Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Signs Deal With AMC Networks to Add 12 Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) Channels
AMC FAST Channels include The Walking Dead Universe, Portlandia, and MSG SportsZone
Redbox Free Live TV offers nearly 180 FAST channels
Combined streaming services have over 60 million monthly active users (MAU)
Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (NASDAQ:CSSE) today announced it has signed a deal with AMC Networks (NASDAQ:AMCX) to add 12 Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) channels. These new channels include the post-apocalyptic horror drama The Walking Dead Universe, the sketch comedy series Portlandia, and sports fan-focused MSG SportsZone. The channels will soon be available and can be accessed through the Redbox app on Roku, Samsung TVs, and many other devices.
The Redbox Free Live TV service will soon surpass 180 FAST channels and expects to eclipse 200 by early summer. The company recently announced adding channels from Fremantle Media, including The Jamie Oliver Channel and Supermarket Sweep.
"The Walking Dead and Portlandia are some of AMC Networks' most iconic series, and the ability for our consumers to watch them 24 hours a day will be an immediate hit," said Laura Florence, senior vice president and general manager of digital for Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. "Our Redbox Free Live TV app continues to scale with brands and series our viewers know and love. We should quickly reach 200 channels by summer and have plans to scale even further later this year."
"Making our popular and high-quality content available to viewers whenever and wherever they might want to watch it on ad-supported platforms with our show and network brands clearly present is central to our distribution philosophy," said Evan Adlman, EVP of commercial sales and revenue operations for AMC Networks. "We are thrilled to expand the reach of our FAST channels and shows on Redbox Free Live TV through this exciting partnership."
The AMC channels coming to Redbox Live TV are:
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The Walking Dead Universe – Join Daryl, Michonne, the Clarks and more from the world of the Walking Dead. Enjoy 24-hour programming on The Walking Dead Universe channel, including cast interviews, behind-the-scenes moments, and more
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Portlandia – Put a Bird on It! All your favorite episodes and characters from the Emmy- nominated and Peabody Award-winning hit series starring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein, all the time
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Stories by AMC – Dive into the bold and inventive AMC shows you've come to love with Stories by AMC. Get access to fan favorites and discover new gems you may have missed
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AMC Thrillers – Get your adrenaline pumping with AMC Thrillers – a collection of heart-pounding action/thrillers that will have you on the edge of your seat
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Slightly Off IFC – Slightly Off IFC is the home of the unexpected—from cult favorite sketch series to the offbeat comedic masterworks of the biggest names in comedy
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IFC Films Picks – Star-studded dramas. Chilling thrillers. Groundbreaking documentaries. The best independent films from IFC Films & IFC Midnight
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All Reality WE tv – Real moments. Real stories. Real drama. If you love reality, you need All Reality WE tv
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All Weddings WE tv – Brides. Bling. Drama! If you love weddings, then say "I Do" to All Weddings WE tv
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AMC en Español – AMC en Español is the home of your favorite stories and characters. Catch up on and discover critically acclaimed shows, 100% in Spanish
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ALLBLK Gems – Entertainment that's inclusively but unapologetically Black. Enjoy the best of ALLBLK, all the time
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MSG SportsZone – Take a deeper dive into the players, personalities, teams, and sports you love. MSG SportsZone is the home for the sports super fan
- Anime X HIDIVE – Love anime? Check out HIDIVE's action-packed assortment on Anime X HIDIVE! From classic series to hot hits fresh from Japan, we've got anime fans like you covered
The Redbox streaming app can be accessed through Roku, Samsung TVs, VIZIO TVs, and many others. The app also features a robust Ad-Supported Video-on-Demand (AVOD) streaming platform with thousands of free movies and TV series, access to thousands of movies and TV series to rent or purchase, and nearly 180 FAST channels.
About Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment
Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (NASDAQ:CSSE) provides premium content to value-conscious consumers. The company is one of the largest advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) companies in the US, with three flagship AVOD streaming services: Redbox, Crackle, and Chicken Soup for the Soul. In addition, the company operates Redbox Free Live TV, a free ad-supported streaming television service (FAST), with nearly 180 FAST channels as well as a transaction video on demand (TVOD) service, and a network of approximately 32,000 kiosks across the US for DVD rentals. To provide original and exclusive content to its viewers, the company creates, acquires, and distributes films and TV series through its Screen Media and Chicken Soup for the Soul TV Group subsidiaries. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is a subsidiary of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC, which publishes the famous book series and produces super-premium pet food under the Chicken Soup for the Soul brand name.
About AMC Networks
AMC Networks (NASDAQ:AMCX) is a global entertainment company known for its popular and critically acclaimed content. Its brands include targeted streaming services AMC+, Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, ALLBLK, and the newest addition to its targeted streaming portfolio, the anime-focused HIDIVE streaming service, in addition to AMC, BBC AMERICA (operated through a joint venture with BBC Studios), IFC, SundanceTV, WE tv and IFC Films. AMC Studios, the Company's in-house studio, production and distribution operation, is behind some of the biggest titles and brands known to a global audience, including The Walking Dead, the Anne Rice catalog and the Agatha Christie library. The Company also operates AMC Networks International, its international programming business, and 25/7 Media, its production services business.
Forward-Looking Statements and Available Information
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of management and are not predictions of actual performance. Such assumptions involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to risks relating to our core strategy, operating income and margin, seasonality, liquidity, including cash flows from operations, available funds, and access to financing sources, free cash flows, revenues, net income, profitability, stock price volatility, future regulatory changes, price changes, ability to achieve and sustain market acceptance of our content streaming services and other content offerings, ability to recruit and retain officers, key employees, or directors, ability to protect our intellectual property, ability to complete and integrate into our existing operations future strategic acquisitions, ability to manage growth, ability to pay dividends and our debt obligations, as well as evolving regulatory or other operational risks, and risks presented by changing general market conditions impacting demand for our services. For a more complete description of these and other risks and uncertainties, please refer to Item 1A (Risk Factors) in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the SEC on March 31, 2023. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Information regarding the acquisition of Redbox and related transactions is qualified by reference to the Company's Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 11, 2022 as amended May 12, 2022, June 6, 2022, August 12, 2022, November 14, 2022 and thereafter from time to time, and all exhibits filed with respect to such reports. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company's expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.
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