Jonathan Katz, Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, Gray Television Creating New Diginets & FAST Channels

Free TV Networks (FTN), founded and led by Jonathan Katz, a digital broadcast network entrepreneur and pioneer, is partnering with Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate and Gray Television to launch national ad-supported over-the-air and streaming channels that are free to consumers.

Featuring “world-class programming from Warner Bros. Discovery and Lionsgate,” the first channels will be focused on the demand for both African American programming and Westerns. The new company and network launch plans were unveiled today by Jonathan Katz, president-CEO, Free TV Networks; David Decker, president, content sales, Warner Bros. Discovery; Jim Packer, Lionsgate president of worldwide television distribution; and Pat LaPlatney, president/co-CEO, Gray Television.

Launching New Year’s Day as a diginet, Free TV Networks’ flagship brand will be THE365 (positioned as “Black, All Day, Every Day”), serving African American viewers with movies and series including Warner Bros.’ I Am Legend, Purple Rain and Queen Sugar along with Academy Award-winners Crash and Monster’s Ball, Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion and the satirical comedy/drama Dear White People from Lionsgate.

FTN’s second over-the-air network, Outlaw (“The Western Channel”), also premiering Jan.1, 2024, will serve male demographics with iconic and legendary tales of the Old West, including Warner Bros. movies Unforgiven, Chisum, Pale Rider and Wyatt Earp.

The over-the-air networks will launch with distribution in 80% of the U.S., anchored by Free TV Networks partner Gray Television. Additional distribution for the networks will be across RNN Media Group and HC2 Broadcasting’s footprint of over-the-air stations.

In addition, Free TV Networks will launch several ad-supported FAST (free ad-supported streaming television) networks in the coming months driven by acquired content, including streaming versions of THE365 and Outlaw, along with channels featuring pop-culture fan-favorite movies and series from the VHS era titled VCR Action and VCR HaHa.

Free TV Networks said it will “capitalize on the resurgence of over-the-air viewing, the rise of diginets, and the rapid growth in ad-supported streaming channels. Today, nearly 1 in 3 U.S. households – about 35 million homes – have a digital antenna, with the market projected to surpass 50 million U.S. households by 2027.”

Katz said: “Never underestimate the power of ‘free.’ Audiences and advertisers have driven the thriving ad market for digital broadcast networks to well over $1 billion, with FAST channel revenues now more than $5 billion. The Free TV Networks team has a successful and profitable track record scaling well-defined brands designed to serve the ever-growing number of value-conscious consumers combining free over-the-air and FAST channels with their favorite streaming services.”

Decker said: “We have a long and successful strategy licensing our world-class content to every platform — from networks and syndication to digital and streaming. Free TV Networks fits this perfectly, and we’re happy to offer our hit films and television shows to their audiences.”

Packer said: “These digital broadcast and FAST channels bring together two content leaders, one of the nation’s largest broadcast companies, and a respected industry pioneer in support of a strong lineup of African American and Western programming. This is a great opportunity to serve two large and scalable demos with world-class IP in a well-defined market segment.”

And LaPlatney said: “Serving diverse communities is a key piece of our strategy at Gray and has served us well for decades. Our partnership with Free TV Networks is another illustration of our strong commitment to the continued growth of broadcast television within today’s media ecosystem and the importance of delivering high-value entertainment without high costs to our viewers.”

Serving as advisers to support management’s strategic growth initiatives, Free TV Networks founders and board of directors include human rights activist and philanthropist, Martin Luther King III, and entertainment businessman Alan Haymon who has been a  force in music, television and boxing.

Katz also announced his senior leadership team featuring accomplished broadcast, cable and streaming executives, including:

• Maria Harvey, Chief Financial Officer (Scripps Networks, Katz Networks, Deloitte)
• Phil Oppenheim, Chief Content Officer (Epix, Lionsgate, Turner Broadcasting)
• Richard Steiner, Chief Digital Officer (Scripps Networks, Warner Media, Turner Broadcasting, STARZ)
• Jackie Trube, Chief People Officer (Scripps Networks, Katz Networks, Turner Broadcasting)
• Jon Marks, Chief Research Officer (Scripps Networks, Turner Broadcasting)
• Noriko Ishihara, Executive Vice President, Ad Sales Operations (Scripps Networks, Katz Networks, Turner Broadcasting)
• Joe Cantrell, Executive Vice President, Network Operations & Development (Teton Ridge, Raycom Media)
• Bryan Slonaker, Executive Vice President, Creative Services (Scripps Networks, Katz Networks, Turner Broadcasting)
• Tracy Underwood, Chief of Staff (Scripps Networks, Katz Networks, Turner Broadcasting)
• Jim Mitchell, Senior Vice President, Chief of Technical Operations (Scripps Networks, Katz Networks, Encompass, Harris Corp.)
• Amber Hrabovsky, Senior Vice President, Content Operations (Scripps Networks, Katz Networks, Turner Broadcasting)
• Jeff Carr, Vice President, Content (Warner Media, Turner Broadcasting)
• Nia Dozier, Vice President, Standards and Practices (Scripps Networks, Katz Networks, Turner Broadcasting)

Katz is the founder of the Katz Networks, a pioneering digital over-the-air networks company whose portfolio included broadcast networks Bounce (African American), Escape (true crime), Grit (westerns), Laff (comedy) and Court TV, along with corresponding free ad-supported streaming services. The Katz Networks were acquired by the E.W. Scripps Company in 2017, and then combined with Ion Media in 2021, at which point Katz became the COO and head of entertainment for the Scripps Networks, a new national television business, where he led both the Ion broadcast network and the Katz Networks’ portfolio.