Rakuten TV, Sony Pictures Entertainment partnership brings 20 FAST channels to Europe

Drama series The Blacklist is available via a dedicated FAST channel

European VoD service Rakuten TV is launching 20 new FAST channels in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment.

The channels are a mix of single-IP brands and thematic fiction channels. They will be available shortly in Spain, the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, the Nordics and the Netherlands.

As part of the agreement, new channels streaming in Spain include: Shark Tank, dedicated to the hit format; The Blacklist, featuring episodes of the James Spader drama; Series Comedia, curating episodes of comedies such as Seinfeld and The Nanny; and Éxitos, featuring episodes of Charlie’s Angels and Married… with Children.

Additional channels available across Europe include Thriller TV (UK, Germany), Dragons’ Den (UK), Embrujada (Italy) and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (UK).

Marcos Milanez, chief content officer at Rakuten TV, said: “This new agreement with Sony Pictures strengthens a relationship that already spans various areas of collaboration across TVoD, AVoD and now FAST.

“With these 20 new channels, we are expanding access to some of the world’s most recognised content brands and continuing to create new opportunities for advertisers to connect with engaged audiences.”

Peter Wood, executive VP of consumer platforms and services at Sony Pictures Entertainment, added: “This agreement reflects our commitment to further expanding access to Sony Pictures’ premium TV content via FAST.”