Adding more millennials-focused fare to the mix, Sling TV has added Newsy and Flama to its core, $20 per month “Best of Live TV” package.
Newsy, acquired by E.W. Scripps’s in 2013 for $35 million, offers a blend of on-demand coverage spanning world and national news, culture, technology, science, and policy. Univision and Bedrocket launched Flama, a digital network focused on young Latino audiences, in April 2014.
Distribution on Sling TV will expand Newsy’s and Flama’s reach. Dish Network no longer breaks out how many of its video subs are on Sling TV, but The Wall Street Journal reported last month that the OTT-TV service has more than 600,000 subscribers. Sling TV launched nationally in February 2015.
"Launching Newsy on Sling TV brings our brand of news for younger Americans to a platform that is catering to those who don't subscribe to traditional pay TV," said Blake Sabatinelli, general manager of Newsy, in a statement. "Sling TV subscribers are a perfect fit for the unique take on news and entertainment that we provide. Our team's approach to bringing context to the day's big stories adds much-needed perspective viewers won't get from old-school news brands."
Newsy’s other distribution outlets also include Watchable, Comcast’s new OTT video service skewed to younger audiences, Pluto TV and Xumo, an OTT platform currently focused on smart TVs, with plans to extend access to Web browsers and mobile apps. Newsy has also developed apps for iOS and Android mobile devices, Apple TV, Roku, Amazon’s Fire TV and is optimized for the Google Chromecast.
Flama, meanwhile, has gained access on several platforms, including Verizon’s go90 “mobile-first” OTT service.
