NBC announced its streaming app Peacock, a new platform for sports coverage. It allowed users to watch live events and comment on the show for free. The app is a bit like the peacocks of Southern California. It fails to live up its promises and many people are confused when they try to tune into Peacock instead of NBCs various platforms.AdvertisementPeacock was originally planned by NBC to be launched in time for the Tokyo Olympics 2020. After the Games were delayed due to COVID-19, NBCUniversal launched the platform in April 2020. The soft launch was followed by a wider rollout a few months later. There is a paid subscription option that gives access to more content, as well as a free version with ads. (Xfinity Internet users, as well as those with cable, can access the middle tier on Peacock for expanded viewing options.AdvertisementAdvertisementNow that the Olympics are over, NBC is once again promoting Peacock. It has made use of both advertising and social media to promote the idea that you could watch certain events live via the app.AdvertisementPeacock can be used to view live Olympics coverage, but that is quite a stretch considering the time zone differences. Peacock is confusing in its own right. Peacock has a website and a smart TV app. Both offer on-demand content, where you can choose which events/shows to watch, as well as live channels. Imagine Netflix mixed with live content.The majority of Peacock coverage of Tokyo is prerecorded episodes with replays and highlights, commentary by Snoop Dogg, and a live (at the least for the first time) daily highlights program from the NFL Networks Rich Eisen. Eight hours of daily coverage is taken up by Eisens Tokyo Gold recap show, seven hours of which are replays of the previous one.AdvertisementPeacock's on-demand offering also includes Snoop Dogg & Kevin Harts humorous take on Olympics coverage. This includes highbrow insights such as Snoops suggestion that American jumper Will Claye wear smaller shoes and put on size 6s in order to avoid making false starts in competition.AdvertisementOne positive aspect of Peacocks coverage is Her Turf. This program airs every day from 7 to 7:30 Eastern during competitions and focuses on Team USA's female stars like Alix Klineman and Katie Ledecky. Peacock spends sevenseven hours repeating highlights and then focuses for only 30 minutes on American women. This begs the question of how committed they are to elevating female sports stories.AdvertisementWhat about the live coverage? It's very limited. A NBC Sports article outlines Peacock streaming's schedule. It focuses mainly on track prelims and gymnastics, but it is limited to early morning content. Although the Peacock Olympics coverage schedule is still being determined, I have not been able to find any live content each night when I check. While some of this may be due to time differences (though other NBC channels still have coverage at the time), Peacock will broadcast both the women's and men's team gymnastics finals free of charge, but you need to upgrade to Peacock Premium for $4.99 per month to view any men's basketball coverage (unless you have Xfinity Internet, or a cable subscription). You can also get rid of the ads by paying $5 moreAdvertisementAdvertisementBut this is the point: NBC does not want you to have unlimited streaming. It wants you to buy a subscription. Executives have been working for over a year to increase subscriptions via this single event. They have followed the strategy of exclusive content-driven subscription models that have been a hallmark of the launches of platforms such as Disney+ and HBO Max. It has worked, and Peacock had its highest Saturday ratings ever.It would be easy to believe that live coverage won't be so bothersome after a year of planning. For example, Wednesdays Iran vs. U.S. mens basketball game? It can only be viewed on Peacock and NBCs Olympics website. You cannot watch it on cable.AdvertisementRecap: The majority of events are not live on Peacock. Peacock's paid version only allows you to view some events, especially popular ones. You will need to switch between cable and streaming devices if you want to see everything. That is assuming you have cable.Figuring out if the event stream is on the NBC app, the NBC Sports app, or the Peacock app https://t.co/Cboi4pqlrF Rich Uncle Skeleton (@lavatwin) July 25, 2021Slates' resident gymnastics expert Rebecca Schuman said that she grew tired hearing the name Peacock.Future Tense is a collaboration between Slate, New America and Arizona State University. It examines emerging technologies and public policy.
