FreeCast is launching a new free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel called Test Drive Live, a shoppable network that will be distributed through FreeCast’s own streaming platform and on Roku, the company announced on Friday.
Test Drive Live highlights trending and social media-popular products with a focus on transparency and consumer utility rather than overt branding or traditional ad placements. The channel is positioned as a response to evolving media consumption habits, where interactive and on-demand content increasingly supplants linear programming.
Designed to bridge e-commerce with streaming, Test Drive Live aims to modernize the traditional shopping channel experience by combining unboxing videos, live demonstrations, and expert reviews—all within a seamless, shoppable interface. The platform leverages direct partnerships with manufacturers and sellers, often offering products below retail price.
After initially launching on Roku and FreeCast, Test Drive Live is expected to make its way to other connected TV as FAST platforms in the coming weeks, including Amazon’s Fire TV, Android TV (Google TV), Apple TV, Xbox and Apple iOS.
“This isn’t your parents’ cable shopping channels — instead, it’s shopper-centric and designed to inform ready-to-buy viewers on the projects they’re considering,” William Mobley, the CEO of FreeCast, said in a statement. “Unboxing lets you see exactly what you’re getting, demos let you see the product in action, and an honest and straightforward review helps you decide. Those are the experiences people actively seek out via Google or YouTube, and that’s very different from the infomercial-style programming you’ll see on traditional shopping channels.”
Built on FreeCast’s proprietary FAST platform, the channel also demonstrates the company’s strategic focus on enabling advanced advertising and shoppable media experiences at scale. This launch marks another step in FreeCast’s effort to expand its footprint in the streaming ecosystem, while offering a differentiated value proposition to content partners and advertisers.
FreeCast said Test Drive Live will serve as a proof of the company’s intention to bring advanced advertising and shoppable media experiences at scale, as well as FreeCast’s differentiated streaming offerings in the space.
