Vizio is making a major programming push with an original holiday movie starring Rachel Bilson and Scott Foley, an expanded film and television library, and more than 40 creator-led streaming channels.
The smart-TV maker, acquired by Walmart in 2024, unveiled the initiative Wednesday during Advertising Week in New York. The expansion is also intended to reintroduce advertisers to Vizio as Walmart’s retail scale helps establish its operating system as the top smart-TV OS.
At the center of the new slate is Jingle Bells Wedding Bells, which will premiere exclusively on Vizio’s WatchFree+ platform this holiday season. ITV America Nashville and Happy Accidents are producing the film, with Geico serving as presenting sponsor of the premiere.
“As viewing habits continue to evolve, partnerships like this give us new ways to connect with audiences,” Geico chief marketing officer Arianna Orpello said in a statement.
WatchFree+ Expands Its Film and TV Lineup
Vizio’s broader content drive builds on the scale of WatchFree+, its free, ad-supported destination offering both live and on-demand streaming. The service has more than 45,000 film and television titles, as well as more than 400 live and local channels.
This fall, the platform is deepening its relationships with MGM, NBCUniversal, Disney, A&E and A24. The programming additions include The Good Doctor, Chicago Fire, Law & Order, Property Brothers and Little House on the Prairie.
The mix of established shows and an exclusive seasonal movie marks only part of Vizio’s expansion. The company is also placing a significant emphasis on programming built around digital creators, with the upcoming FAST channels covering comedy, food, gaming, family, lifestyle, sports and travel.
Creators and brands fronting those channels include MrBeast, Celine Dept, Hot Ones, The Royalty Family, Ben Azelart, Ryan Trahan, Nick DiGiovanni, Preston Playz, Rebecca Zamolo, Sam and Colby, and Uncle Roger.
Creator Programming Joins the Holiday Slate
WatchFree+ will also add Holiday Chocolate Workshop, a creator-led series centered on chocolatier Amaury Guichon. The show follows Guichon and his team of expert chocolatiers as they build what the official logline describes as “ambitious, larger-than-life holiday masterpieces for a season-ending reveal.”
The investment in creator channels and original programming is designed to keep viewers within the WatchFree+ environment rather than losing them to YouTube, which does not deliver the same level of advertising returns for stakeholders.
That advertiser-focused strategy arrives as Vizio reports growth across both its operating system and streaming service. Although the company has not regularly disclosed viewership figures since it stopped being publicly traded and became part of Walmart, Vizio and its corporate parent released new internal data alongside the programming announcement.
According to those figures, the Vizio OS now reaches 32 million yearly active devices, representing a 20% increase year over year. WatchFree+ viewing hours have risen 58% over the same period.
What Happens Next?
Jingle Bells Wedding Bells is set to make its exclusive WatchFree+ debut during the holiday season, while the newly announced film and television titles will begin joining the service this fall. The creator-led FAST channels and Holiday Chocolate Workshop will further broaden the platform’s lineup as Vizio combines traditional entertainment, original programming and digital creators in its expanded ad-supported offering.