Rakuten TV Launches its AVOD Service in Europe
15.10.2019 11:30:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
Rakuten TV, one of the leading video-on-demand platforms in Europe, today announced the launch of its first AVOD - ad-supported video-on-demand - channels within the platform. This new business model will allow viewers to watch a wide range of content for free.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191015005048/en/
Rakuten TV's new UI 4.0 including "Free" section (Photo: Rakuten TV)
The free section of Rakuten TV will launch with an initial offer including Hollywood and local content to be expanded to additionally include exclusive Rakuten content, TV series, documentary series, news and sport channels in the coming months - with a combined linear and on-demand offer.
Among the exclusive content, Rakuten TV will present on its AVOD channel Matchday - Inside FC Barcelona, the new documentary series about FC Barcelona from the inside, offering previously unseen and exclusive scenes from the players’ private lives. Narrated by John Malkovich, Matchday – Inside FC Barcelona is a creation of Barça Studios, FC Barcelona’s own production house, in collaboration with Kosmos Studios, Rakuten, Inc. in association with Rakuten H Collective Studio and Producciones del Barrio.
Expanding its business model proposition, Rakuten TV will be the first to combine TVOD and AVOD products across Europe, meeting the changing needs of viewers. The free ad-supported channels will enrich the original proposition of Rakuten TV - Your Cinema at Home - offering Smart TV viewers the best cinematic experience with the latest new releases in the best audiovisual quality. Thanks to the presence of a remote control button providing direct access to the app on major Smart TVs, Rakuten TV content will be just a click away for over 30 million households across Europe.
In a time when the streaming industry is increasingly changing and exploring avenues such as AVOD, Rakuten TV is proud to pioneer this trend in Europe as the main VOD platform combining different business models - TVOD, AVOD and SVOD - which are oriented around meeting all audience needs.
Jacinto Roca, Rakuten TV Founder and CEO, stated: “We are incredibly proud to take this step after having tripled our presence in Europe just a few months ago. Rakuten TV continues to evolve rapidly alongside consumer trends within the industry, where there is a clear trend of advertisers moving away from linear TV and towards VOD. This is a unique opportunity for Rakuten TV which has already direct access to millions of European households through its branded remote control button of the main Smart TV brands. This is the mere beginning of a huge project which will see the launch of additional channels and exclusive content in the coming months”.
The service will be available in beta version, across the complete 2019 SMART TV line up, and will be progressively rolled out in other platforms including mobile and desktop.
Advertising sales will be managed by Rakuten Marketing, a subsidiary of Rakuten Inc. Nick Stamos, Rakuten Marketing CEO, stated: “Advertisers and agencies are eager to be among the first to showcase their brands in this exclusive and groundbreaking advertising platform. As VOD is emerging as a powerful media channel, our clients have been anticipating this launch from RakutenTV, so we are very excited to bring this new proposition to market across Europe.”
Rakuten Viber, Rakuten’s instant messaging service, will also be involved in the project, leveraging its community of 2 million Barça fans to promote Matchday.
Nielsen will be the data partner (DMP-data management platform) used to target advertisements at a digital level
This news comes alongside a renewed platform design for Rakuten TV, with a more attractive look & feel, a more intuitive user interface and a simpler user journey. Within the new interface, viewers will discover the new channel offering featuring ad-supported content inside the ‘free’ section implemented within the header menu.
The announcement took place during the conference “AVOD on the Rise” at MIPCOM 2019, where Founder and CEO of Rakuten TV, Jacinto Roca, spoke about the AVOD industry and its evolution with other top players in the entertainment field.
Rakuten TV
Rakuten TV is one of the leading Video On-Demand platforms in Europe. It offers a TVOD service (Transactional VOD) providing viewers a true cinematic experience with the latest new releases in the best audiovisual quality. It also includes an AVOD (Advertising VOD) section, Rakuten TV Free, in a blend of thematic channels embracing Hollywood classics, local, exclusive and themed content, all for free.
