Dive Brief:

• Sling TV will distribute Sabio Holdings’ free ad-supported television content channel Creator Television on its Sling Freestream platform, per an announcement.
• Creator TV is designed to bridge the gap between social media and streaming for creators, according to Sabio Holdings. The partnership also provides a wider range of unique programming for streaming audiences, per press details.
• The news comes as Sabio, an ad-tech company that provides engagement services among streaming audiences for brands, is experiencing strong revenue growth. Sling TV is a subsidiary of Dish Network. 

Dive Insight:

The partnership between Sling TV and Sabio underscores how streaming’s rapid growth continues to drive content development and new engagement opportunities for advertisers. Sabio reported revenues grew 42% in Q4 of 2024 and attributed the gains to ad-supported streaming. The Sling TV-Sabio partnership also is an indicator of the ongoing vibrancy in the creator economy.

“Similar to the impact music videos and unscripted show formats had on television, creator-led TV has the potential to transform the content landscape,” said Charlie Ibarra, head of content at Creator TV in the release. “By blending user-generated content with traditional TV narrative techniques, creator-led shows are pushing the boundaries of storytelling and reshaping how audiences experience entertainment.”

Creator TV originally soft launched in October 2023 under the name SabioTV as an Android app, according to AdExchanger. It has since rebranded, per AdExchanger, and its new programming consists of “repackaged older YouTube content from creators who first achieved success on other social video platforms.”