Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video on demand (AVOD) streaming services, along with VIDAA USA, the company developing and managing the VIDAA platform on Hisense Smart TVs, today announced an agreement to add Crackle streaming services and a Crackle-branded remote control button – providing immediate access to the popular ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) service on devices powered by VIDAA OS. The button will be available starting early next year on millions of Hisense TVs sold in the US.
The companies also announced today that the Crackle and Chicken Soup for the Soul free ad-supported television (FAST) channels will launch on the VIDAA platform. In the coming weeks, the channels will give consumers in the US free access to the best movies and TV series streaming 24 hours a day – including originals such as Wedding Talk and Going From Broke. The channels will be available on the channel guide of the TV, which reduces the need to toggle between applications while accessing content from different providers. The Crackle AVOD app is now available on the VIDAA service.
“Hisense is known for its high-quality televisions, which are affordable to cost-conscious consumers,” said Adam Mosam, chief digital officer, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. “The addition of the Crackle app on the VIDAA TV operating system and the remote button will help bring a whole new audience to our service. We have a wide range of amazing content which I know their consumers will enjoy.”
“Providing the best free content in the simplest way to consumers is our mission at VIDAA. Which is why the partnership with Crackle is a great addition to our already large lineup of free VOD content as well as FAST channels,” said Nick Ruczaj, VP of Content at VIDAA USA. “We’ve also made the content easy to discover in our platform’s search engine and will be placing the streaming channels right alongside the broadcast TV networks in the programming guide,” he added.
The VIDAA Smart TV OS is a Linux-based smart TV operating system, powering millions of Smart TVs, including Hisense, Toshiba, Loewe, Supersonic, and hundreds of other Smart TV brands, globally. The independent company VIDAA USA was established in 2019, and it has become a strong global contender in the Smart TV platform category.
Crackle Plus’ recent releases include season 2 of the murder mystery series The Wall, the home renovation series Pet Caves, plus-size mountain climber documentary Kili Big, season 2 of the hit college thriller series In the Vault, the sci-fi series Salvage Marines starring Casper Van Dien, and the award-winning BBC series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
The Crackle Plus and Redbox streaming services are currently distributed through over 140 touchpoints in the U.S. on platforms including Amazon Fire TV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio), gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), Plex, iOS, and Android mobile devices and on desktops at Crackle.com and Redbox.com with plans to expand to over 160 touch points this year.
