Three Free Ad-Supported Streaming Services, Including Crackle, Are Shutting Down

by | Jul 11, 2024 | Technology & News | 0 comments

This week, we discovered that Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment will be closing down.

Initially, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in order to reorganize and manage its debt before relaunching. Instead, they filed for Chapter 7, intending to lay off 1,000 employees and cease operations.

This means Crackle, Redbox, and Popcornflix will cease operations at some time shortly.

READ MORE: Fubo Has Launched A Free Ad-Supported Streaming Service

One of the first free ad-supported streaming services is no longer available. Crackle began in 2004 and was acquired by Sony in 2006. It became one of the first well-known streaming sites to legally provide 100% free material with advertisements.

In 2019, Sony sold Crackle to Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment.

Crackle’s influence on cord cutting nowadays cannot be underestimated. It pioneered what is now one of the fastest-growing sectors of cord cutting, with the introduction of free ad-supported streaming services such as Tubi and Pluto TV.

READ MORE: U.S. Households Now Watch Over 43 Hours Of Video Every Week, With Half Using Free Ad-Supported Services Like Pluto TV, Tubi, And More

The shutdown of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment has an influence on Popcornflix. It debuted in 2010 as another early pioneer in the realm of free ad-supported streaming. In 2017, Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment acquired its parent firm, Screen Media Ventures.

The other big streaming service impacted by the suspension is probably the most well-known: Redbox.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment purchased Redbox in 2022 and utilized the name to create a new free, ad-supported streaming service. Redbox streaming became popular early on because of its moniker.

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment will now cease operations and cease its hunt for fresh funding, effectively eliminating all three of these services. Redbox is already offline, and other services such as Crackle are expected to follow suit soon.

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