Sinclair has weighed the possibility of offering its core “stack” of multicast networks on wallet-friendly streaming television services like Frndly TV, an executive affirmed in a recent interview with The Desk.
Earlier this summer, Sinclair’s Senior Vice President of Growth Networks Adam Ware said the broadcaster was open to the idea of offering its four multicast networks — Comet, Charge, TBD and The Nest — on low-cost streaming services, even if it means those services do not necessarily offer Sinclair’s portfolio of local broadcast stations.
“Carrying the multicast networks doesn’t necessarily mean carrying our local stations,” Ware said. “I think the requirement for us is whether they have a meaningful lane, and a platform that’s a good environment for us to be in, and a loyal customer base that they’re serving. That whole space is quite interesting. It has always been interesting.”
Sinclair has distribution agreements with Dish Network’s Sling TV and Google’s YouTube TV to offer some or all of its multicast networks to subscribers. In the case of YouTube TV, the service also offers Sinclair’s local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates; Sling TV does not.
Over the past few years, Frndly TV has emerged as a partner platform for multicast networks that are typically — but not always — available on one or more local broadcast stations in a subscriber’s home market. To date, Frndly TV has distribution agreements with the E. W. Scripps Company and Weigel Broadcasting for multicast networks like Ion, Grit, MeTV, Laff, Catchy Comedy and MeTV Toons. Philo, a streaming service focused on general entertainment and lifestyle channels, offers Weigel Broadcasting’s multicast networks as well.
Services like Frndly TV and Philo are able to keep their prices low by distributing general entertainment, lifestyle and knowledge networks from programmers that do not also require carriage of more-expensive network affiliates, news or sports channels.
None of Sinclair’s over-the-air multicast networks offer national news or sports programming. (Stadium, a free over-the-air network launched by Sinclair in 2017, was rebranded to The Nest last year.) Instead, the four channels offer scripted, sketch comedy and reality-based programs that would complement the line-up of channels on budget-friendly streaming services like Frndly TV and Philo.
Television ratings data reviewed by The Desk shows three of Sinclair’s four multicast networks have seen year-over-year viewership gains in prime-time among core audiences.
The prime-time audience of Charge — which offers a slate of police procedural — is up 66 percent among adults ages 35 to 64 years old (A35-64), while comedy-centric TBD has seen its prime-time ratings increase 80 percent among A35-64 viewers. Sci-fi and supernatural network Comet targets the younger A25-54 audience, where prime-time ratings are up 62 percent on a year-over basis. All three networks have seen ratings growth during other times of the day, including daytime, overnight and weekends.
