A BUNCH of free new TV channels packed with big name movies and shows will appear on your screens next month.
Sony has announced a major plan to launch 54 channels across Europe, with eight set to land in the UK.
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They will carry some favourites you would normally have to subscribe to watch.
Top of the list is Breaking Bad which is currently on Netflix.
There will also be box office hits including District 9, Men in Black and Zombieland on the channels.
Strangely the channels won’t be available on Sony TVs, but via Samsung and LG, as well as TiVo+ boxes.
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It’s all part of a big shift towards internet-streamed TV – known officially as FAST channels, which stands for free ad-supported streamed TV.
We’ve seen a load pop up recently as a way for people to save money on paid streaming bills.
And it comes mere weeks ahead of a brand new Freeview successor that relies on broadband instead of an aerial.
The UK will be among the first to receive the channels, along with France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland.
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Sony’s new offering in the UK will consist of eight themed channels:
- Sony One Thriller TV: a focus on action-packed thrillers, with series such as Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and Justified.
- Sony One Faves: Timeless classics and fan favourites including Bewitched, Community and Dawson’s Creek.
- Sony One Comedy HITS: Well-known comedy classic movies such as Step Brothers, Jerry Maguire and Easy A.
- Sony One Action HITS: Dedicated to action and adventure movies like District 9 and the Men in Black and Zombieland franchises.
- Sony One Shark Tank: Episodes from the US version of the hit reality series Dragons’ Den.
- Sony One Dragons’ Den: Watch as aspiring entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to multimillionaire investors, in the hope of landing investment funds.
- Sony One Blacklist: Watch back-to-back episodes from the crime thriller series which follows a most-wanted fugitive who works with a rookie FBI profiler to take down criminals and terrorists.
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They’ll start to appear in April via the Samsung TV Plus and LG Channels service.
These are pre-installed on most recent smart TVs from both companies.
Samsung TV Plus can also be accessed on Samsung devices such as Galaxy smartphones.
“Sony Pictures recognizes the potential of the free ad-supported television space to engage new viewers globally with our extensive feature film and TV series catalog spanning 100 years,” said Pete Wood, SVP at Sony Pictures Entertainment.
“Our entry into the FAST space in Europe reflects our dedication to making premium content accessible to audiences on new and important distribution channels.”
