NBC
Pictured: (l-r) Michael Sluchan, EVP, Programming and Lim. Series Peacock & NBCUniversal Cable; Randy Dugan, Producer; Deidre Hall, Drake Hogestyn, Ken Corday, Executive Producer; Jackée Harry, Janet Drucker, Executive Producer; Jim Reynolds, Cherise Masukawa, Director of Scripted Programming NBCUniversal TV and Streaming; Ron Carlivati, Head Writer.
Days of our Lives viewers will have to pony up more cash to keep watching their favorite soap if they want to see more of John and Marlena’s adventures as well as the rest of their Salem favorites. Peacock, the streamer that carries the daytime drama, is raising its prices this summer. The hike goes into effect starting July 18 (just ahead of the 2024 Olympics) for new customers, while existing subscribers will see the increase with their next billing date on or after August 17.
The price for Peacock Premium (with ads) will increase from $5.99 to $7.99 per month. Peacock Premium Plus, which is mostly ad-free, is also going up by $2 from $11.99 to $13.99 per month. Meanwhile, Peacock Premium’s annual price is rising from $59.99 to $79.99, and Premium Plus is going from $119.99 to $139.99 per year.
Peacock had 34 million subscribers as of the end of the first quarter of 2024. While that’s less than rival streamers like Netflix, Hulu and Disney+, it was up 55% year-over year with a net gain of 3 million subscribers in Q1. The average revenue per subscriber in the quarter was $10 per month.
Days of our Lives had aired for free on NBC from November 8, 1965 to September 9, 2022, nearly 57 years. However, the decision was made to move the show exclusively to Peacock in 2022, with its first episode streaming on September 12, 2022.
At the time of the move, Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, said in a statement, “This programming shift benefits both Peacock and NBC and is reflective of our broader strategy to utilize our portfolio to maximize reach and strengthen engagement with viewers. With a large percentage of the Days of our Lives audience already watching digitally, this move enables us to build the show’s loyal fan base on streaming, while simultaneously bolstering the network daytime offering with an urgent, live programming opportunity for partners and consumers.”
