CW To Apple TV, No Cable Subscription Needed

CW has targeted Apple TV for its next app launch, and as with Xbox 360 and Windows 8, no cable subscription will be necessary, according to a recent report from Deadline.

“This year we’re reaching more viewers on more platforms,” said CW President Mark Pedowitz during a Thursday upfront with potential advertisers.

Pedowitz noted that more than 20 percent of the network’s audience comes from digital, adding that CW “will continue to make it easy for you [to advertise] on every platform we’re on now and in the future.”

Elaborating on the app in a statement to MacRumors, the network said, “It’s a dedicated CW app that will work like our Xbox and mobile and tablet apps — no cable authentication required, full episodes of our shows available next day after air, ad-supported.”

While CW on Apple TV is great news for viewers, it’s bad news for cable companies; but then, there’s been a lot of that going around lately.

In March, rumors began to circulate that HBO could be the next to fly the cable coop, making its subscription service available digitally without the cable/satellite requirement.

If that does happen, you can bet that Showtime and some of the other premium services would follow suit.

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom (yet) for companies like Time Warner Cable, which continue to reap better-than-expected profits. Look a little closer, though, and you’ll see most of TWC’s increase comes from Internet subscriptions that subscribers use for — you guessed it — streaming.

The question most providers have yet to answer is, what happens when services like FreedomPop and Google Fiber continue to expand their high-speed reach?

Cable television ad revenues have been in a tumble for years now, and that’s not likely to recede with major players entering the market.

What do you think the future holds for cable TV providers, and do you think the CW move to Apple TV will have a significant impact on influencing other channels to follow by year’s end?