Rupert Murdoch’s Fox to roll out free Tubi streaming service in UK to rival Disney+ and Netflix
Rupert Murdoch’s Fox Corporation is set to launch its ad-supported free streaming service, Tubi, in the UK.
UK viewers will be able to access content on its webpage and via its app “in the coming weeks”.
Headquartered in San Francisco, according to the company, Tubi is the most watched free TV and movie streaming service in the US with nearly 80 million monthly active users.
The platform states that it will launch with over 20,000 movies and TV episodes including a section on UK reality and lifestyle and new areas of discovery from Bollywood and Nollywood to Arthouse Cinema.
The company stated that “Tubi is committed to a 100 per cent free ad-supported model” that offers viewers friction-less onboarding and a low ad load.
“Tubi has spent the last decade honing our approach to vast, free and fun streaming in North America, and we feel that now is the perfect time to bring that recipe to UK audiences,” said Anjali Sud, CEO of Tubi.
“We are launching with one of the largest and most diverse content libraries in the UK, designed to indulge viewers in everything from blockbusters to original stories to hidden gems. Most importantly, we’re committed to listening to what resonates with UK fans, and bringing them more and more of what they love” Sud added.
The move comes at a time when many of its rivals including Netflix and Disney+ have gained criticism following price hikes of their platforms and crackdowns on password sharing in order to boost revenue.
Murdoch’s move to bring this platform into the UK also comes as his TalkTV bid farewell to traditional television in order to move online as it struggles to win over eyeballs that are glued to rival GB News.
Speaking at the time, Scott Taunton, TalkTV’s president of broadcasting, said the channel needs to adapt to the way consumption of news is shifting online “as a priority”.