Rakuten has expanded its AVOD offering with the launch of over 90 free linear channels in 42 European markets.
The line-up will vary in each territory, comprising a variety of categories, including movies, entertainment, lifestyle, music, sports, news, TV shows and kids. The offer will bring together global brands such as Bloomberg TV, Bloomberg Quicktake, CNNi (available in the UK, Germany and Poland), Euronews (the first live channel integrated into Rakuten TV’s AVOD offer), Qwest TV, Reuters, and XUMO-powered content, including eight Stingray channels, The Hollywood Reporter channel and brands from Condé Nast such as Glamour, GQ, Vanity Fair, Vogue and Wired.
Audiences will be offered a selection of local content through partnerships top European media groups for the launch of new channels, such as FilmRise, Real Stories, Timeline and the Lego channel in the UK; ¡Hola! Play and Planeta Junior (kids and family entertainment content) in Spain; L’atelier des chefs, Luxe, Motosport and Humanity in France; as well as established channels; Netzkino, Waidwerk Free, Tierwelt Live and Deluxe Lounge HD in Germany; and Bizzarro Movies and Cinema Segreto in Italy.
Furthermore, viewers will be able to watch Rakuten TV’s own channels, a broad and varied selection of content curated by categories, based on specific genres and interests: action, comedy, drama, British films, family, documentaries, thriller, romance, spotlight (featuring Rakuten TV original and exclusive content as well as a selection of movies) and Top Free (a selection that highlights the best films currently available on the platform).
Commenting on the expansion, Jacinto Roca, founder and CEO at Rakuten TV, said: “We are eager to contribute once again to the disruption of the entertainment industry with this major step on the growth and innovation on Rakuten TV, which aims to enrich our business model and content offer.
“At a time when the entertainment sector is living an unprecedented transformation, and consumption habits are constantly evolving, we are striving to adapt our business model to meet users and advertisers needs at once”.
Rakuten notes that this extensive offer will also broaden opportunities for advertisers, enabling them to place ad inventory across the enhanced portfolio of more than 90 free linear channels, with an estimated number of 1.5 billion ad impressions to be generated in 2021.
