Warner Bros. Discovery, turning from its subscription-streaming-only model in a big way, has made deals to launch free, ad-supported streaming television channels on the Roku and Tubi platforms.
The programming heading to free, ad-supported television (FAST) channels includes Westworld, which was canceled and pulled from WBD’s HBO Max in order to save money and create tax write-offs at the debt-laden media company.
Tubi plans to launch 14 WBD-branded FAST channels. Westworld, Raised by Wolves, Legendary, FBoy Island, The Nevers, Finding Magic Mike, Head of the Class and The Time Traveler’s Wife will be featured on three new channels that will be created and curated by Tubi.
Another 11 channels based on genres will also launch on Fox-owned Tubi. Those channels will feature shows including Cake Boss, My Cat from Hell, Breaking Amish, Caribbean Life, How It’s Made, Paranormal Lockdown, Murder Chose Me, Mysteries at the Museum, A Wedding Story and My Five Wives.
Tubi will also be getting access to a number of films and other programming that will be available on demand.
“Tubi’s innovative platform and these new channels are one more way we are bringing Warner Bros. Discovery’s vast array of content to our fans,” David Decker, president of Warner Bros. Discovery Content Sales, added. “Tubi is an incredible client, and we’re excited to expand our relationship with these new channels.
Here are the WB channels coming to Tubi:
- WB TV Watchlist: a collection of premium television series including Westworld, Raised by Wolves, The Nevers and Time Traveler’s Wife.
- WB TV Keeping It Real: A collection of unscripted television series including Legendary, FBoy Island and Finding Magic Mike.
- WB TV All Together: A collection of family-friendly series, including Head of the Class.
Additional FAST channels coming to Tubi, with content also available on-demand, include:
- WB TV Sweet Escapes: Features cake-making and baking competitions.
- WB TV Paws & Claws: Shows featuring pets, including Dogs 101 and My Cat from Hell.
- WB TV Slice of Life: Discover the unique lives of people from all corners of the world with shows including Extreme Couponing, Breaking Amish and My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.
- WB TV Welcome Home: Real estate and interior design shows like Caribbean Life, Buying Hawaii and Bahamas Life.
- WB TV At the Movies: Classic films from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s.
- WB TV How To: Find the answers to questions with curiosity-inspiring series including How It’s Made, How to Build Everything and How the Earth Works.
- WB TV Supernatural: Real-life stories of ghosts, goblins and other out-of-this-world entities.
- WB TV Crime Series: Crime scenes, unsolved cases, intense investigations and more with Murder Chose Me, A Crime to Remember and Murder Comes to Town.
- WB TV Mysteries: Untold stories of unexplained, unsolved and unknown mysteries from around the world including shows like Mysteries at the Museum, Mysteries at the Monument and Off Limits.
- WB TV Love & Marriage: Say “I do” to wedding shows, including Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta, Four Weddings and A Wedding Story.
- WB TV Family Rules: Unconventional couples ando unbelievable stories about real-life families, including Long Lost Family, The Little Couple and My Five Wives.
- WB TV Keeping It Real: Reality shows from The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, Finding Magic Mike and Fboy Island.
- WB TV All Together: Stories that feel like home and characters who feel like family.
“Warner Bros. Discovery has a catalogue that TV lovers can't get enough of and Tubi is proudly making many of these recent hits from Warner Bros. Discovery available to new audiences this month,” Tubi chief content officer Adam Lewinson said. “From critically acclaimed and groundbreaking to lighthearted and addicting, our new WB branded FAST channels and on-demand offering will speak to each of Tubi’s distinct audience communities.”
The Roku fast channels are scheduled to arrive in Spring 2003. The deal also calls for about 2,000 hours of on-demand content from Warner Bros Discovery to be available on demand on the Roku platform and appear on The Roku Channel.
“As FAST continues to explode in popularity amongst cord-cutters, we’re seeing content players increasingly shift their focus towards capturing this audience, by bringing some of their best stuff to FAST,” Roku VP, programming Rob Holmes said.
“The rapid expansion of premium content on FAST is a win for both the viewer and content owner, as well as advertisers looking to reach these audiences through well-known programming. We’re delighted to be one of Warner Bros. Discovery’s inaugural FAST partners, and we look forward to introducing its incredible TV series, films, and entertainment brands to a whole new audience on The Roku Channel,” Holmes said.
Shows available on Roku will include Westworld, The Bachelor, Cake Boss, Say Yes to the Dress and F-Boy Island.
“We love working with world-class, cutting-edge partners like The Roku Channel,” Decker said. “Their innovative platforms provide us with new ways to bring our valuable content to fans across the country.” ■
