By Phillip Swann
TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.

DIRECTV has signed a licensing deal with the Hollywood studio Lionsgate to add five more ads-supported free channels to its streaming lineups: Moviesphere (premium movies on channel 4501), HerSphere (female-driven stories on channel 4209), and Ebony TV (Black film and culture on channel 4404), and two comedy channels, Are We There Yet? (channel 4322) and Anger Management (channel 4321).

The five channels are now available to Entertainment plan and above subscribers to DIRECTV Stream and DIRECTV via Internet service as well as DIRECTV’s streaming app for satellite customers. DIRECTV said it would add more Lionsgate-provided free channels in the coming months.

DIRECTV has bolstered its streaming lineups with a few dozen free channels over the last several months. The channels are called free because they are also available on such free services as Pluto TV and Tubi.

“We want to enable our customers to select from a wider variety of genres and to explore their most avid interests in greater depth,” said Rebecca Nelson, senior vice president of content and programming at DIRECTV. “Lionsgate is a leading content supplier who offers many strong options to expand our future lineup and enhance customer value.”

Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.

The TV Answer Man is veteran journalist Phillip Swann who has covered the TV technology scene for more than three decades. He will report on the latest news and answer your questions regarding new devices and services that are changing the way you watch television. See the bio for Phillip Swann here.