As Pride Month comes to a close, Pluto TV has launched OUTtv Proud, Fuse TV’s new LGBTQ+-created free ad-supported streaming channel.

The OUTtv Proud channel, created by Fuse and the Canada-based OUTtv streaming service, features LGBTQ+-targeted original programming featuring rising stars and top talent, as well as library content from OUTtv’s original series, documentaries, films and specials.  

“Pluto TV strives to offer a diverse range of programming for a wide range of audiences, and OUTtv Proud is a  great addition to our channel lineup,” Pluto TV senior VP of programming Scott Reich said in a statement. “It’s important to deliver viewers opportunities to see themselves represented and celebrated in the media they consume.” 

Fuse CEO Miguel Roggero said the launch of OUTtv on Pluto TV during Pride Month not only expands the service’s footprint, but also aids in “amplifying LGBTQ+ voice and spreading our mission of equality and inclusion.”

OUTtv CEO Brad Danks added, “We’re thankful that our partnership with Pluto TV will greatly expand access to the people and their stories that reflect the authenticity and full diversity of this amazing global LGTBQ+ community.”

Hispanic Heritage Month begins Sept. 15, and multicultural youth-targeted network Fuse TV has several programming initiatives planned for the celebration. The network later this month will premiere Varsity Punks, an original film, as well as talk show Like, Share, Dimelo, which is targeted to young, Latino audiences — part of the network’s broader fall lineup of five original series and documentaries. 

Fuse TV CEO Miguel Roggero, who took over the reins of the network in April 2019, recently spoke with Multichannel News about Fuse’s multicultural youth-targeted brand, as well as its programming strategy and partnerships surrounding the upcoming elections and the country’s ongoing movement against social injustice.   

MCN: How would you define the Fuse brand under your leadership?
Miguel Roggero: I don’t see it any differently than the original mission of what we started. I’ve been with the company 14 years and so I’ve seen how we’ve evolved. The focus is a little broader than when we started, but it’s really an entertainment-based service for the multicultural community. The idea is to really provide this audience with authentic stories that are inclusive. When we first started in the old Sí TV days [Sí TV acquired Fuse TV in 2014], it wasn’t quite as inclusive because it was targeted to Latino audiences. But we’ve evolved over time to really reflect the young, multicultural audience today.

MCN: That young, multicultural audience, like all young viewers, is watching more and more content on multiple platforms. How does Fuse plan to reach its core audience with a mostly linear service? 

MR: Television is still the largest medium out there and we have a product that serves the distribution community really well. The industry needs a product like ours. In 20 years, America is going to be half-multicultural, so the television ecosystem needs to be sensitive to this audience and we have a product that goes straight to the sweet spot. I think we’re in the right space in a moment in time where everybody’s paying attention to this audience and, and now more than ever, the diversity and inclusion that we represent is that much more important. We’re experimenting with a lot of different new platforms to see which ones are going to emerge, but the cable TV universe is still the predominant form of delivery for us. We continue to have good relationships with our partners on the distribution side and we expect that to continue. We have to stay focused as a content brand. 

MCN: With the presidential election coming up and with the continued discussion about social injustice, will Fuse look to develop original content that speaks to the concerns of its young, multicultural viewer?

MR: We look for stories that our audience can not only look at but feel empowered by. We've always been about providing positive stories and representations for our inclusive  audience. So whether it’s music-related, lifestyle, culture or social responsibility, we’re developing content that hits those different touch points and will resonate with our audience. 

We were heavily involved creating content around the 2016 election and we’re going to be heavily involved in the 2020 election. We’re in the process of producing a town hall that'll be focused on local elections. We have a partnership with Color of Change, Climate Power 2020 and Stacey Abrams. There are like-minded partners out there and we have a platform for their messages. We do that because it’s part of our DNA. 

New York -- Independent networks navigating the increasingly fragmented TV market need to differentiate themselves beyond just better pricing and more choice to be successful, they also need to take a stand, Fuse TV CEO Michael Schwimmer told a packed audience at the Multichannel News/B&C Hispanic TV Summit Thursday.

Schwimmer told Multichannel News and B&C managing director of content Mark Robichaux that with so many ways for consumers to access content -- including Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix and a growing number of virtual MVPDs -- independent networks have to offer something truly different.

"To have any success with platforms, be they pay platforms or other platforms, you need to be highly differentiated," Schwimmer said. "You need to give them something they otherwise don't have readily available in a cost effective manner."

For Fuse, that means targeting a young Latino and multicultural audience with content that resonates with them -- shows that feature Latinos in lead roles and that depict the Latino community as a part of mainstream society.

"I don't think television reflects that yet," Schwimmer said. "When you deliver that to viewers in a non-preachy way, it's just fun, it's entertainment, but you see somebody on screen who looks like you and maybe like your neighbor or like your cousin, it's going to feel good."

But just reflecting the community isn't enough. Schwimmer added that network brands need to stand for something other than just "big tent" entertainment.

"It's very hard to be a legacy general entertainment network," Schwimmer said. "The 'Big Tent' today is Instagram, Facebook, HBO, Netflix. Once get to come down 10,000 feet, you need to stand for something specific. The question is, what does your brand stand for? HBO has done a great job of doing that. In our case, it's very clear -- it's Latino, it's multicultural, it's young, there's a music filter to it. It's non-scripted, so if you're looking for a great drama, don't come to us. we're very specific about what we offer and who we offer it to. Which means we're not going to appeal to everybody, but we're going to appeal to some people. Hopefully they'll be passionate about what we do."

He added that viewers, especially young viewers, show more allegiance to shows where they feel a connection, where buying into the brand means something. He mentioned Toms Shoes, which gives a free pair of shoes to a needy child for every pair it sells. 

"As a network you're an environment and you're environment needs to mean something and stand for something broader than any individual show," Schwimmer said.