Viacom has acquired free ad-supported streaming service Pluto TV for $340 Million. The service which offers 100 linear channels of lifestyle, news, sports, and entertainment content through partnerships with 130 media networks.
Pluto TV has more than 12 million monthly active users, 7.5 million of which are on connected TVs. You can stream across a wide array of devices including Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, PS4, iOS, Android, and your computer.
The company is just one of the growing segment of free ad-supported streaming services including tubiTV, Xumo, and Sinclair’s recently launched STIRR.
Bob Bakish, Viacom President and CEO
“As the video marketplace continues to segment, we see an opportunity to support the ecosystem in creating products at a broad range of price points, including free. To that end, we see significant white space in the ad-supported streaming market and are excited to work with the talented Pluto TV team, and a broad range of Viacom partners, to accelerate its growth in the U.S. and all over the world.”
Viacom expects to add content from their portfolio of entertainment brands (VH1, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Nickelodeon, Logo, and CMT) to the service and help bring it to a wider audience.
Viacom has been one of the few content providers without wide distribution deals with subscription-based Live TV Streaming Services. The company currently only offers their channels on Philo, Sling TV, and AT&T TV NOW.
| DTV STREAM | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Free Trial | Get 50% Off | Sign Up | |||
| $79.99 | $91.99 | $76.99 | $25 | $40 | $40 | $72.99 | ||
| BET | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| CMT | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| Comedy Central | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| LOGO | + $40 | + $8 | - | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | - | |
| MTV | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |
| MTV2 | ✓ | + $8 | + $8 | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | - | |
| Nick Jr. | + $29 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | |
| Nickelodeon | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | - | - | ✓ | |
| Nicktoons | + $29 | + $8 | + $8 | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | - | |
| TeenNick | ✓ | + $8 | + $8 | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | - | |
| TV Land | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | - | ✓ | |
| VH1 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | + $6 | + $6 | ✓ | |