Plex adds Lionsgate content to ad-supported streaming service

Plex is partnering with Lionsgate to grow its library of ad-supported video on demand content prior to the planned rollout to consumers in late 2019.

This is the second deal that Plex has announced. Last month the company reached an agreement with Warner Bros.

“Lionsgate is one of the biggest names in the business, and we know our millions of users will enjoy free access to their library of movies,” said Plex CEO Keith Valory in a statement. “Plex caters to the most passionate and discerning media lovers all over the world, so it is important for us to be able to bring great content like this together in one beautiful app for all of our users across the globe.”

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Starting later this year, Plex users in the United States will be able to access a package of library feature film titles from Warner Bros. along with Lionsgate content. The service will be offered within the core Plex app alongside other services the platform offers like access to over-the-air broadcast television, DVR content and personal media libraries.

Plex’s AVOD right now is primarily offering programmatic advertising. In 2020, the company expects to develop an internal ad sales team, but for now it partners with SpotX for programmatic sales within its news shows and web series.

Besides providing access for advertisers and agencies to new audiences, Plex is pledging to be more generous than other AVOD providers in sending user data back to content companies. Valory said that it won’t provide any data to content providers about what’s in Plex users’ personal media libraries, but it will provide a lot of the anonymous, aggregated usage data that comes from opt-in third-party content viewing.

“We’ve got a lot of usage data that we’re more than willing to share with ad partners and content partners, as opposed to using that data as leverage in negotiations,” Valory said.