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A&E, History Channel, and Lifetime Channels Added to Apple TV

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Apple today has added new channels from A&E Networks to its Apple TV, including A&E, The History Channel and Lifetime. Select Apple TV owners will be able to watch episodes from popular TV shows such as Duck Dynasty, Storage Wars, and Project Runway.

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These new channels on the Apple TV offer a preview to all users, but full content is only available to cable television subscribers. Currently, the service is available to customers who subscribe to DirecTV, Verizon FiOS, and Cablevision Optimum, with support for additional providers coming in the near future.

The addition of these channels is part of a larger push by A&E Networks to expand their content beyond broadcast TV. Earlier this month, the network updated both its A&E [iTunes Link] and History Channel apps [iTunes Link], letting iOS owners stream live episodes of popular shows to their iPhone or iPad. Similar to the Apple TV, this iOS-based live streaming requires a valid cable subscription.

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Top Rated Comments

0815 Avatar
0815
160 months ago
It is really getting time for a new UI ... getting way to cluttered and not well integrated.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
H
Hairllama
160 months ago
Very little point to adding this clutter to the AppleTV when cable subscriptions are required, but a number of large cable providers are not on board. To me it seems like the point of being able to have the content on the AppleTV would be to get around having a cable subscription.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
sfwalter Avatar
sfwalter
160 months ago
Great so the 8 hours a week History channel isn't showing Pawn Stars I will still be able to get my Pawn Stars fix.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
L
Lord Hamsa
160 months ago
Hopefully in before the "why do I need a cable subscription?" complaints.

The model is what it is, and will take time to alter. Putting the infrastructure in place to potentially allow ala carte programming is a good thing. Yes, for now, it's tied to your cable provider, but over time, it's possible that some or all may go with independent subscriptions, depending on contract terms with the cable/satellite companies.

That said, I will whine about Apple needing a proper "App Store" for ATV channels, and opening that up to 3rd-party developers if they really want to get this ball rolling.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
W
winston1236
160 months ago
Whats the point if you have to have a cable subscription anyway? So you pay for cable and watch the channel on another box and just don't use the cable box?
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Y
Yelmurc
160 months ago
Crap more channels I'll need to remove.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
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