Vimeo To Power Two Lionsgate OTT Services As Part Of Technology Pact

Vimeo has announced today a technology pact whereby it will power two Lionsgate-owned OTT services — Kevin Hart’s Laugh Out Loud (LOL) comedy platform and the two-year-old Tribeca Shortlist — which features acclaimed titles picked by actors, directors, and film industry insiders.

Vimeo has powered LOL since its launch last month. The mobile-first comedy service delivers new shows daily across LOL’s proprietary website and mobile app, as well as top social networks. LOL — which is available as a free, ad-supported service, or as an ad-free subscription offering for $2.99 per month — uses Vimeo’s application programming interface (API) and its software development kit (SDK), according to the company.

Tribeca Shortlist — priced at $5.99 per month and available on Roku, AppleTV, SlingTV, and Amazon Channels as well as its own site and app — is harnessing Vimeo’s “OTT out-of-the-box solution,” the company says.

“The relationship between content provider and consumer is becoming more important than ever,” said Vimeo OTT general manager Kathleen Barrett in a statement, “and we’re proud to be part of the movement connecting audiences with content while delivering seamless viewing experiences through our powerful technology platform.”

Vimeo cancelled plans to launch its own subscription service earlier this summer due to “compromises” that would have affected its image — though the company says it currently powers over 500 partner subscription services that boast hundreds of thousands of subscribers. Its tools function across all major platforms and connected devices, Vimeo says, providing everything from white-label apps to flexible monetization tools.