For some time now, we have known that Warner Bros. Discovery has been planning a free streaming service. Now Bloomberg is reporting that the service will be called WBTV.
Recently Warner Bros. Discovery has started to move content off of HBO Max and over to free streaming services from Roku and Fox. It seems that instead of just licensing its content to others, it hopes to build its own free streaming service.
Warner Bros. Discovery has a vast back catalog of content from Discovery, Scripps, and Warner Bros. programs to build a service on. Now don’t look for major hits like Friends being offered free but do look for Warner Bros. Discovery to follow Pluto TV’s model by offering a collection of new and older content to help attract subscribers to HBO Max.
Pluto TV has been very successful not only at getting ad revenue but also in promoting Paramount+. Often older seasons of hit shows are offered free to get you hooked, only to make you pay to see the new seasons. Now Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly wants a similar model for themselves.
No date has been announced for the service, and rumors are it is not yet ready for launch. As we learn more, we will post updates.