Sony has launched a curated collection of more than 100 free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels on its PlayStation 5 consoles in the United States, the company announced on Monday.
The new service, called “Live TV on PS5,” offers movies, TV shows, anime, sports, news, weather, gaming, e-sports, creator-led entertainment, documentaries and podcasts. Users can access the service from the Media tab on the PS5 home screen, select the Live TV on PS5 icon, then sign in with a PlayStation account.
The launch gives Sony a direct free streaming offering inside one of its most important consumer platforms, while giving advertisers another way to reach console users who may be less active in traditional television and connected television environments.
At launch, Live TV on PS5 will include movie channels such as MovieSphere by Lionsgate, 50 Cent Action, FilmRise Free Movies, Sony One Horror Hits and Cinevault. Television programming will include “Community,” “The Shield,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “The Walking Dead,” “Forensic Files,” “Unsolved Mysteries,” “Deal or No Deal USA,” “Fear Factor” and “Ice Road Truckers.”
Peter Wood, the Executive Vice President of Consumer Platforms and Services at Sony Pictures Entertainment, said PlayStation users are already spending time with games and video, but may not be reachable through other connected television platforms as often.
“When you look at sort of the habits and behaviors of this community, they are gaming and engaging with video and they’re probably not showing up in other connected TV environments often,” Wood said in an interview with a trade publication on Monday.
Anime will be a significant part of the lineup, reflecting Sony’s ownership of Crunchyroll. The service will include “Naruto,” “Sailor Moon,” “Hunter x Hunter” and “Death Note,” along with exclusive Crunchyroll channels tied to “Black Clover” and box set programming.
Sports and news programming will include content from Fox Sports, NASCAR, NBC Sports Now, UFC, NBC News Now, Fox Weather and LiveNOW from Fox. Additional programming will come from creator and specialty brands including “Hot Ones,” Spotify’s “The Ringer,” Futcrunch, Idle Mode and eCLUTCH, which is described as exclusive to the service.
Sony didn’t say who was providing the FAST channels on its new service, but many of them are also found on Xumo Play, the streaming service backed by Charter and Comcast’s joint venture Xumo, which powers a similar experience found on Google’s smart TVs.
Sony is working with Publica and PubMatic on connected television advertising tied to the service. Wood said the company is focused on making advertising relevant to PlayStation users as it expands the offering.
