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Nickelodeon to launch subscription video service

Nickelodeon to launch subscription video service

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Nickelodeon is the latest TV network with plans to roll out an online subscription service. According to Variety, Viacom — the network's parent company — announced plans for the service this morning, saying that consumers would be able to purchase it without a cable subscription. This makes Nickelodeon the latest traditional network to head online and over the top, following in the lead of HBO and CBS. Nickelodeon seemingly has a big opportunity here, too: both Netflix and Amazon have been aggressively building up libraries of kids' shows, suggesting that there's a real market waiting to be won over.

Nickelodeon's service will be focused on serving mobile devices, according to Variety. While it's unclear if the service will also allow subscribers to watch shows on their computers, it should be easy enough to get Nick's series onto a larger screen by connecting a phone or tablet to a TV through something like a Chromecast. Viacom did not announce a name for the service just yet, but it plans to unveil more details next month. That'll likely include what type of programming subscribers can expect to see from it. HBO's subscription service is also expected to launch within the next several months, and if both networks find good results, we should see more and more networks trying out this business model.