Home / Arts and Entertainment / Streaming Giants Merge, Free Services Expand
Streaming Giants Merge, Free Services Expand
11 Oct
Summary
- Skydance merges Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery, uniting 200M+ subscribers.
- Vizio's WatchFree+ expands, offering over 400 live channels and 45,000 titles.
- Roku users face app disruptions with local channels disappearing from guide.
This week marked significant shifts in the streaming industry, impacting options for cord cutters. The merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery has culminated in the launch of Skydance, uniting over 200 million subscribers and a comprehensive library of franchises. This new entity plans to eventually consolidate Paramount+ and HBO Max into a single service, though a precise timeline remains unannounced.
Vizio's free ad-supported service, WatchFree+, has expanded considerably, now boasting over 400 live channels and more than 45,000 movies and shows. This growth is supported by new licensing deals and the addition of creator-driven channels. The service also features original programming.
Simultaneously, Roku users encountered immediate issues as a redesign of The Roku Channel led to the disappearance of out-of-market local broadcast affiliates from their Live TV Guide. Roku has acknowledged the problem and is working on a resolution, though the cause and timeline for restoration are unclear.
Internationally, Disney+ subscribers in numerous markets, including Egypt and South Africa, are transitioning to a unified global Disney+ application. This mandatory switch from older Hotstar-based apps is aimed at standardizing the user experience across regions.
