Sling Freestream Launches With Ads

The free live TV streaming service is free, and supported by ads...

Sling Freestream

Sling TV decided to join the ad-supported streaming craze with a service of its own. Called Sling Freestream, it offers access to more than 210 channels and over 41,000 on-demand movies and TV shows across a variety of genres — including news, sports, crime, home improvement, cooking, and more.

Initially, the service is only available through the Sling TV app on all Roku devices and is also rolling out across LG, Samsung, and Vizio devices. In the coming months, all of Sling TV’s supported devices will get it as well — including Fire TV, Apple TV, Xbox, and others.

Among the channels included in the free, ad-supported offer are ABC News Live, Architectural Digest, CBS News, ESPN On Demand, VH1 I Love Reality; along with programming like “Family Feud,” “Forensic Files,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” Anthony Bourdain’s “A Cook’s Tour” and “The Walking Dead Universe,” among other titles.

And that’s apparently just a start, with Sling Freestream getting even more content in the coming months. Also, the service will be getting new features in the future, such as universal search functionality, enhanced channel surfing, updated guide filters, and autoplay capabilities.

“Sling Freestream is a great new service that helps meet consumers’ evolving needs. We know some people want free content, some may want a year-round paid subscription, while others may want to subscribe for certain events or shows. We have coupled world-class content with the option to easily flex in and out of premium pay TV, creating a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience,” Gary Schanman, Sling TV EVP and Sling TV President, said in a statement.

Schanman believes that Sling Freestream is meant for advertisers looking to expand “reach across a wider range of streaming customers,” adding, “Sling Freestream provides a premium advertising experience that benefits viewers and advertisers alike.”

With streaming wars raging, it makes perfect sense for Sling TV to launch a free tier of its service. These days users have many options to choose from, and it is inevitable that they will have to take sides and vote with their wallets. So instead of experiencing a loss of customers, Sling TV decided to go for new ones, those who are willing to put up with ads in exchange for free content. And that model will always have its following, despite many folks saying ads annoy them.

However, it is worth adding that Sling TV already has a free tier called Sling Free, which provides over 150 free live channels and over 40,000 on-demand titles. The new service adds more content to the offering while opening a new way for the company to make money.

Finally, if you ever wanted to watch Sling TV outside of the U.S. – we can help you out. In fact, we have a page dedicated to VPNs that have been proven to work with the streaming service. Plus, all those VPNs will also have your back in other situations as well. So check it out, and feel free to thank us later. 😉