VIZIO expanding free content with original rom-com, major studio deals
VIZIO expanding free content with original rom-com, major studio deals
The free streaming service will be the streaming home of ‘Jingle Bells Wedding Bells,’ and is also adding content from other studios.
It’s almost time to start thinking about the holidays, and VIZIO is getting a head start on the gift-giving. The budget smart TV manufacturer, which was purchased by Walmart in 2024, has already seen a massive expansion in its footprint, but now is hoping to hook even more viewers via its free streaming channel VIZIO WatchFree+. In hopes of drawing more eyeballs to its ads, VIZIO is expanding its content offerings, including by premiering its first original Christmas movie this holiday season.
Key Details:
- Free to all: VIZIO WatchFree+ will offer an exclusive Christmas movie for free.
- Library growing: The streamer is adding a wide selection of on-demand titles and creator content.
- Evolution: Free streamers are increasingly adding original content as viewership increases.
As first reported by Deadline, VIZIO WatchFree+ will be the exclusive home of the new film “Jingle Bells Wedding Bells,” which will debut during the holiday season. The movie will star Rachel Bilson and Scott Foley and will stream for free this holiday season.
The movie is just part of the expansion coming to VIZIO WatchFree+. The streamer is also adding content from major studios like A24, Disney, MGM, and NBCUniversal, with more library titles from these studios on their way to the streamer this fall. Creator-driven content is also being added to VIZIO WatchFree+, including 40 free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels from the likes of Ben Azelart, Hot Ones, MrBeast, and more. Building on the original holiday programming, VIZIO will premiere the creator-led series “Holiday Chocolate Workshop,” which will follow chocolatier Amaury Guichon and his team of expert chocolatiers as they craft “ambitious, larger-than-life holiday masterpieces for a season-ending reveal.”
It’s all part of a program to bring more viewers to VIZIO WatchFree+, which will in turn bring more advertising dollars to the platform. It’s one of the biggest reasons why Walmart purchased VIZIO in 2024; it saw VIZIO’s smart TV interface and free streaming service as a way to ramp up advertising revenues for the retail giant.
The efforts to revamp VIZIO WatchFree+ reflect a larger trend by free streamers like Pluto TV and Tubi to evolve. Consumers are increasingly seeing free services as a viable alternative to subscription streamers that are getting more expensive every year, and original content is a way for free platforms to offer audiences a premium experience at no cost.
According to internal data, VIZIO WatchFree+ viewing hours are up 52% year over year. The VIZIO TV operating system now reaches 32 million active devices yearly, and anyone can watch VIZIO WatchFree+ — regardless of whether or not they have a VIZIO account. Keep an eye on the streamer this fall if you’re a fan of holiday movies, because it will be the only place to stream “Jingle Bells Wedding Bells” when it debuts!
VIZIO WatchFree+
WatchFree+ is VIZIO’s free streaming service, available on its SmartCast TVs. There are 260+ free channels and 6,000 titles on demand, providing immediate access to live and local programming and a wide library ranging from thousands of movies, news, sports, music, kids & family, multicultural, and more. Top channels include CNN, FOX Sports, Hallmark, ION Plus, LEGO Channel, MLB, NBC News Now, and Stories by AMC.