Xumo's Marcien Jenckes talks TV shipments, 'deep interest' in operator-distributed TVsXumo's Marcien Jenckes talks TV shipments, 'deep interest' in operator-distributed TVs

At CES, Light Reading chatted with Xumo President Marcien Jenckes about the performance of Xumo's smart TV business, plans for retail and market expansion, and the company's 'deep interest' in exploring the operator distribution model for Xumo TVs.

Jeff Baumgartner, Senior Editor

January 14, 2025

At a Glance

  • Why a new deal with Sharp is important to Xumo's smart TV business (1:30)
  • Jenckes on Xumo's recently expanded FAST channel-related deal with Google TV (07:45)
  • Jenckes on Xumo's interest in developing an operator-supplied smart TV distribution model (12:30)

Xumo is still a relative newcomer in a hotly contested smart TV arena that includes Roku, Amazon, Google and a bunch of TV manufacturers themselves. But the Comcast-Charter streaming joint venture is making progress in terms of broadening its retail reach and list of TV manufacturing partners, and with smart TV shipments and sales.

Timed with last week's CES in Las Vegas, Xumo announced a partnership with Sharp, which has agreed to make a family of QLED TVs underpinned by EntertainmentOS. EntertainmentOS is an operating system developed by Comcast that also powers connected TVs from Xumo's other partners (Hisense, Element and Pioneer, so far), the Xumo Stream Box, Sky Glass (a lineup of smart TVs offered by Comcast-owned Sky in the UK), and streaming devices distributed by Rogers Communications, Canada's largest cable operator.

Xumo President and Comcast Advertising Managing Director Marcien Jenckes

"I think the list [of TV partners] will continue to expand," Xumo President Marcien Jenckes told Light Reading last week at CES in Las Vegas. "What we've been doing is trying to build our direct-to-consumer value proposition."

Xumo's retail presence today covers about 8,000 stores in the US via partnerships with Walmart, Best Buy, BJ's, Meijer, Aaron's and, most recently, Target.

Xumo has not revealed how many TVs it has sold or shipped. But Jenckes said he is pleased with the performance of Xumo's retail business.

"I'd say we've exceeded expectations," he said. "It's still early days and there's obviously players out there that are in the tens of millions. We're not yet there, but we're in the single-digit million. That's a good place to start, given where we were a year ago and again a lot of the traction that we picked up in the marketplace."

Xumo is also a pioneer and a top syndicator of free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channels. It recently expanded its partnership with Google TV, which put Xumo in position to distribute and monetize Google TV's FAST channels.

Xumo also has a growing operator business. In addition to working with its two JV partners, Xumo also has deals with Cox Communications, GCI and Mediacom Communications focused on the Xumo Stream Box, and is looking to expand further into markets such as Canada and Mexico.

Exploring the operator-supplied TV distribution model  

Similar to what Sky is doing in the UK with Sky Glass TVs, Xumo is also exploring the idea of an operator-distributed smart TV that might in some ways mirror how it is working with operators today to distribute the Xumo Stream Box.

Jenckes said there's a "deep interest" in that operator distribution model for smart TVs, but he noted that Xumo needs to spend more time solving how to operationalize, manage and scale that potential leg of the business.

"Solving for the operator-distributed model is a big part of our focus and we think something that we're very optimistic about and something that can really drive volume and market share over time," Jenckes said.

Here's a snapshot of our conversation (click the closed captioning button in the player for a lightly edited transcript):

  • Xumo's focus and priority at CES 2025 (00:40)

  • Why a new agreement with Sharp is important for Xumo as it expands its position in the smart TV market (1:30)

  • An anecdotal update on Xumo's smart TV shipment numbers (03:40)

  • Jenckes on the biggest challenges Xumo faces in the smart TV market (04:15)

  • How Xumo is getting the word out and details about its business model (05:20)

  • Jenckes on Xumo's recently expanded FAST channel-related deal with Google TV (07:45)

  • Jenckes on Xumo's best angle to differentiate in the smart TV sector (10:10)

  • Jenckes on Xumo's interest in developing an operator-supplied smart TV distribution model (12:30)

  • Xumo's top priorities for 2025 (18:40)

About the Author

Jeff Baumgartner

Senior Editor, Light Reading

Jeff Baumgartner is a Senior Editor for Light Reading and is responsible for the day-to-day news coverage and analysis of the cable and video sectors. Follow him on X and LinkedIn.

Baumgartner also served as Site Editor for Light Reading Cable from 2007-2013. In between his two stints at Light Reading, he led tech coverage for Multichannel News and was a regular contributor to Broadcasting + Cable. Baumgartner was named to the 2018 class of the Cable TV Pioneers.

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