Many people across the globe love watching TV shows, something that has contributed to the growth of free TV streaming. If you are wondering how popular it is, here is a statistic – 18% of US households used at least one free ad-supported TV service as of the fourth quarter of 2021.
However, we have to pay to watch it most of the time, which is kind of a bummer. This is where YouTube steps in, and now it is the latest to stream free, ad-supported TV shows.
The popularity of YouTube is not one to be debated, and it has statistics on its side – it reached over 135 million people on connected TVs in the US last December. Thus, it seems to be the perfect time to emerge as a competitor to free streaming services such as Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, IMDb TV, Xumo, Plex, and Peacock.
Now, viewers in the US will have access to over 4000 TV shows (for free, of course) of many of your favourite TV shows. The only caveat is that you will have to endure the ads. Well, that is a fair trade. Some of the shows available are Hell’s Kitchen, Andromeda, Unsolved Mysteries Heartland, and more. More titles will be added at a rate of 100 each week, including both shows and movies, to its free streaming collection.
This fresh addition of shows will boost YouTube’s offering, which already includes over 1500 movies from big shots such as Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate, FilmRise, and others. YouTube recently added movies such as Gone in Sixty Seconds, Legally Blonde, Runaway Bride in its arsenal.
Despite YouTube’s popularity, the option to watch TV shows on its platform for free has been absent – you can either rent the show or purchase it. Now, you can watch them for free on web browsers, mobile devices, and most connected TVs via the YouTube on TV app.
Of course, YouTube is making the viewing experience all the more enticing with new streamlined navigation and immersive banner art. With the rich visuals and new menus, you can more easily find your favourite TV shows, many of which are available in high definition 1080p with 5.1 surround sound audio on supported devices.
