Google TV tunes in 800+ free streaming channels

Cable magnate John Malone touted his vision of a 500-channel universe some 30 years ago amid the dawn of digital cable. In today's streaming era paired with the explosion of linear-style free, ad-supported TV (FAST) channels, Malone's prediction now sounds like a decent head start.

While it's not an apples-to-apples comparison to the pay-TV channel tonnage that Malone envisioned three decades ago, Google is boosting its channel count into the stratosphere as it makes its biggest push yet into the FAST lane.

Figure 1: Google TV's new linear-style FAST offering includes the platform's 'built-in' channels along with streaming channels form partners such as Tubi, Haystack News and Pluto TV.
(Source: Google)

Google this week announced that Google TV, its content aggregation streaming platform for the Android TV operating system, is now offering a new "live TV experience" that features more than 800 free channels across a broad range of content providers. Organizing all of that into something that doesn't overwhelm the consumer and require them to scroll and browse endlessly is a clear challenge. Google TV, which does support voice-based search and navigation, is attempting to take on that issue partly by dividing channels into genres and assembling it all within the platform's "Live" tab.

In addition to "built-in" channels from Google TV, the new FAST offering also features free channels from Fox-owned Tubi, Haystack News and Pluto TV, the streaming service that's now part of Paramount Global, along with news channels from NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox. Google TV's FAST lineup also includes programming in ten languages, including Spanish, Hindi and Japanese.

If consumers are using Google TV to access pay-TV services from YouTube TV or Sling TV or weaving in over-the-air channels using a digital antenna, the platform is also equipped to integrate those channels as well, Nick Staubach, product manager at Google, explained in this blog post.

Competitive and rapidly expanding FAST market

Google TV's FAST expansion and role as a master aggregator is a clear shot at The Roku Channel, Roku's aggregation platform that also offers a large lineup of free, ad-supported channels. But it's also taking shape as FAST channels become a focus elsewhere, including Amazon (Freevee), TiVo (TiVo+) and Xumo, the national streaming joint venture of Comcast and Charter Communications and its Xumo Play FAST service. Sling TV is also in the game with its recently expanded and rebranded "Freestream" service.

Google is rolling out its new live TV offering on all Google TV devices in the US, including Chromecast with Google TV streamers and TVs with Google TV built-in from Sony, TCL, Hisense and Philips. Google said it expects to extend the new TV guide and expanded free channel lineup to eligible Android TV devices later this year.

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— Jeff Baumgartner, Senior Editor, Light Reading