https://techcrunch.com/2022/03/23/youtube-to-stream-free-ad-supported-tv-shows-for-the-first-time/

YouTube today announced it will for the first time stream free, ad-supported TV shows — a move that puts in into more direct competition with the growing number of free streaming services on the market, including Tubi, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, IMDb TV, Xumo, Plex, and NBCU’s Peacock. The company said it will initially offer its U.S. users access to over 4,000 free TV episodes from shows including “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Andromeda,” “Heartland” and others. It plans to add up to 100 more titles each week, including both shows and movies, to its free streaming collection.

YouTube is already home to a number of free, ad-supported movies, so today’s launch of free TV is more of an expansion of its existing free streaming efforts, rather than something entirely new for the comapny.