NBC confirms Peacock will be ad-supported

NBCUniversal revealed details about its streaming service Peacock, officially set to launch in July. Peacock will have a pricing tier that begins with a free ad-supported service; for $5, Peacock Premium will also run ads but provide access to more content and mobile access. The $10 subscriber version will be ad-free and give viewers access to a bigger catalogue and full seasons of original series. Peacock will run more than 600 movies and 400 television shows (such as The Office, pictured) as well as sports, news and live content. NBCUniversal has not yet clarified whether or not the service will expand outside of the U.S.

The Walrus appoints new executive director

Jennifer Hollett, a former MuchMusic VJ, award-winning television and radio journalist with CBC and CTV, Harvard graduate and federal NDP candidate, will succeed Shelley Ambrose as executive director of The Walrus magazine. Helen Burstyn, board chair of The Walrus Foundation said, “Jennifer is driven by purpose and mission and will bring her knowledge of the country, people, conversation, tech, and media to all activities at The Walrus.” Hollett, who most recently served as head of news and government at Twitter Canada, takes over the position in June.

Apple News tops 100 million users

More than 100 million monthly active users are tapping Apple News Inc., up from 85 million this time last year. The news app acts as an aggregator for readers in Canada, the U.S., U.K. and Australia pulling content from magazines, newspapers and online outlets. Apple News launched in 2015 and in 2019 an updated version was made available with the option of a paid subscription version. Late last year it was reported the company was considering a bundle option for customers combining Apple News+ with Apple Music and Apple TV+ which launched in November 2019.