Paramount Global’s Pluto TV is marking the next step on its expansion journey, this time partnering with Corus to launch the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service in Canada later this year.
The launch is slated for this fall, delivering more than 100 curated channels and 20,000 hours of content. Corus is going to act as the ad sales representative for Pluto and providing multiple Canadian channels to the service. Pluto TV will also off a lineup of Corus Original library series across a variety of genres.
“The agreement further expands the volume of digital video inventory Corus has to offer, in a premium, brand-safe environment allowing our clients to achieve the impact of TV with the measurement and targetability of digital and connect with audiences wherever they are streaming,” said Greg McLelland, EVP and chief revenue officer for Corus Entertainment, in a statement.
The move follows another recent expansion of the service in the Nordics, where Pluto TV partnered with local broadcaster NENT. For the launch in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, Pluto TV combined with a local ad-supported video on-demand (AVOD) service Viafree – a first for the service in terms of integrating with a local AVOD. For that effort, once the combined product launches, the standalone Viafree service will be phased out.
Olivier Jollet, EVP and international general manager of Pluto TV said the partnership with Corus is a testament to the FAST service’s commitment to expanding its free TV offering to more viewers around the world.
“Following Pluto TV’s recent launch in the Nordics and the partnership we implemented with Viaplay, which served as the strategic framework for this deal, the upcoming launch in Canada will combine Corus’ incredible local content offering with Pluto TV’s global content and world class platform, positioning Pluto TV to become the leading free ad-supported streaming TV service in the country upon launch in the fall,” Jollet stated.
Pluto has said the Nordics partnership is serving as a framework as it looks to expand the FAST throughout Europe and in new continents including Australia and Africa.
During first quarter earnings, Paramount CEO Bob Bakish discussed the model with NENT, bringing local content and ad sales capabilities, saying the company believes it “will be a compelling growth model” and additional similar partners to come “as we work with local broadcasters in markets where we don’t’ have a broadcast presence.”
Pluto TV has nearly 68 million monthly active users, streaming more than 4.8 billion total viewing hours in 30 countries and territories.
Viewers will be able to access the service via the Pluto TV app for Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, Samsung and Leg Devices, as well as mobile apps on the App Store and Google Play.