, helpful for anyone thinking about canceling cable.

The name of the service and its pricing will be announced later this year, the companies said. It will be available as a standalone app that anyone in the US can subscribe to. But customers will also be able to bundle it with their existing Disney+, Hulu, and Max subscriptions for an undisclosed fee.

Each network will own one-third of the service, which will be run by an independent management team. Still the new service won’t be the one-stop shop that diehard sports fanatics might want it to be. Amazon, for instance, owns Thursday Night Football; Apple owns Major League Soccer; NBC owns Sunday Night Football; and Paramount owns some NFL rights.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/espn-fox-and-warner-bros-discovery-are-launching-a-streaming-service-just-for-sports-this-fall-225050356.html?src=rss

Hulu is the latest streaming service to crack down on password sharing

The days of sharing a Hulu account with friends and family are numbered. Like Netflix and sibling service Disney+ before it, Hulu is clamping down on password sharing outside the account holder's "primary personal residence" per an updated subscriber agreement. That is unless the practice is "permitted by your service tier," indicating that users may be able to pay extra to share their membership outside of their household.

Hulu has started telling users that they'll need to comply with the new rules by March 14, as The Verge reports. The service has been informing subscribers in emails that it's "adding limitations on sharing your account outside of your household," but it's unclear exactly how Hulu plans to track that.

Netflix was the first major streaming service to crack down on password sharing and, as a result, it has seen an uptick in subscriber numbers. Disney+ followed suit later last year and, given that Disney will soon own all of Hulu, it's little surprise that the latter is going in the same direction.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hulu-is-the-latest-streaming-service-to-crack-down-on-password-sharing-161957187.html?src=rss

How to watch Super Bowl 2024

Las Vegas will host Super Bowl 58 in its new billion-dollar, sustainably powered Allegiant Stadium. The venue holds 70,000 people, but if you’re not one of them and American football is your thing (or you just like the buzzy commercials and want to see Usher perform at halftime) you’ll need a way to watch at home. Luckily, there are a multitude of ways to do so — and one of them is nearly free. Kick off happens Sunday, February 11, at 3:30pm Pacific (6:30pm Eastern) so you have some more time to decide how you want to watch the big game. Here are all the ways to watch Super Bowl 2024.

How to watch Super Bowl 58

This year, the rights to air the biggest annual sporting event in the US goes to CBS… and Nickelodeon. Yep, the kids channel is hosting a live, family-friendly version of the event, complete with helpful thematic graphics and the cast of SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer hosting, providing commentary and explaining the rules to the youngest NFL fans. If you don’t need sideline reports from Sandy Cheeks, regular versions of the game will appear on CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and on the NFL+ mobile app.

How to watch the Super Bowl with cable or satellite TV

Cable and satellite subscribers can tune into their local CBS station. If your plan includes CBS Sports Network (or Nickelodeon), you can go that route, too. Here’s a list of local CBS stations and affiliates so you can find your channel.

How to stream Super Bowl 2024

Last year, the Super Bowl was a little more complicated to stream since the broadcaster (Fox) didn’t have an over-the-top streaming app. It’s easier this year: the standalone Paramount+ app lets subscribers watch the game live. Plans start at $6 per month and there’s currently a free seven-day trial, but there’s no telling if that deal will still be live right before the big event. Of course, most live TV streaming services will also have the game, either on your local CBS station or via CBSSN. Here are the providers that will show Super Bowl LVIII:

If you’re willing to pay, Paramount+ is the cheapest way to stream the Super Bowl this year, plus you’ll get other shows to watch when the game’s over.

Can I watch the 2024 Super Bowl for free?

Almost. If you buy an indoor digital antenna, which hooks up to the coaxial port on your TV set, you can grab the game broadcast from your local CBS affiliate at no extra cost. It’ll let you watch your local NBC, ABC, PBS and FOX networks, too.

Can I watch the 2024 Super Bowl on mobile?

