TV One expanded the reach of its true crime programs and launched Crime & Justice, a free ad-supported streaming channel that hosts popular content from its collection of shows.
The network’s Crime & Justice channel showcases episodes from TV One’s most-watched original shows based on true stories, such as Fatal Attraction, Atlanta Homicide, and Sins of the City. The free streaming service launched late this summer on Tubi TV and Plex.
“Our true crime series are extremely popular on the network, and we have a large library of episodes to support a [FAST] channel,” said Rori Peters, TV One and Cleo TV’s senior vice president of content distribution and marketing, according to NextTV.
TV One aims to reach underserved Black audiences by offering a free platform to view its expansive true crime library. According to Horowitz Research, 45% of Black viewers use at least one free streaming service every month. Free streaming platforms have gained traction in recent years as cord cutters shift away from paying for multiple services and drift towards ad-supported channels offering great content without membership costs.
Urban One, the parent company of TV One, will continue to build its 19-year-old linear brand and Cleo TV, its network aimed toward women of color, which launched on January 19, 2019. Peters said the network wants to expand its reach to attract viewers through alternative platforms.
“We have some franchises that are extremely popular with the TV One audience, and luckily, we’re not at a point where we can make that available to people who are outside the pay ecosystem without cannibalizing the [linear] business,” said Peters.
Additionally, TV One plans to launch a second free ad-supported channel with a focus on documentary and reality content. However, Peters said not to expect a slew of new free channels from the network in the near future.
“I think there will come a point where there’s too many channels in a category, and if your channel isn’t making any money, then there’s no value to them,” said Peters. “The answer for us is developing channels in the genre categories where we know we have strengths.”