Warner Bros. Discovery Delivers Free Ad-Supported Streaming Service Update

Warner Bros. Discovery delivered a new update on their free ad-supported streaming service. So called FAST services are popping up all over the place right now. In the first-quarter 2023 earnings call for the company this week, Warner Bros. Discovery said they should be on the board soon. Digital Trends got some of the quotes from WBD CEO and president for global streaming and games JB Perrette. He says that while their service isn't quite ready to launch yet, they're focused on licensing titles out to other FAST providers in the meantime. (Fans have already seen this in effect with Westworld on other platforms and other shows being rescued by rival streamers after being cast-off from HBO Max.) Still, the goal remains getting their own ad-supported app off the ground and that's inching closer and closer. Here's what the executive had to say.

"We always believe in what we call a hybrid strategy, which is ultimately first and foremost what we call channel syndication," Perrette explained. "We realize that the platforms and the distributors out there — there are many — who have the scale and the size that we want to get our channel platform out there and viewed. We've already gotten out with Roku and Tubi and we've been pleased with the initial success with a handful of channels that are out there already."

Warner Bros. Discovery Doubles Down On Ad-Based Streaming

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has remained steadfast in his commitment to get WBD into the free ad-supported streaming game proper. In that effort, he told investors that they would have something up and running in just a few months. As the weeks tick by, the picture becomes a bit more complete. Just a few weeks ago, Warner Bros. Discovery unveiled their Max streaming service rebrand for HBO Max. With that already out in the world, the eyes turn to whatever the ad-based streaming model will look like and what kind of content it will feature.

Previously, he told investors they had been hatching a new strategy for the company. "We learned what doesn't work," Zaslav said. "And this is what doesn't work for us based on everything that we've seen: direct-to-streaming movies. So spending a billion dollars or collapsing a motion picture window into a streaming service. The movies that we launch in theater do significantly better, and launching a 2-hour, 40-minute movie direct to streaming has done nothing for HBO Max in terms of viewership, retention or love of the service."

Are you interested in this new free streaming service from Warner Bros. Discovery? Let us know in the comments down below!