DirecTV finds itself once more in the “off-again” phase of its perpetual merger dance with Dish Network, but the satellite TV company just poached some of its rival’s playbook, and the guy in charge of it.
Announced in October and now officially launched, DirecTV is finally in the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) business with MyFree DirecTV, a comparatively lean (just 70 channels on its first day) free-to-consumer streaming service that lives in the pay TV company’s app on major OTT device platforms.
In fact, MyFree DirecTV exists as part of the DirecTV app, the same piece of software that delivers its virtual MVPD DirecTV Stream service on gadgets including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Google TV and Apple TV, as well as iOS and Android mobile smart phones and tablets.
DirecTV subscribers and non-subscribers alike can register via the DirecTV app to use the MyFree DirecTV simply by offering up their email address, creating a password and agreeing to the terms of service.
The executive in charge of the new FAST is General Manger Kent Rees, who made a move back in July from Dish Network, where he oversaw the development and execution of Sling Freestream.
As far as content, MyFree DirecTV’s flora and fauna includes programming from A&E, Fox, Lionsgate and Scripps, with “multiple channels” from Freemantle expected to arrive by the end of 2024. As this story was being written, DirecTV announced the addition of eight additional channels, including America’s Test Kitchen and True Crime Now.
Beyond linear channels including Dog Whisperer, Court TV, Fox Weather and Women’s Sports Network, the FAST currently features a VOD collection of Lifetime holiday-themed movies, as well as archival theatrical releases including Jennifer Lawrence young-adult sci-fi thriller The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1, 1990 Clive Barker horror film Night Breed and 1987 Partick Swayze post-apocalyptic charter Steel Dawn, just to name a few offerings. (A full list of MyFree DirecTV channels can be found here.)
Trying the app out ourselves Thursday on a Roku-powered TCL smart TV, this reporter found signup easy and the interface somewhat intuitive. It’s the same UI used for DirecTV Stream subscriptions, which we’ve interacted with before.
As for the programming on MyFree DirecTV, it’s nothing we haven’t already seen on Tubi or Roku Channel, or any of the dozens of other FASTs on the market, most of which have far more channels and content choices overall. For example, amid a channel arms race among FASTs where more is always better for marketing, Dish’s Sling Freestream now boasts more than 500 channel offerings.
Still, with an eroding base of around 11 million pay TV subscribers, it’s not like DirecTV can afford any longer to be left out of the FAST business, which by one firm’s estimates is generated around $8 billion in annual ad revenue globally in 2023 and is poised to grow.
“We’re laser-focused on strengthening our investment in this area as we empower our advertising clients to reach new audiences with targeted and contextual solutions and innovative ad formats,” said Amy Liefer, chief ad sales officer for DirecTV Advertising, in a statement.
Beyond advertising, creating a free programming choice within the DirecTV app certainly won’t hurt subscriber signups, either. Not only do consumers who aren’t ready to pony up for a DirecTV Stream subscription have a reason to keep the app on their device’s home screen, they now have an excuse (a free one) to interact with the app and get used to the UX.
With MyFree, DirecTV gains access to non-subscriber users' email as well as viewing data, and it has a mechanism to market its pay TV offerings directly to these users.