While competition is growing among paid subscription services, we’re here to remind you that cutting the cord doesn’t have to be expensive. There are plenty of great options for watching TV and movies, all for free.
This week, Cord Cutters News had the opportunity to talk with Philippe Guelton, president of Crackle, about how this free streaming service is bringing quality content to viewers with no subscription fees and what changes we’ll be seeing soon.
In March, Crackle was sold by Sony to Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. This wasn’t the first step into streaming for the company. Among other streaming channels and related online video businesses, CSS Entertainment was already running Popcornflix, another ad-supported streaming service with an impressive library of movies.
With a new company taking ownership, there have been some big changes to make Crackle an even better option for cord cutters. The most notable is the focus on original content. We reported on Crackle’s original content plan last month, which includes content from CSS Entertainment’s Landmark Studio Group.
In the Crackle Originals section of the app or website, you’ll find original shows like Going From Broke, SuperMansion, and The Oath. Look for more exclusive content and original shows and movies in the future. Guelton shared that Crackle is planning to add one new original title each month.
To continue moving the free streaming service forward, we learned in the interview that Crackle is being rebranded. The Crackle app has already seen some changes on certain platforms in the past couple months. By the end of this week, Crackle plans to roll out that rebranding, including a new logo and improved viewing experience, to all key platforms.
The change in ownership doesn’t mean that Crackle will be losing Sony content. When asked about whether Sony movies and shows will remain on the service, Guelton shared that the company still has a strong working relationship with Sony, with new content being added to the platform that will complement the existing content viewers have been enjoying.
Can an ad-supported service attract an audience with ad-free options like Netflix and an ad-free version of Hulu available? Absolutely. Guelton points out that Crackle isn’t in the business of competing with Netflix. Instead, the platform is offering another option, distributing exclusive and original content in a sustainable way, and reaching an audience that wants great content without paying a monthly fee.
Ready to give this free streaming service a try? Check out the Crackle website to get started.
Please follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more news, tips, and reviews. Need cord cutting tech support? Join our Cord Cutting Tech Support Facebook Group for help.
Did you know we have a YouTube Channel? Every week we have a live Cord Cutting Q&A, and weekly Cord Cutting recap shows exclusively on our YouTube Channel!