What does Fox's Tubi see in the free TV saturated UK?

Stream TV Insider

article here

A decade after launch in the U.S., Tubi has begun a significant expansion with a rollout in the UK. 

The Fox Corp-owned free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) service, which is already available in Canada, Latin America and Australia / New Zealand is coming back to the UK in the next few weeks.

According to Caretta Research analyst Artemis Oikonomou, speaking to StreamTV Insider, Tubi’s decision to launch its hybrid VOD and linear FAST service in the UK is a response to the U.S approaching saturation levels as well as an attempt to capitalize on the largest TV and streaming market in Europe. 

“However, because the UK has a strong culture of commercial and public service broadcasting, high-quality, free TV is much more prevalent than in the U.S making it a challenging market in which to build an audience,” warned Oikonomou. “The fact that Tubi is free and offers a large library of American content, including a growing slate of original productions, is likely to help…but there is no escaping the fact that it is entering a highly competitive and very crowded marketplace.”

Aside from the international heavyweight streamers Netflix, Amazon, Disney+ the UK has a vibrant market of free or ad-supported broadcaster led platforms including BBC iPlayer, ITVX and Channel 4.

Tubi’s previous introduction into the UK ended in retreat in 2018 citing General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance issues. With the U.K no longer part of the European Union (since Brexit) and therefore not subject to EU rules, the streamer’s execs have decided the time is right for a return.

“There have certainly been attempts to dip our toe in the U.K. in the past, but we haven’t ever, in a committed intentional full way, officially launched,” CEO Anjali Sud told Variety.

In the same article Sud, the former head of Vimeo, said Tubi wants to “attract fandoms, communities and underestimated audiences” in the UK.

The FAST service will use machine learning to deliver personalized user experiences, said the company. Tubi will be available in the UK across every major TV platform, iOS and Android smartphones and on the internet.

Tubi also said it is committed to a 100% free ad-supported model that offers viewers “frictionless onboarding and a low ad load.”

Fox Corporation bought Tubi in 2020 for $440m when the streamer had 25 million monthly active users.