The NFL+ mobile app is airing the Super Bowl, but only on your smartphone or tablet (PC access and casting isn’t supported for primetime games, which includes the Super Bowl). So if you’re watching solo, this could be a good option. A subscription goes for $7 per month and it also provides NFL Network content with 24/7 football news.

Who is performing at the Super Bowl 2024 halftime show?

For some, the action in between the two halves of the game is what really matters. Mega stars have headlined the halftime show for decades now, with performances by Rihanna, Shakira, Lady Gaga, Prince, The Rolling Stones and Beyonce garnering almost as many headlines as the game itself. This year, Usher, who's timing the release of his latest album to drop just two days before the game, will light up the stadium with a set. Before the game, Reba McEntire will sing the national anthem and Post Malone will follow that up with a rendition of "America the Beautiful."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-super-bowl-2024-how-to-stream-super-bowl-133039040.html?src=rss

How to watch Super Bowl 2024

We finally know for certain who will face off in Super Bowl 2024: The Kansas City Chiefs will play against the San Francisco 49ers in the biggest annual sporting event in the US. The game will take place in Las Vegas at the $1.9 billion Allegiant Stadium, with kick off at 3:30pm Pacific or 6:30pm Eastern on Sunday, February 11. The game will air on CBS, which means it’ll also be streaming live on Paramount+ since both are owned by Paramount Global. You can also watch it on cable, with a live TV streaming service and with the NFL's app on mobile. That’s all to say that you have plenty of options to watch, stream and otherwise enjoy the big game this year. Here are all the ways to watch Super Bowl LVIII in 2024.

How to watch Super Bowl 58

This year, the rights to air the biggest annual sporting event in the US goes to CBS… and Nickelodeon. Yep, the kids channel is hosting a live, family-friendly version of the event, complete with helpful thematic graphics and the cast of SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer hosting, providing commentary and explaining the rules to the youngest NFL fans. If you don’t need sideline reports from Sandy Cheeks, regular versions of the game will appear on CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and on the NFL+ mobile app.

How to watch the Super Bowl with cable or satellite TV

Cable and satellite subscribers can tune into their local CBS station. If your plan includes CBS Sports Network (or Nickelodeon), you can go that route, too. Here’s a list of local CBS stations and affiliates so you can find your channel.

How to stream Super Bowl 2024

Last year, the Super Bowl was a little more complicated to stream since the broadcaster (Fox) didn’t have an over-the-top streaming app. It’s easier this year: the standalone Paramount+ app lets subscribers watch the game live. Plans start at $6 per month and there’s currently a free seven-day trial, but there’s no telling if that deal will still be live right before the big event. Of course, most live TV streaming services will also have the game, either on your local CBS station or via CBSSN. Here are the providers that will show Super Bowl LVIII:

If you’re willing to pay, Paramount+ is the cheapest way to stream the Super Bowl this year, plus you’ll get other shows to watch when the game’s over.

Can I watch the 2024 Super Bowl for free?

Almost. If you buy an indoor digital antenna, which hooks up to the coaxial port on your TV set, you can grab the game broadcast from your local CBS affiliate at no extra cost. It’ll let you watch your local NBC, ABC, PBS and FOX networks, too.

Can I watch the 2024 Super Bowl on mobile?

The NFL+ mobile app is airing the Super Bowl, but only on your smartphone or tablet (PC access and casting isn’t supported for primetime games, which includes the Super Bowl). So if you’re watching solo, this could be a good option. A subscription goes for $7 per month and it also provides NFL Network content with 24/7 football news.

Who is performing at the Super Bowl 2024 halftime show?

