Rakuten TV makes FAST channel debut on Amazon Freevee

AVOD and FAST channel platform, Rakuten TV, is debuting single-IP comedy FAST channel, Freitag Nacht News, on Amazon Freevee in Germany.

Freitag Nacht News (Friday Night News) is a German language channel based on the widely popular German comedy classic series of the same name. The FAST channel launching on Amazon Freevee will feature an array of programming and sketches framed as fictional news, presented by German comedians, said Rakuten TV.

Freitag Nacht News will be scheduled and distributed by Rakuten TV, with it also available on Rakuten TV in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Marcos Milanez, chief content officer at Rakuten TV, said: “The launch of Freitag Nacht News on Amazon Freevee is a big milestone for Rakuten TV, as our first deal to provide exceptional entertainment content with the service by leveraging the expertise we developed in the FAST scenario. Rakuten TV has established itself at the forefront of the FAST movement in Europe, and this new development marks the beginning of exciting new opportunities for growth, where we can provide further distribution opportunities for our content partners.”

According to the operator, Rakuten TV hosts 100 owned and operated channels in Europe across multiple genres. It is available in 43 European territories, currently reaching more than 140 million households via its branded remote-control button and pre-installed app in Smart TV devices, said the company.