While Amazon is getting attention this week for finally confirming a long-rumored shutdown of its Freevee free ad-supported streaming TV service (with content being moved under Prime Video branding) – newer, lesser-known player Anoki separately scored FilmRise as a new content partner for its generative AI-powered FAST service LiveTVx that’s native to Google TV devices in the U.S.
Anoki is an emerging technology player that promises to deliver more relevant and personalized recommendations, as well as dynamic free streaming channel guides tailored to the user, by using genAI to tap into both contextual content signals as well as users’ personal viewing preferences and behaviors. By utilizing information about what and when viewers are watching, it claims to make content discovery and recommendations easier, faster and more personalized. It also boasts quicker navigation of guides with numerous FAST channels by curating and prioritizing channels based on individual viewing habits.
It launched the Anoki LiveTVx FAST service natively on select new and existing Google TV and Android TV OS devices in the U.S. in May.
Under the new deal with FilmRise, the film and TV studio is distributing 10 of its most popular FAST channels and AVOD titles on Anoki LiveTVx, which is available on Google TV immediately in the U.S. A global rollout is planned for 2025. When launching Anoki LiveTVx, the company said it planned to expand to additional CTV OEMs and markets in the future and last month cited plans to start an expansion in Australia in the coming weeks followed by Western Europe later this fall.
Single-series IP channels (or so-called binge channels) from FilmRise are joining the service, including Forensic Files, Unsolved Mysteries, Heartland, Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares. Broader FilmRise-branded genre channels are also joining, including FilmRise True Crime, Western, Action, Classic TV, Free Movies and Comedy.
“FilmRise takes pride in being at the forefront of innovation in the free streaming space. Our partnership with Anoki LiveTVx enables us to harness the power of generative AI to provide a seamless experience for audiences, helping them discover programming that aligns with their preferences,” said Danny Fisher, CEO of FilmRise, in a statement. “This collaboration will enhance personalized content discovery and allow for curating and prioritizing channels based on each user's unique viewing habits.”
As channel counts ballooned on FAST services, navigating to or finding the content users actually want can be a point of friction in the user experience. Anoki’s LiveTVx promises to automatically reorder FAST channels based on distinct, individual viewing habits and preferences, analyzing patterns like type of content and time of day watched, to deliver tailored, relevant and contextual recommendations.
FilmRise marks the latest content partner, with LiveTVx having added 26 channels last month with content from Warner Bros. Discovery, as well as thousands of hours of on-demand programming from the media company’s portfolio. Since its April debut, Anoki has signed more than 75 content deals, spanning 300 premium channels.
Although promising to usher a new wave of personalized content discovery and recommendations in the FAST space, LiveTVx’s launch wasn’t without hiccups.
There appeared to be some unexpected glitches earlier this year when Google automatically added the LiveTVx app to Google TV and Android TV devices in the U.S. as part of a software update, with some reports of it interfering with users’ ability to utilize over-the-air channels for free content and disabling other inputs on the TV. Google support in June acknowledged “some users are experiencing issues with the app and is working with the app developer to resolve them as quickly as possible” alongside troubleshooting steps that might help solve issues.
Contextual CTV advertising capabilities
Anoki's partnership with FilmRise also involves bringing contextual advertising capabilities to the studio's FAST channels on the CTV service, enabling more targeted campaigns by advertisers.
In August, Anoki marked a partnership with technology vendor Amagi, combining the latter’s comprehensive platform for FAST with Anoki’s ContextIQ platform.
ContextIQ uses multi-model generative AI to generate contextual scene-level metadata on select content served by Amagi, to help ensure relevant ad placements, to the right people at the right time – but based on content data rather than personal viewer data to help avoid privacy concerns.
Contextual advertising for CTV is a targeting tactic gaining traction, with players like Nielsen’s Gracenote jumping into the space, vendor IRIS.TV getting acquired by independent DSP Viant this week, and emotion-based contextual targeting tools from Wurl showing results in CTV campaigns with QSR clients of PMG.
In addition to combining forces on contextual CTV advertising, Anoki and Amagi’s partnership involves joint work on AI-powered innovations to create new ad formats, improve viewing experiences and enhance content monetization in CTV.
Commenting on the FilmRise deal, Marc Zand, head of content at Anoki, touted content discovery and ad targeting benefits.
“The integration of FilmRise premium FAST channels into LiveTVx marks an exciting expansion of our content portfolio," said Zand in a statement. "Combining their programming with our advanced AI technology allows us to offer viewers a seamless discovery experience while providing advertisers with enhanced contextual targeting opportunities."