Walmart-owned smart TV platform Vizio has expanded its lineup of free ad-supported streaming content, marking partnerships for more premium content, exclusive holiday originals and more than 40 creator-dedicated FAST channels.
The content expansion comes as Vizio has marked growth under Walmart ownership, including its TVOS now serving as the retail giant’s in-house smart TV operating system. Per the company, that helped Vizio in the first half of 2026 attain status as the top-selling smart TVOS in the U.S., now reaching 32 million yearly active devices.
Coinciding with a larger footprint, Vizio’s built-in free streaming offering WatchFree+ has also marked growth. WatchFree+ now represents the No. 3 app on Vizio by viewing time. And during the second quarter of fiscal year 2027, viewers consumed 632 million hours of content on WatchFree+, representing a 58% increase year-over year.
Getting into the holiday spirit with original movie, exclusive series
Announced during Advertising Week New York, Vizio is expanding exclusive programming with an original movie and a creator-led series timed to align with the holidays.
The original feature-length film Jingle Bells Wedding Bells stars Rachel Bilson and Scott Foley and is produced by ITV America Nashville and Happy Accidents.
It’s timed to premiere exclusively on WatchFree+ and the web this holiday season with Geico as a presenting sponsor.
“Where people spend their time watching entertainment matters, and we want GEICO to be part of those moments," said Arianna Orpello, GEICO's Chief Marketing Officer, in a statement. "As viewing habits continue to evolve, partnerships like this give us new ways to connect with audiences through experiences they genuinely enjoy.”
And Vizio is also looking to creators for exclusive content, announcing a new creator-led series called Holiday Chocolate Workshop that features viral chocolatier Amaury Guichon.
Per the announcement, the series follows Guichon and his team as they craft “ambitious, larger-than-life holiday masterpieces.” Here too brands are in the mix, as the TVOS player noted the series blends creator-led storytelling with changes for brands to participate across streaming and social. And there’s potential for commerce content connections – a theme that Walmart highlighted for the TVOS during Vizio’s NewFronts presentation earlier this year,
Creators get dedicated channels on WatchFree+
Vizio’s holiday series is just one of the platform’s creator additions.
It’s also adding 40 dedicated creator-led channels that are all creator-specific.
The creator channel lineup includes popular names like MrBeast, Celine Dept, Hot Ones, The Royalty Family, Ben Azelart, Ryan Trahan, Nick DiGiovanni, Preston Playz, Rebecca Zamolo, Sam and Colby, Uncle Roger, and more.
WatchFree+ will house a creator hub that features the 40 linear creators as well as video on-demand (VOD) content, some of which was created in collaboration with Walmart, alongside existing video content from creator partners that can also be found on platforms like YouTube.
Other free streamers, including built-in FAST offerings from competing smart TVOS players like Samsung TV Plus and The Roku Channel (with Roku poised to potentially be acquired by Fox under a pending $22 billion deal) and Fox’s standalone Tubi AVOD have also been working to build up creator programming on their respective platforms.
Until this point Vizio has been relatively quieter on the creator content front, but with Wednesday’s announcement made a notable push – while also keeping opportunities open for brands as Walmart continues to try and deepen the content and commerce connection and drive monetization via advertisers.
At AWNY one theme on display is convergence of creators, CTV and commerce media, per Advertising Week Global President Ruth Mortimer – a theme that Vizio too appears keen to tap into as it expands the programming lineup for both audiences and brands.