NBCUniversal Launches 'Hayu' Reality TV Streaming Service
NBCUniversal has announced a new video streaming service called 'Hayu,' and it is designed specifically for fans of reality television. The service, which will be launching in Australia, Ireland, and the United Kingdom, is a one-stop online streaming destination for NBCUniversal's reality TV shows, including The Millionaire Matchmaker and Made in Chelsea.
NBCUniversal says this is a subscription VOD service, making it similar to, for example, Netflix. It is also described as being the first reality TV-only streaming service — it'll be available on a variety of devices, including mobile and desktop, and will launch in March.
Overall, Hayu will offer a library with more than 3,000 episodes from various shows, including the aforementioned ones, Top Chef, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Don't Tell the Bride, The Real Housewives, RuPaul's Drag Race, and more. Some of the content will only be available in certain regions, though (some content is only coming to UK and Ireland subscribers, for example).
Most new episodes will be available to watch on a weekly basis, going live on the same day they air in the United States (for applicable shows). Furthermore, the company also plans to add 500 or more episodes annually. There will also be "short form content" suitable for sharing on social networks (clips, by the sounds of it).
The Hayu service will be available for a monthly fee of $5.99 AUD, 4.99 Euro in Ireland, and £3.99 in the UK. It isn't clear whether NBCUniversal has plans to bring a reality TV streaming service to other markets.
Said NBCUniversal Internationa's Chairman Kevin MacLellan:
NBCUniversal's expertise as the foremost producer of reality programming – along with the obvious popularity of the genre – was the trigger for launching hayu. We know that reality content is a primary driver of social interaction and that fans of reality TV significantly over-index in online viewing. We set out to build a service that elegantly combines the best high-end reality shows with the most popular social media and digital news platforms. Uniquely, in hayu, fans can find it all in one place.
SOURCE: NBCUniversal