Rakuten TV Launches in the United States, Japan and the Middle East (Exclusive)

The group, known for its free streaming offerings, will launch in the United States by the end of the year.

Japan-owned Barcelona-based Rakuten TV is launching its free-to-air streaming business (FAST) outside of Europe, with launches in the US, the Middle East and Japan.

Cédric Dufour, CEO of Rakuten TV, outlined the plan at the MIPCOM international television conference in Cannes on Monday, noting that international releases will not be direct copy-and-paste versions of its European model. In the U.S., which Dufour described as "the most developed and competitive FAST market in the world," Rakuten will launch with several exclusive FAST channels, including premium movie channels Rakuten TV Comedy and Rakuten TV Action, which it says will offer a mix of movies that "avoids overlap with other channels in the market." The channels will first be available on the TCLtv+ app and later platforms will be launched.

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In the Middle East, Rakuten TV is preparing to launch two FAST channels, Rakuten TV Top Movies and Rakuten TV Action, in the UAE and Saudi Arabia by the end of this year, both available through TCLtv+ and TCL Channel in both regions and on LG channels in the UAE. Rakuten TV is also considering launching multi-genre channels or single-IP series related to the Middle East market.

In Japan, Rakuten Group, the Tokyo-based technology company that owns Rakuten TV, will use the group as a technical integrator to deliver FAST channels to its FAST platform, R Channels.

Rakuten TV currently operates more than 120 owned and managed channels in Europe and more than 500 FAST channels in 43 territories alongside its Rakuten TV programme.

"This expansion is just the beginning of what we can achieve with Rakuten TV Enterprise," Dufour said.