For some, the action in between the two halves of the game is what really matters. Mega stars have headlined the halftime show for decades now, with performances by Rihanna, Shakira, Lady Gaga, Prince, The Rolling Stones and Beyonce garnering almost as many headlines as the game itself. This year, Usher, who's timing the release of his latest album to drop just two days before the game, will light up the stadium with a set. Before the game, Reba McEntire will sing the national anthem and Post Malone will follow that up with a rendition of "America the Beautiful."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-super-bowl-2024-133039872.html?src=rss

How to watch Super Bowl 2024

Tickets to Super Bowl 58 are going for thousands of dollars — but there are far cheaper ways to see the action. This year, the game will take place at 3:30pm Pacific (6:30pm Eastern) on Sunday, February 11, at Allegiant Stadium, which is just a poker-chip’s throw from the Las Vegas Strip (and here we thought Vegas was just for CES). Usher will play the halftime show, Reba McEntire will sing the National Anthem and there are sure to be plenty of zany ads to see (and some football thrown in, too). If you’re not traveling to Nevada for the big game, here are all the ways to watch Super Bowl LVIII.

How to watch Super Bowl 58

This year, the rights to air the biggest annual sporting event in the US goes to CBS… and Nickelodeon. Yep, the kids channel is hosting a live, family-friendly version of the event, complete with helpful thematic graphics and the cast of SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer hosting, providing commentary and explaining the rules to the youngest NFL fans. If you don’t need sideline reports from Sandy Cheeks, regular versions of the game will appear on CBS, CBS Sports Network, Paramount+ and on the NFL+ mobile app.

How to watch the Super Bowl with cable or satellite TV

Cable and satellite subscribers can tune into their local CBS station. If your plan includes CBS Sports Network (or Nickelodeon), you can go that route, too. Here’s a list of local CBS stations and affiliates so you can find your channel.

How to stream Super Bowl 2024

Last year, the Super Bowl was a little more complicated to stream since the broadcaster (Fox) didn’t have an over-the-top streaming app. It’s easier this year: the standalone Paramount+ app lets subscribers watch the game live. Plans start at $6 per month and there’s currently a free seven-day trial, but there’s no telling if that deal will still be live right before the big event. Of course, most live TV streaming services will also have the game, either on your local CBS station or via CBSSN. Here are the providers that will show Super Bowl LVIII:

If you’re willing to pay, Paramount+ is the cheapest way to stream the Super Bowl this year, plus you’ll get other shows to watch when the game’s over.

Can I watch the 2024 Super Bowl for free?

Almost. If you buy an indoor digital antenna, which hooks up to the coaxial port on your TV set, you can grab the game broadcast from your local CBS affiliate at no extra cost. It’ll let you watch your local NBC, ABC, PBS and FOX networks, too.

Can I watch the 2024 Super Bowl on mobile?

The NFL+ mobile app is airing the Super Bowl, but only on your smartphone or tablet (PC access and casting isn’t supported for primetime games, which includes the Super Bowl). So if you’re watching solo, this could be a good option. A subscription goes for $7 per month and it also provides NFL Network content with 24/7 football news.

Who is performing at the Super Bowl 2024 halftime show?

For some, the action in between the two halves of the game is what really matters. Mega stars have headlined the halftime show for decades now, with performances by Rihanna, Shakira, Lady Gaga, Prince, The Rolling Stones and Beyonce garnering almost as many headlines as the game itself. This year, Usher, who's timing the release of his latest album to drop just two days before the game, will light up the stadium with a set. Before the game, Reba McEntire will sing the national anthem and Post Malone will follow that up with a rendition of "America the Beautiful."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-super-bowl-58-133039837.html?src=rss

Netflix will be the new home of WWE's flagship show, Monday Night Raw, in 2025

It's a mighty fine time to be a pro wrestling fan. The industry is going through a bit of a boom period, with multiple companies churning out quality content on the regular. Barely a week goes by without fans enjoying at least two or three excellent displays of scripted athleticism and jacked human beings slapping each other in the chest really, really hard.

It's an even better time to be a pro wrestling fan if you have a Netflix subscription, since the streaming service will soon be the new home of WWE's flagship show in the US and pretty much all of its programming in other territories. Starting in January 2025, Netflix will livestream Monday Night Raw every week in the US, Canada, UK, Latin America and some other countries, with more to follow.

The deal is even sweeter for those outside of the US, as Netflix will stream WWE's other two main weekly shows — NXT and SmackDown — along with its major events like the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania. WWE documentaries, other original series and future projects will hit Netflix internationally starting next year.