Rakuten TV is available in 42 countries and forms part of Rakuten, Inc., one of the world’s leading internet services companies, offering a wide variety of services for consumers and businesses, with a focus on e-commerce, fintech and digital content. Rakuten, headquartered in Japan, is also known for its partnerships with FC Barcelona, the NBA, the Golden State Warriors, Davis Cup and Spartan Race.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191015005048/en/
Contact information
Media Contacts:
For further information please contact:
Premier PR – Rakuten TV
Charlie Wainwright - Premier PR on behalf of Rakuten TV
charlie.wainwright@premiercomms.com
0207 292 7372
Rakuten TV
Fabiana Cumia – Communication Director – fabiana.cumia@rakuten.com
Iraia Arza – PR & Communication Specialist – iraia.arza@rakuten.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Hologic Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire Reveal Genomics19.10.2026 22:30:00 EEST | Press release
Hologic, a global leader in women’s health, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Reveal Genomics, a precision oncology company based in Barcelona, Spain, that develops advanced genomic diagnostic tests to help personalized cancer treatment, including its HER2DX test to help optimize therapy for patients with HER2-positive breast cancer. Breast cancer remains one of the most significant health challenges women face today. Reveal Genomics’ tests are highly complementary to Hologic’s existing oncology diagnostics, including the Breast Cancer Index® (BCI) test, the guideline-recognized genomic assay to help inform decisions regarding extended endocrine therapy in women with HR+ early-stage breast cancer. The combination of Hologic’s existing testing with Reveal Genomics’ portfolio represents a significant expansion of Hologic’s diagnostic oncology solutions, with the combined offering of new and existing testing expected to help inform treatment decisions fo
An Active Role in Freshness: ProAmpac Introduces ProActive Intelligence Shelf Protect19.10.2026 22:27:00 EEST | Press release
ProAmpac, a global leader in flexible packaging and material science, introduces ProActive Intelligence™ Shelf Protect (SP) Series, giving food producers a new way to help preserve product quality and reduce costly spoilage. Designed for select meat, seafood, and dairy applications, the technology is FDA- and USDA-compliant for intended uses in fresh beef, fresh pork, cooked sausage, deli meat, fresh salmon, and fresh cheese. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261019305953/en/ Clearshield®-SP Shrink Bag This direct food-contact biotechnology packaging helps reduce microbial growth associated with food spoilage in intended applications, supporting longer shelf life throughout storage and distribution. Shelf Protect’s patented biotechnology is built directly into food-contact packaging film. “For meat processors, every product lost represents an investment in production, packaging, and distribution that goes unreal
Vedanta Ltd Doubles Zinc Capacity in South Africa with US$ 600 Mn investment19.10.2026 20:19:00 EEST | Press release
Vedanta Limited doubled its annual zinc production capacity to 500,000 tonnes1in South Africa through an investment of nearly US$ 600 Mn at Gamsberg (Phase II) at Vedanta Zinc International (VZI). Gamsberg has one of the world’s most significant zinc deposits and is VZI’s flagship zinc mine. Inaugurated by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Vedanta Limited Director Priya Agarwal-Hebbar, this expansion marks one of the decade’s largest mining investments in South Africa. It advances Vedanta Limited’s position as the world’s largest2 zinc producer, with a vision of achieving 3 million tonnes of annual production across India and South Africa. Of this, 2 million tonnes are targeted from its subsidiary, Hindustan Zinc Limited the world’s largest integrated zinc producer, while Vedanta Zinc International business aims to contribute 1 million tonnes annually. This expansion strengthens the ZAR 21 Bn (nearly US$ 1.5 Bn) investment commitment Vedanta made at the 2018 South Africa Inve
Unlocking Digital Gold’s US$700bn Opportunity19.10.2026 19:00:00 EEST | Press release
The digital gold market, worth US$45–55bn today, could unlock up to US$700bn in latent demand, according to new research from World Gold Council and Boston Consulting Group. The report points to substantial untapped appetite among retail investors, with nearly nine in ten surveyed saying they would consider digital gold under the right conditions. The US$700bn opportunity represents the report’s estimate of total latent demand that could be released if today’s barriers to adoption were removed, rather than a near-term forecast. The report’s five-year base case sees digital gold growing by around 27% a year to US$160–170bn by 2031. That could rise to US$270–280bn over the same time if more barriers fall faster. Momentum is already building as financial markets undergo a broader digital transformation, bringing tokenised investment products increasingly into the mainstream. Tokenised gold, one segment of the digital gold market alongside vaulted digital gold, has grown fivefold in value
Roquette Brings Broad Portfolio of Excipient Solutions and Technical Expertise to AAPS PharmSci 360 202619.10.2026 17:00:00 EEST | Press release
Roquette, a global leader in plant-based ingredients, excipients and pharmaceutical solutions, will showcase its expansive portfolio of excipients, capsules, coatings, and biopharma solutions at AAPS PharmSci 360 2026. The conference and trade show will take place October 26-28 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. At Booth 1100 in the exhibit hall, Roquette’s Health & Pharma Solutions team will share their expertise across controlled-release technologies, hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrins, and sustainable formulation approaches, alongside a comprehensive portfolio of innovative solutions designed to address the evolving needs of pharmaceutical developers. “AAPS PharmSci 360 is a key opportunity to share our latest innovations, as well as highlight the breadth and depth of our scientific know-how that helps our customers solve complex formulation challenges,” said Peter Freed, Head of Technical Service & Development North America for Roquette’s Health & Pharma Solutions Business Unit. “From a
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom