Spotify accelerates into the FAST lane with video podcast channel on Samsung TV Plus

Podcasts featured on the Spotify FAST channel

Audio giant Spotify has moved into the free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) space for the first time with the launch of a channel on Samsung TV Plus.

The new channel features a selection of video podcasts from Bill Simmon-founded podcast network The Ringer, which Spotify acquired in 2020.

Podcasts featured on the FAST channel, which was announced earlier this year, include The Rewatchables, offering discussion about classic movies; Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay, looking at news, politics and culture; Speidi’s 16th Minute, a pop culture pod hosted by reality TV personalities Heidi and Spencer Pratt; and Book of Basketball 2.0, analysing the NBA’s most important games, players and teams.

Others include The Big Picture (movie reviews), The Ringer-Verse (deep dives into franchises and IP universes) and two fronted by chef David Change, The Recipe Club and The Dave Chang Show.

Samsung initially revealed the channel partnership with Spotify during its NewFronts presentation in May, but the partnership will draw renewed interest after the Sweden-headquartered music streamer revealed a pact with Netflix this week.

In terms of what has been announced, there is no crossover in the video podcasts being offered through the Netflix and Samsung TV Plus deals.

Spotify already hosts video podcasts on its own platform, but the two agreements announced this week see the Sweden-headquartered company looking to expand into off-platform distribution.

“Bringing The Ringer to Samsung TV Plus is an exciting evolution – expanding our reach and allowing audiences to engage with our content in new ways,” said Geoff Chow, Spotify’s head of podcast studios and managing director of The Ringer.

“This partnership highlights the growing influence of video podcasts and reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality programming across multiple platforms.”

Salek Brodsky, senior VP and global head of Samsung TV Plus, added: “Samsung TV Plus is where storytelling meets scale – and with this first-of-its-kind partnership the biggest screen in the home becomes a stage for podcasting’s boldest video programming to come to life.”