NBCUniversal, Amazon strike FAST channel deal for local NBC, Telemundo stations
Looking to grow their existing partnership and expand the reach of local news content, NBCUniversal and Amazon are taking NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations’ local news channels to the Amazon News app on Fire TV and Echo Show devices.
The deal fundamentally allows US-based customers to access premium local breaking news coverage and original content from NBC and Telemundo stations in the top TV regions 24/7, by streaming the stations’ free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels.
The channels now available on Fire TV include: Noticias Telemundo Noreste; Noticias Telemundo California; Noticias Telemundo Texas; Noticias Telemundo Florida; NBC News in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Boston Bay Area, South Florida, San Diego and Connecticut.
NBCUniversal Local’s FAST portfolio includes 11 NBC station local news channels, and four Telemundo station regional news channels powered by multiple stations in each region. The 24/7 local channels’ expanding distribution, which varies by channel, already includes the Peacock streaming service, Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel and Xumo Play.
NBCUniversal has also made Peacock available on Fire TV, as well as TODAY All Day and Dateline 24/7 FAST Channels. In addition, network apps including NBC, Bravo, E!, Oxygen, Syfy, USA, Universal Kids, MSNBC, NBC News, CNBC, NBC Sports and Telemundo are available on Fire TV.
The Amazon News app comes built into the Fire TV experience on all Fire TV streaming media players and smart TVs in the US. When viewers open the News app on the Fire TV home screen for the first time, they can select the news that matters most to them from national and local sources. Additionally, Echo Show customers can watch local news channels in 250 cities from more than 300 local news providers.
“We are thrilled to bring our NBC and Telemundo stations’ local news, weather and community information to Fire TV audiences and Echo Show users,” said Meredith McGinn, executive vice president of diginets and local production, NBCUniversal Local. “Powered by our NBC and Telemundo stations in the country’s top TV regions, our local news streaming channels deliver a premium news offering for English and Spanish-speakers, and we cannot wait to introduce our respected news brands to Amazon’s streaming audiences.”