Freely, the free-to-air streaming service backed by British broadcasters BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Paramount’s 5 and launching in 2024, will offer Freely Spotlight channels to enable “increased monetization opportunities” for Connected TV Operating System (CTV OS) partners via the Freely TV Guide.
Every TV, formerly known as Digital UK, the joint venture behind Freely, shared the news on Monday. Its focus is on enabling universal access to free TV in the streaming era.
The new Freely Spotlight channels will be available on channel 31 and channels 90-99 on Freely-enabled devices, meaning a total of 11 possible channels. V, formerly known as VIDAA, the company behind the VIDAA OS smart TV operating system that powers Hisense TVs, is Freely’s launch partner, bringing what the partners called “a selection of channels from their lineup to the Freely TV Guide.” V is expected to unveil and launch its channels within the Freely TV guide later this year.
“Additional channels represent an exciting new opportunity to increase discovery, viewing and advertising revenue from free-to-air broadcast channels, while providing greater choice for viewers,” said Frehley. “For CTV OS partners, the initiative creates a new, integrated way to monetize viewing through advertising and promotion of the channel, while remaining closely aligned with Freely’s core value of ensuring content that British audiences know and trust is easy to find.”
Deb Halder, Commercial Director at Every TV, said: “As Freely continues to scale, we are focused on building a platform that delivers long-term value across the entire ecosystem. Enabling CTV OS partners’ participation in specific parts of the TV Guide allows us to deliver unprecedented value to our CTV OS partners in new ways, while maintaining our commitment to UK audiences to ensure free, reliable TV remains easy to discover in the age of streaming.”
Jay Edrey, co-founder and CEO of V, said: “The UK is a strategically important market for V, and Freely represents exactly the kind of forward-thinking platform we want to partner with. Spotlight Channels allows us to deliver more high-quality free streaming content directly to viewers through Freely TV Guide – reinforcing our belief that great TV should be accessible to everyone.”
Every TV previously said Freely surpassed 1 million weekly users during Christmas week, with “continued growth in the first quarter,” it added on Monday. “Freely is independently expected to become the largest TV platform in the UK by 2030.”
Freely on Monday also revealed the introduction of Showcase on Channel 100, designed to provide viewers with a series of short, distinctive and informative how-to videos.
Freely has been integrated into new smart TVs and ‘plug and stream’ devices, bringing together live and on-demand shows from the UK’s biggest broadcasters in one place, without the need for a dish, air or monthly subscription.
