• by Alex Weprin , April 26, 2019

The virtual multichannel video provider (vMVPD) FuboTV is adding channels from Viacom to its lineup.

Beginning April 30, nine Viacom channels, including Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Network and VH1, will be available on FuboTV’s base tier of service. 

Additional channels, including NickToons, MTV2, MTVClassic, and Logo, will be available in the company’s “extra” tier, with Viacom’s Spanish-language channels joining the company’s Spanish-language tier.

The addition of Viacom’s channels is somewhat surprising, given FuboTV’s positioning in the market. The company is one of a handful of independent vMVPDs and has made its focus on live sports channels a key selling point.

However, with streaming bundles increasingly replacing traditional bundles, the need to offer more content beyond the big sports channels becomes important.

“Fubo remains singularly focused on offering sports fans a compelling pay TV alternative with a robust content offering able to serve the viewing needs of the entire household,” stated FuboTV CFO Joel Armijo, outlining the company’s new positioning.

For Viacom, the FuboTV deal is the latest in what Armijo calls “prescient and aggressive moves in the digital media space.”

Earlier this year, Viacom acquired Pluto TV to give itself a foothold in the streaming video ecosystem. At the same time, it has become much more aggressive in securing distribution on vMVPDs.

The company is also building out a digital studios business, leveraging its IP to create content for other streaming services, such as Netflix and Hulu.