Samsung recently proclaimed itself the worldwide leader in free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) by channel count. Now, the global electronics company is ready to program a FAST channel of its own.
Starting this week, users of Samsung phones, tablets and smart TVs have access to the Samsung Television Network, a new 24-hour channel programmed by the electronics company with a slate of original shows and live events.
The network was debuted on Tuesday as part of Samsung’s comprehensive presentation at the IAB NewFronts.
The Samsung Television Network curates programming from a handful of other Samsung-exclusive FAST channels, including Letterman TV (offers clips from David Letterman’s late night TV programs) and Conan O’Brien TV (same, but with Conan O’Brien’s shows), along with licensed TV shows and movies like the BBC-AMC Network drama “Killing Eve.”
Over time, Samsung will incorporate exclusive live events into the Samsung Television Network, including a forthcoming concert by the Jonas Brothers in August, the company said.
“As the number one streaming service on Samsung TVs, we’re not just following viewer trends — we’re shaping them,” Salek Brodsky, the Senior Vice President and Global Head of Samsung TV Plus, said in a statement on Tuesday.
Brodsky continued: “Through deep insights and personalized curation, we’re delivering the content audiences love in an unbeatable format. We’re rewriting the rules of streaming and teaming up with A-list talent to bring exclusive entertainment to the biggest screen in the home.”
The strategy has already paid off for Samsung with its other FAST channels offered through Samsung TV Plus: The platform has experienced a 30 percent growth in viewership this year alone, “and with our newly announced partnerships, we’re positioning Samsung TV Plus for even greater momentum and market leadership in the year ahead,” Brodsky affirmed.
Like other streaming TV hardware makers, Samsung’s platform business is becoming a bigger part of the company’s bottom line, and it has been laser-focused on building Samsung TV Plus into a destination for viewers and advertisers alike.
In addition to exclusive curated channels from Letterman and O’Brien, Samsung said it will soon launch a new FAST channel in partnership with Spotify that offers replays of popular shows from “The Ringer,” the company’s sports and pop culture podcast brand.
Other brands that are launching FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus include Bally Sports, which will offer live Minor League Baseball games through a channel called Bally Sports Live; music and pop culture publishing brand Billboard; and dedicated Victory Sports Plus channels with streaming broadcasts of Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars hockey games.
Samsung is hoping the new content offerings will win over advertisers, with the company noting its position as the world’s top smart TV manufacturer for more than 19 years.
“It’s no longer enough for marketers to justify the status quo — they need breakthrough performance, and that’s exactly what Samsung Ads is built to deliver,” Michael Scott, the Vice President and Head of Ad Sales and Operations at Samsung Ads, said on Tuesday. “This year, we’re empowering our partners to go beyond the limits of traditional CTV with next-gen innovation, strategic partnerships, and tools that turn attention into action and media into measurable impact.”
In addition to the late night comics, Jonas Brothers concert and licensed shows and sports, Samsung is leaning into the creator economy, with programming from Smosh, the Try Guys, Epic Gardening, the Sorry Girls, Donut Media and Michelle Khare coming over the next few weeks and months.
