FX will add pay channel
FX has struck a deal with Comcast to offer a commercial-free experience for its currently airing shows, and some older ones, through a service, called FX+, that will start in September.
For $5.99 a month, about 17 million Comcast subscribers will be eligible to watch current seasons of shows like “The Americans,” “Atlanta” and “American Horror Story” without ads. They will also get access to a library of older shows, including “Louie” and “Nip/Tuck.”
FX’s move is only a baby step toward competing directly with Netflix and HBO, which offer current and past seasons of a legion of popular shows.
But the agreement with Comcast is nevertheless significant, and another sign that a subscription-based business model has become more important as ratings have fallen throughout the television industry.
Current seasons of shows will be available commercial free, but much of the network’s back catalog is claimed by other providers. Older episodes of “The Americans” are found on Amazon, and the first season of “The People vs. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” is on Netflix. “Atlanta,” FX’s breakout comedy, also has a streaming deal with Hulu.
The announcement signals that the network may be less inclined to make these lucrative deals with streaming services. Though the money is a shot in the arm in the short term, the network is finding that the long-term rights are more valuable because the programs can be used to entice potential subscribers.