Comcast’s plan to make TV networks available on tablet devices is rapidly turning into a real pain in the app for programming providers.
The nation’s No. 1 cable company, which is on the verge of sealing a deal to acquire NBC Universal, rolled out a new application, Xfinity TV, for Apple’s iPad last week.
The app will offer live streaming of some content and the opportunity to watch thousands of hours of on-demand content.
While that’s a welcome advance for viewers, it’s stirring up a hornet’s nest of legal issues for rights owners.
“I sell these shows in wireless, in download-to-own, and I sell them to Netflix,” one distribution chief told The Post, noting that the company recently had its lawyer send a letter to Comcast as a reminder it needed to negotiate additional rights.
“I’m not ready to just hand it over to Comcast.”
MediaWeek first reported the tensions over Comcast’s planned app, which is also going to be used on Android-powered devices.
“We work with our network partners to collaborate on the content that we offer online and on tablets and will continue to do so,” a Comcast spokeswoman said. “Many of our partners have expressed interest in making their content available to our customers on multiple devices, which we will make available this year.”
One problem for programmers is that viewing via tablets or other mobile devices isn’t yet measured by Nielsen.
According to Chris Cunningham, CEO of New York-based Appssavvy, “The larger media companies are jockeying for position to get as much distribution and adoption of their apps.
“It’s not so much about revenue but getting people to use your app. It’s great for the consumer because it’s making more stuff available for free.”
Tablet rights are a huge battleground for programmers and distributors.
For studios, a major concern is that their revenue stream from selling shows on iTunes could be hurt if a show can be recorded on DVR and stored on an iPad.catkinson@nypost.com