Streamers can now access TV channels including CNN, Insight TV, travelxp, Beano TV and The Guardian’s new channel on a wider range of devices.
During the past month, additional platforms including the Rakuten TV website and Roku have been added, with the promise of more devices to come. Following CNN’s decision to cut Freesat and Virgin Media carriage in 2021, this gives viewers more ways to view the channel.
Rakuten TV originally launched as an on-demand service with a library of movies. It later added extra genres and live channels, but until recently, the number of devices that could access Rakuten TV’s live channel offer was restricted. Samsung TV Plus was the first main smart TV platform to gain access, with LG following in 2021.
At www.rakuten.tv, UK viewers can see a ‘channels’ option in the top left which takes them through to all available services. RXTV reader Adam got in touch after spotting a recent update to the Rakuten TV app on Roku, which has brought access to its live channel service across Roku’s suite of streaming devices in the UK.
The channels are part of a growing number of so-called FAST (free, ad-supported television) channels that are mushrooming on various platforms, including Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus and Rakuten TV.
On which devices can I watch Rakuten TV?
- Android app for mobile
- Android TV
- Hisense smart TV (2020 or later models)
- LG smart TV (2019 or later models)
- Roku
- Samsung TV Plus (via mobile or smart TV)
- Vestel (MB 230, 180, 181) (2019 or later models)
- Web site (rakuten.tv)
Which channels are available on Rakuten TV?
NOTE: Some services are not available on all platforms due to licensing issues. In April 2022, CNN was removed from the browser-based version of Rakuten TV.
Rakuten’s own channels
- Top Movies
- Action
- Comedy
- Drama
- Stories
- British
- Thrillers
- Romance
Movies and Entertainment
- My Time movie network
- Flimzie
- Moviesphere
- Film Rise Free Movies
- Film Stream
- Lone Star
- Shorts
- The Film Detective
- Fawesome
- Film Rise Free Series
- Unsolved Mysteries
- Real Crime
- Most Haunted
- Are We There Yet?
- Rakuten VIKI
- The Pet Collective
- Fail Army
- People Are Awesome
- People TV
- Insight TV
- AFV Family
- In Wonder
- GAGS
- Revry
- WIRED
- Young Hollywood
Sports
- Tennis Channel
- MAV TV Select
- WPT World Poker Tour
- Fuel TV
- Motorvision TV
- World Billiards TV
- ESTV Esports Television
- HARD KNOCKS
- Impact!20
- In Trouble
- MMA
- Edge Sport
- Power Nation
- USGA
- Unbeaten
- Players TV
Lifestyle
- fashion TV
- Luxe.tv
- Glamour
- GQ
- Pop Sugar Fitness
- The Design Network
- travelxp
- Vanity Fair
- Vogue
- Museum TV
- My Zen Fit
Cooking
- Tastemade
- BITE
- bon appetit
- gustotv
- iFood.tv
Teleshopping
- High Street TV
- TJC
Music
- Clubbing TV
- QWEST TV Jazz
- QWEST Mix
- Stingray Greatest Hits
- Stingray Hit List
- Stingray Hot Country
- Stingray Karaoke
- Stingray Soul Storm
- Stringray Qello
- QWEST TV Classical
Kids
- Rakuten TV Family
- LEGO
- Duck TV
- Kidz Bop
- Baby Shark TV
- Brat TV
- Cool School
- Teletubbies
- HappyKids
- Beano TV
Slow TV
- Stringray Naturescape
- Weather Spy
- Wild Earth
- Teleshopping
Docs and Factual
- Humanity
- Explore
- Timeline
- Real Wild
- Real Stories
- Real Life
- Wonder
- Planet Knowledge
- Radical Docs
News
- Euronews
- CNN International
- Africa News
- Reuters
- Revry News
- ICTV Ukraine
- 1+1 International Ukraine
- Bloomberg Quick Take
- Bloomberg
- The Guardian TV
Is Rakuten TV free?
Rakuten TV as a whole contains a mixture of free and paid-for services. At the moment, Rakuten TV Channels are available for free without sign-up. This may change in the future.
Updated 25/04/2022 to note that some services aren’t available on all devices due to licensing issues. TalkRADIO TV (now replaced by TalkTV) is removed from the list as it has been deleted from Rakuten’s channel list.