First on BATV: NBC to launch streaming news service with tvOS app in early May

NBC News will launch its planned streaming service, NBC News Now, in early May with a streaming app for Apple TV, BESTAppleTV has learned.

NBC News President Noah Oppenheim told attendees at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, the free, ad-supported streaming service will launch with eight hours of programming, including live updates at the top of every hour.

BESTAppleTV has learned through multiple sources the service will launch with a tvOS and Roku app. Sources also report the app will include limited on-demand content at launch, but will not be immediately integrated with the Apple TV TV app, if at all.

Oppenheim confirmed the channel will also create exclusive content for the streaming service.

“We will be drawing from the reporting that takes place across all the other NBC News properties,” he said. “We will actually be reaching into other corners of NBCUniversal, E! News, sports, you name it, for some of that content.”

”When breaking news mandates, we’ll go up live as well,” Oppenheim said, but did not confirm if when breaking news warrants it the feed will come from its subscription channel, MSNBC, or a. “So for folks who don’t have a traditional cable subscription, it will be a great way to access the reporting of NBC News.”

The announcement comes years after CBS News and ABC News debuted their own free streaming news services and apps, both available on Apple TV. NBC News will be playing catchup with two services who have honed their apps and content exclusively for streaming viewers.