DirecTV entering the FAST marketplace

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DirecTV is preparing to enter the FAST space with the launch of MyFree DirecTV Nov. 15, 2024.

The new service, which will initially be available in the U.S., will include both linear and on-demand content ranging from repeats of shows such as “Duck Dynasty,” “The First 48,” “Storage Wars,” “Pawn Stars,” “On Patrol: Live” and “Modern Marvels.”

Other options will include Fox Weather, Tastemade, El Rey Rebel, PokerGo, Ebony TV and Nosey. Terms of DirecTV’s carriage deals with these streamers were not disclosed. 

Additional content will be added in 2025.

One goal of the launch is to enable the company to sell more advertising, noted Amy Leifer, chief advertising sales officer at DirectTV 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,” she said in a statement.

DirecTV has appointed Kent Rees as general manager of the FAST. Reese joined DirecTV from Sling and also has over 20 years of experience working at Pop TV, Participant Media, IFC and FAST Studios. 

Ahead of the launch, the company has set up myfreedirectv.com and released a logo that oddly combines the company’s FF Din-inspired logotype with a more geometric, humanist sans serif with distinctly pointed accents. 

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The rhyming name itself is also a bit of a mouthful and the use of the “My” prefix feels a bit like when Fox Corp. tried to use that word in branding ranging from MySpace, which it owned for a time, to MyNetworkTV and “My Fox” names for its owned stations.

It seems like a name such as “DirecTV Free” or “Free DirecTV” might have been less clunky though perhaps a bit confusing when going up against Amazon’s FreeVee

The name is also officially stylized as “MyFree DIRECTV,” in keeping with the company’s practice of using all caps for its name combined with camel case for the “MyFree” part. When displayed that way, there’s a bit of an odd visual balance that might actually make a bit more sense if the “DirecTV” styling was used instead.

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