Sinclair's STIRR Streaming Service Expected To Launch Soon

Sinclair Broadcast Group's CEO says the company’s over-the-top national streaming service STIRR is “coming soon.”

Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley outlined details of the service at the NAB Show NY Thursday.

STIRR will be similar to existing streaming video services like Xumo and Pluto TV, in that it will include both linear content, and on-demand offerings, but will differ by including local news coverage and talk shows.

As with other free streaming services, it will be ad-supported.

Ripley says STIRR will feature a “combination of local news in every market, syndicated product, and then a plethora of other national channels.”

News of STIRR’s development was first reported by BuzzFeed News in July, which suggested STIRR “could create a new competitor for Fox News.” Until now, the company has remained quiet about what the service entails.

Ripley says STIRR is being run out of Sinclair’s offices in Seattle and Los Angeles, with the bulk of staff working out of L.A. alongside the team from Tennis Channel.

Sinclair produces plenty of local and national news and talk content to fill an OTT service. But it is turning to millennially focused content providers to build out STIRR’s entertainment channels.

"We are partnering with all of the best channels out there, for instance, Pet Collective or Fail Army, so that we have a full suite of channels and on-demand assets,” Ripley says. 

Fail Army and Pet Collective are both owned by Jukin Media, which Sinclair tapped this month to help operate its TBD network, available as a digital broadcast network and online. 

“It is not just about news and syndicated. We will have a number of channels available so you stay within the ecosystem and get your news, talk shows and entertainment programming from these best-in-class providers,” Ripley added.

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