An interview with Popcornflix's David Fannon on their OTT platform
The market for free streaming TV is heating up. With OTT becoming the future of the industry and newer services charging monthly fees, watching TV across the web can become quite expensive. Popcornflix is building a niche for itself in the market by offering free TV from major content providers including National Geographic, BBC and Discovery. They've most recently added a ton of documentaries through partnerships with distributors TVF International and Looking Glass International.
Found Remote interviewed EVP of Popcornflix, David Fannon about their platform and offerings.
Found Remote: Why was Popcornflix launched?
David Fannon: By 2010, DVD sales had declined significantly. Screen Media Ventures, Popcornflix’s parent company, was looking for ways to replace that lost revenue. At this time, Hulu decided to focus on a subscription model. SMV, with its vast library of quality independent films, saw the opening left by Hulu’s departure as an opportunity. Hence the birth of Popcornflix.
FR: What platforms is it on?
DF: Popcornflix is available on nearly all major platforms: Roku, Sony PlayStation, Xbox, Amazon Fire TV as well as multiple smart TVs, including Panasonic, Samsung and Bravia. Our Chromecast app launched on Android and is about to go live on iOS. Frightpix and Popcornflix Kids are available on Roku and Xbox. Needless to say, all applications are also live on the web and mobile devices.
FR: What is the new content you've acquired?
DF: Recent additions to Popcornflix include quality programming from National Geographic, dramatic series from Canadian producer Shaftesbury and award-winning independent movies like Monster staring Charlize Theron, Sherrybaby with Maggie Gylenhall and Lymelife with Alec Baldwin. We are always looking to add quality content to Popcornflix.
FR: What kind of social/digital marketing does Popcornflix do?
DF: Popcornflix has a dedicated team of social media experts who look for the latest trends in social media, and who will then match those trends to its vast library and post on Facebook and Twitter. Today, Popcornflix has over 100,000 fans on Facebook. Combined with Frightpix and Popcornflix Kids, that makes more than 160,000 followers. Popcornflix also has a newsletter, and our content is frequently featured in editorials on Moviepilot and other sites.
FR: Who do you consider your biggest competitor?
DF: Crackle is a competitor, but they are owned by a studio and thus have studio resources at their disposal. Out of all the remaining AVOD platforms, Popcornflix is the strongest, and I believe, the best option for consumers.
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