LG Channels, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service available on LG smart TVs, is teeing up free movie features for a limited time in September and adding a handful of new channels to its content lineup.
New channels include TripleB Media’s ACL Cornhole TV, featuring coverage of American Cornhole League events and original programming; DUST from Gunpowder & Sky, focused on sci-fi movies, TV and short films; Love Nature from BlueAnt Media, a channel focused on stories of nature’s beauty; and Stingray’s Nothin’ but the 90s music channel. Also new this month is Spanish-language news and entertainment channel Estrella TV from Estrella Media.
Estrella Media and LG announced in early August that the media company would be launching three FAST channels on the smart TV maker’s platform. In addition to the flagship Estrella TV, those included Cine Estrella TV, a 24-hour channel featuring curated Latin American movies, as well as the Estrella News channel.
LG’s total channel tally now stands at over 350.
As for its September limited-time movie promo, LG will be featuring hits starring Jim Carrey including “The Mask” and “Yes Man.” Also on the docket are “Million Dollar Baby,” “P.S. I Love You,” “Doc Hollywood,” “The Rookie,” and “Going the Distance.”
LG announced the latest editions as other smart TV OEMs made notable announcements for their FAST platforms this week. Samsung unveiled a logo branding and platform refresh for Samsung TV Plus, alongside new content partnerships for new originals and channels, as well as more on-demand content as it pours more energy into FAST and focuses on building up premium programming on the service.
“We have seen the engagement numbers just go through the roof the past three or four years” on the FAST platform, Sang Kim, SVP of product and marketing at Samsung, told Fierce Video in an interview this week. He said the response from users, content partners and advertisers to participate for FAST “has been fairly overwhelming.
Samsung is funneling investment into technology and people, but most heavily into higher quality content, Kim noted.
Meanwhile, smart TV OEM Vizio this week expanded FAST programming on its WatchFree+ with four cable channels from Scripps Networks that bring popular series like “NCIS,” and “Law & Order: SVU” among others to the service.
In a recent column by TVREV’s Alan Wolk, the analyst pointed to the advantage of OEM-owned FASTs in that they own the TV OS interface, which he said enables them to promote programming and personalize the interface experience thanks to automatic content recognition (ACR) data collection.
“If you are the OEMs, keep on doing what you are doing. Owning the hardware and the software, not to mention your own ACR data gives you a huge advantage,” wrote Wolk. “You are also a different beast than media company-owned FASTs like Pluto TV and Tubi, and there is a need for all of you in the greater ecosystem.”