Comcast and Xumo have launched the Xfinity What to Watch Channel on the Xumo app, in what the companies say is an industry-first for free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) services.
The new addition is a 24/7 liner channel featuring thematic Xumo movies and tv shows alongside Xfinity editorial programming, with watch recommendations from Xfinity’s team of movie and TV editors.
Bringing an editorial component into the mix is helping to drive consumption on FAST services, according to new Xumo data. According to Xumo, in 2021 programming that was incorporated as part of the service’s editorial stunts and promotions saw a 5x bump in viewing versus the pre-editorial average.
Xumo SVP of marketing and content operations Fern Fiestel said in a statement that the FAST service is looking for ways to build more engaging experiences for viewers and help users find shows and movies they want to watch, noting that Xumo has tens of thousands of hours of free programming.
“With the launch of the Xfinity What to Watch channel, we are taking our editorial strategy and programming to the next level by partnering with the Xfinity team, who has been curating and creating content collections across its platforms for more than 10 years, to create dynamic programming that will help our viewers discover something new across our growing catalog of choices,” Fiestel continued.
Alongside the curated programming blocks, the live channel will also see Xfinity’s own editorial series Xfinity Hangouts and What to Watch Live, as an additional way to help users find something to watch. The Xfinity Hangouts series has been around since 2019 and features conversations between editors and starts from the latest tv show and movies. What to Watch Live debuted more recently in 2021 and is a series where editors discuss the newest titles in entertainment.
The new What to Watch channel is available starting today on the Xumo app across devices, and Comcast customers can also find the channel via voice remote with the X1, Flex, or XClass TV.
Xumo was one of the early FAST players on the scene and was acquired by Comcast in 2020. It features more than 200 free ad-supported TV channels and is available across a variety of platforms and smart TVs. Xumo is also teed up to be incorporated into a forthcoming streaming platform developed by Charter and Comcast as part of a newly formed joint venture.