DIRECTV to Launch Free Streaming Service Headed By Ex-Sling TV Exec

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –Follow me on X.
Former editor of Satellite DIRECT magazine. Reported on DIRECTV for 30 years.

DIRECTV announced today that it will launch a free ad-supported streaming service called MyFreeDIRECTV on November 15. The service will be available to both DIRECTV subscribers and non-DIRECTV consumers.

MyFreeDIRECTV is similar to Sling TV’s Freestream and DIRECTV said today that its new free streaming service will be headed by Kent Rees who recently was general manager of Freestream.

DIRECTV announced on September 30 that it was buying Sling TV and Dish. While the sale must be approved by federal regulators, which could take a year, the hiring of Rees could be viewed as the first unofficial joint effort of the two companies.

“Kent is an experienced leader who knows the ins and outs of the FAST market and will be an integral part of the leadership team dedicated to creating a unique consumer experience,” Vikash Sharma, DIRECTV’s head of product, said in a statement.

Update: A Directv spokesman says the Rees hiring was in August and was done independently from the Dish sale. He says the hiring was not announced until now so it could be timed to coincide with the MyFreeDIRECTV announcement.

MyFreeDIRECTV will consist of free channels that are now available on DIRECTV Stream and DIRECTV Via Streaming as well as other free, ad-supported services such as Pluto TV and Tubi. DIRECTV has steadily added free channels to its two streaming services over the last several months.

With MyFreeDIRECTV, the TV provider hopes to generate significant advertising revenue as well as attract consumers who might subscribe after watching the free channels. The service will be accessible nationwide online, via mobile, and on select smart TVs and streaming devices.

“DIRECTV envisions a brighter TV future that offers consumers quality content with more choice and more control at the right value. The launch of MyFree DIRECTV will do just that,” said Amy Leifer, chief advertising sales officer at DIRECTV Advertising. “We’re laser-focused on strengthening our investment in this area as we empower our advertising clients to reach new audiences with targeted and contextual solutions and innovative ad formats.”

To see a partial list of free channels that will be available on MyFreeDIRECTV, click here.

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.