JustWatch, the popular guide to what is available on online video services, is planning to launch its own streaming offering, JustWatch TV. David Croyé, the founder and chief executive of Just Watch, says it is a move he has been considering since the inception of the company 12 years ago.
JustWatch TV will operate primarily as an advertiser-supported video-on-demand, although it will also feature transactional rentals and an ad-free subscription option.
Users will be able to stream films and television shows directly within the existing JustWatch website and mobile applications. The company has initial content deals with major distributors, including New Regency, Fremantle, Bleecker Street, and Vortex Media.
The service is scheduled to roll out across 10 international markets, including the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand.
The announcement was made at the Toronto International Film Festival’s content marketplace, TIFF: The Market.
JustWatch chief executive David Croyé said that even before founding the company over 12 years ago he had thought about getting into the programming business. “But for the last decade, every time we talked about it in the founder round, it didn’t make sense. This changed last year and we decided to finally go,” he said. “Since then, the team has been very busy signing a lot of content deals and getting the tech and platform ready for our big launch in October.”
The company says that over 50 million people a month use the JustWatch service, which provides information on the availability of filmsand TV shows on various streaming platforms such as Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, Fandango, Apple TV, and Amazon Prime Video, among others.
The privately held company is based in Berlin.