Why Are Some NBC Episodes Locked on USA Network ? from charles hensen's blog

The key icon on a video thumbnail indicates that the content can only be accessed with a subscription to one of our listed cable, dish or digital TV providers or with a credit. Why and when content may be locked is determined by business arrangements we may have with partners, including TV providers.

Viewers without a cable or satellite TV service can shop our list of digital provider partners here. Otherwise, viewers ​can still watch newly aired NBC* content for free, generally speaking:

READ MORE :  Usanetwork.com/activatenbcu

• eight days later on NBC.com and within our apps (one day later for those with a subscription to a TV provider and one day later for some select NBC shows with or without a provider)
• until they expire about five episode airings later (sooner for news/talk, later for late night).

The app also includes a library full of free content, like the latest episodes of our newest NBC shows (in their first season).

How Do NBC Credits Work? When you sign up for an NBCUniversal Profile, you receive a one-time grant of three credits. Each credit allows you to access one locked episode of an NBC TV show. Credits do not work for live streaming. Credits do not expire. Once a credit is redeemed for a given episode, that episode should remain available to you on all your devices as long as you’ve signed in with your NBC profile.

To check how many credits you have remaining, click on any locked episode. You will be offered the option to use a credit, and your balance will be displayed on the confirmation screen.

Additional credits are not available at this time.