California-based TV maker Vizio announced today that WatchFree+, its free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service, is dialing things up in the wake of what it’s calling “record growth.” That means it’s adding new features and expanding its channel and title offerings by partnering with Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, and more.

Since adding the “Plus” to its name in 2021, Vizio’s WatchFree+ streaming service, which is available on its SmartCast TVs, has seen steady growth — the service also recently added Philo to its smart TVs. In today’s announcement, Vizio says that viewing hours for the service have more than doubled in the past year, according to their own internal data.

Until today, the service boasted 260-plus free channels of live local TV, movies, shows, news, sports, kids programming, and more, with an additional library of more than 6,000 on-demand titles. With today’s announcement, WatchFree+ now boosts those numbers to 300 channels, 15,000 on-demand titles, and 10 Vizio-curated channels that are programmed in-house, it says.

Contributing to those new numbers is some “premium programming” that Vizio has added to WatchFree+, including channels, shows, and other on-demand content from its new expanded partnerships with Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, Sony, and Electric Entertainment.

Highlights of that programming includes 11 new channels from Warner Bros. Discovery, such as Bachelor Nation, and shows including reality series Say Yes to the Dress, and the Maggie Q drama Nikita. From Lionsgate, WatchFree+ gets six new Lionsgate-branded channels, including MovieSphere by Lionsgate that will show blockbuster films, Ebony TV by Lionsgate, which is tailored to Black audiences, and women’s channel HerSphere by Lionsgate. Lionsgate will also add the game show Celebrity Name Game and reality thriller show Ghost Hunters to the roster in the near future. On offer from independent movie and TV production house Electric Entertainment is a “24/7 channel of the cult-classic and drama series Leverage,” which is exclusive to WatchFree+, and a forthcoming ElectricNow FAST channel.

Vizio also announced the addition of new channels to its own curated special interest programming lineup that already includes its crime show channel Investigation and the food and travel channel Fork & Flight. Making it an even 10, Vizio adds Comedy Club that features stand-up specials and documentaries on comedians, and Valor, a channel dedicated to movies and series about the American military.

Lastly, Vizio’s announcement today included some menu and navigation updates to WatchFree+’s Electronic Program Guide, including new categories such as History, Documentaries, Nature + Science, and Mood + Ambiance.

“WatchFree+ has solidified its position as the premium, free streaming destination for Vizio households, thanks to our ever-expanding content offering, major studio and network partnerships, and enhanced user experience,” said Katherine Pond, group vice president of Platform Content & Partnerships. “With these latest programming additions and product updates, WatchFree+ continues to deliver an entertainment experience that consumers love.”

Related Posts

YouTube’s Home feed is becoming whatever you ask it to be

The feature, called "Your custom feed," gives people a more direct way to break out of the usual recommendation mix. A viewer can ask for something outside their normal watch patterns, or narrow the experience around a particular moment, such as short guided meditations after work.

Sony launches True RGB TVs in the Bravia series, and it’s the start of a whole new era

Sony claims this results in the largest color volume ever achieved in its home TV lineup. The company has been working toward this for over two decades, starting with the Qualia 005 back in 2004. True RGB is Sony's attempt to combine the best of Mini LED and OLED into one panel, offering purer colors, brighter images, and better performance in well-lit rooms.

Spotify just made it easier to catch up on long reads without actually reading

In a post on its website, Spotify said that over 650 long-form magazine articles are now available to listen to. The curated collection is produced by Spotify's in-house audiobooks team and pulls from some of the biggest names in publishing, including Rolling Stone, The Atlantic, Vogue, Variety, Billboard, GQ, WIRED, Vanity Fair, and Pitchfork.