Crackle is introducing a new linear TV feature dubbed "Always On," which will begin streaming a scheduled program whenever a user opens Crackle. The move gives viewers a TV-like experience in addition to the 100% on-demand experience that Crackle has been. Crackle will launch Always On exclusively on Roku devices in May, with other platforms to follow during the summer.

Always On helps differentiate Crackle and appeal to TV-oriented ad buyers, a stated goal when it decided to pull out of the NewFronts this year. The hybrid linear/on-demand approach will be powered by Adobe Primetime under a broader deal also announced yesterday. Adobe Primetime will provide playback, ad insertion and DRM for Crackle.

Adobe's Lalit Balchandani told me the new deal expands on an existing relationship in which Crackle was using Adobe Analytics. A key part of the new deal leverages Adobe Audience Manger, which allows Crackle to build profiles and segment audiences to serve them unique content. In other words, unlike a traditional TV network, in which everyone tunes into the same feed, with Always On, what's streaming when a viewer initiates a session will be customized based on their prior usage.

Importantly, Audience Manager also verifies viewers for advertising purposes. Later this year, when Adobe's previously announced deal with Nielsen is implemented, this audience data will become part of Nielsen's Digital Content Ratings, enhancing ad buyers' viewer targeting.

Lalit said Crackle had been using mainly in-house technology solutions, but switched to Adobe to gain consistent playback across devices, unified DRM and ad insertion/optimization.

In addition to the Always On differentiator, Crackle also announced a variety of new original programming including its first one hour scripted series "The Art of More," an animated comedy series, "SuperMansion" and Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser," a made-for-digital sequel, along with the sixth season of Jerry Seinfeld's "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee," among others.