It seems that Peacock will remain the home of WWE's library and major live events in the US for the foreseeable future. Peacock's parent NBCUniversal also owns Raw's current broadcaster, USA Network (it's unclear where the show will air between the expiry of those broadcasting rights in the fall and the Netflix partnership starting in January). USA Network will be the home of SmackDown starting this fall when the show moves over from Fox. NXT, which also currently airs on USA, is moving to The CW.

NBCUniversal and USA Network are said to be paying $1.4 billion for SmackDown rights over five years, while The CW will reportedly pay between $100 million and $125 million for NXT over the same timespan.

It seems the Netflix deal far outstrips those, however. According to multiple reports, the company is paying WWE north of $5 billion over 10 years. That's said to be around double what NBCUniversal currently pays WWE for Raw rights. Amazon was also said to be in talks to become Raw's new home.

This marks a mammoth change for both WWE and Netflix. It will be the first time in the 31-year history of Raw that the show doesn't air on a linear TV network. But, just as the wrestling company took a big risk with shifting from a pay-per-view model to its own streaming service a decade ago, this could very well pay off for WWE at it seeks to grow its already-large fanbase.

“This deal is transformative,” Mark Shapiro, president and COO of WWE parent company TKO said in a statement. “It marries the can’t-miss WWE product with Netflix’s extraordinary global reach and locks in significant and predictable economics for many years. Our partnership fundamentally alters and strengthens the media landscape, dramatically expands the reach of WWE, and brings weekly live appointment viewing to Netflix.”

Meanwhile, it's a major first for Netflix. The company only started dabbling in live content last March with a Chris Rock stand-up show. Since then, it has aired live award shows and a few one-off sports events, though it was forced to cancel its second attempt at a livestream due to technical issues. Raw marks Netflix's first major push into live sports (or sports entertainment if you want to get sniffy about it) and it's set to become the company's first live weekly streaming show.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-will-be-the-new-home-of-wwes-flagship-show-monday-night-raw-in-2025-165434172.html?src=rss

Uber shuts down alcohol delivery service Drizly three years after its purchase

Back in 2021, Uber purchased Drizly for $1.1 billion shortly after it reported that its food delivery segment kept its losses manageable during the pandemic. Three years later, the company is shutting down the US-based alcohol delivery service, Axios has reported. Pierre-Dimitri Gore-Coty, Uber's SVP of delivery, told the publication that the company has decided to close the business and to focus on its "core Uber Eats strategy."

In SEC's announcement of the acquisition, Drizly was described as a service that "works with thousands of local merchants to provide consumers with an incredible selection of beer, wine, and spirits with competitive, transparent pricing." Uber integrated Drizly's offerings into its Eats app, but the alcohol delivery service maintained a separate application of its own. 

"After three years of Drizly operating independently within the Uber family, we've decided to close the business and focus on our core Uber Eats strategy of helping consumers get almost anything — from food to groceries to alcohol — all on a single app," Gore-Coty said in a statement. "We're grateful to the Drizly team for their many contributions to the growth of the BevAlc delivery category as the original industry pioneer."

It's unclear if Drizly's cybersecurity issues played a role in Uber's decision. Drizly previously confirmed a data breach in 2020 that exposed the information of 2.5 million customers. After Uber's acquisition, the Federal Trade Commission found that Drizly CEO James Cory Rellas was alerted about the company's security issues way back in 2018. The agency determined that the delivery service failed to implement the proper safeguards to protect its users despite claiming it had done so and that its poor security practices made the data breach possible. It ordered Drizly to destroy any personal data it collected that had nothing to do with its services and to refrain from collecting them in the future. The FTC also required Rellas to implement information security programs at any company he joins or forms where he takes on the role as CEO. Either way, Drizly is gone, but Uber seems to intend to continue delivering alcohol to its customers. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-shuts-down-alcohol-delivery-service-drizly-three-years-after-its-purchase-065818346.html?src=rss