Pluto TV is owned by Paramount Skydance, the media company formed after Skydance Media completed its merger with Paramount Global in 2025. The platform now operates within Paramount’s direct-to-consumer division. Pluto TV recently crossed 300 free ad-supported channels and continues to expand across Latin America and Europe.
- Pluto TV reported over 80 million monthly active users globally in 2024.
- Viacom acquired Pluto TV in January 2019 for $340 million.
- The service offers more than 300 live channels at no cost to viewers.
- Pluto TV operates in over 35 countries across North America, Europe, and Latin America.
- The platform launched publicly in January 2014, ten years before surpassing 80 million users.
Who Owns Pluto TV?
Pluto TV is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Skydance, the media conglomerate formed after Skydance Media’s 2025 acquisition of Paramount Global. The streaming service falls under Paramount’s direct-to-consumer division alongside Paramount+.
Viacom originally purchased Pluto TV in January 2019 for $340 million. At the time, it was Viacom’s most significant streaming acquisition. Viacom later merged with CBS Corporation in December 2019 to form a new entity. That company, known as ViacomCBS, rebranded as Paramount Global in 2022. Skydance then completed its takeover of Paramount Global in 2025, bringing Pluto TV under its ownership structure.
Pluto TV Origin, Founders, and Early Years
Tom Ryan and Ilya Pozin co-founded Pluto TV in Los Angeles in 2013. Ryan, who had previously worked at CNET and Clicker, served as CEO. Pozin, a serial entrepreneur behind social tools like Ciplex, led early product development.
The platform launched publicly in January 2014, initially aggregating content from YouTube channels, independent studios, and digital publishers. Early investors included Pritzker Group and a range of venture capital firms. Viacom acquired the service in 2019 for $340 million, citing its growing audience and ad-supported model as the primary draw.
Largest Shareholders of Pluto TV
Who Is on the Board of Directors for Pluto TV?
As a subsidiary, Pluto TV’s governance falls under Paramount Skydance’s executive structure. The following leaders have held or currently hold key roles overseeing the platform.
Streaming and Technology Leadership
Tom Ryan
Ryan co-founded Pluto TV in 2013 and led the company as CEO through its $340 million Viacom acquisition. He later became President of Paramount Streaming, overseeing both Pluto TV and Paramount+ before departing in 2023.
Kelly Day
Day assumed leadership of Paramount Streaming following Tom Ryan’s departure. She oversees Pluto TV’s strategic direction alongside Paramount+, with a background spanning Viacom Digital Studios and AwesomenessTV.
Business and Commercial Operations
Jeff Shultz
Shultz has led Pluto TV’s content partnerships, advertising strategy, and distribution deals. He joined the company in its pre-acquisition phase and helped scale its channel lineup from under 100 to more than 300 channels.
David Ellison
As CEO of the parent company, Ellison holds ultimate oversight of Pluto TV’s long-term positioning within the Paramount Skydance portfolio. He founded Skydance Media in 2010 and engineered the 2025 Paramount merger.
International Expansion
Olivier Jollet
Jollet leads Pluto TV’s growth outside the United States, managing its rollout across Europe and Latin America. Under his direction, the platform expanded into more than 35 countries and launched localized channel lineups in several markets.
Pluto TV Products and Services
Live TV Channels
- 300+ free live channels with scheduled programming
- Covers news, sports, movies, comedy, and lifestyle
- No sign-up required to watch live TV on Pluto TV
- Channels update with new lineups weekly
On-Demand Library
- Thousands of movies and full TV series
- Includes titles from Paramount’s owned catalog
- Available without a subscription or login
- Ad-supported playback throughout
News Channels
- CBS News 24/7 live news stream
- Dedicated local and international news channels
- Weather, business, and breaking news coverage
- Available via Pluto TV’s dedicated news section
Sports Content
- NFL Network highlights and analysis
- PGA Tour and motorsports programming
- Dedicated sports channels with daily schedules
- Accessible via the Pluto TV sports hub
Kids and Family
- Dedicated children’s channels with safe content
- Nickelodeon-branded programming blocks
- Parental controls available on registered accounts
- Cartoons, educational shows, and family films
Advertising Platform
- In-stream pre-roll and mid-roll video ad placements
- Powered by Paramount’s EyeQ advertising stack
- CPM-based buying via VAST ad tags
- Audience targeting across demographics and content categories
How Did Pluto TV Get Its Name?
The name “Pluto TV” reflects the founders’ intent to position the service as an underdog that could still compete at scale—much like the dwarf planet Pluto, which occupies the outer edge of the solar system yet remains one of the most recognized objects in it.
Tom Ryan and Ilya Pozin chose the name during the company’s founding in 2013. Pluto, stripped of its full planetary status in 2006, had already become a cultural reference point for something small but memorable. The name carried a certain defiance—a signal that free, ad-supported streaming could hold its own against subscription giants.
The space-themed branding also aligned with the company’s ambitions to reach as wide an audience as possible. Like the planet, Pluto TV was designed to travel far from the center of the established media system and still attract attention.
Pluto TV Mission Statement
Pluto TV’s stated mission is to provide free television for all the world. The company built its model on the belief that quality entertainment should not require a subscription, a credit card, or a cable contract.
That principle has guided every major product decision since the 2014 launch—from keeping registration optional to maintaining a catalog of free movies that requires no account to access.
Internally, Pluto TV has framed its mission around accessibility and scale. The platform treats advertising as the mechanism that makes free content financially viable, rather than a compromise. As of 2024, that model supports 80 million monthly active users across 35 countries without charging a single viewer.
FAQs
Is Pluto TV still operational?
Yes, Pluto TV remains fully operational as of 2025. The service continues to add channels and expand internationally under its parent company, Paramount Skydance, which completed its acquisition of Paramount Global in 2025.
Who owns Pluto TV?
Pluto TV is owned by Paramount Skydance, formed after Skydance Media’s 2025 merger with Paramount Global. Viacom originally acquired Pluto TV in January 2019 for $340 million before subsequent corporate mergers transferred ownership.
When did Pluto TV come out?
Pluto TV launched publicly in January 2014. Tom Ryan and Ilya Pozin founded the company in 2013 in Los Angeles, California, and released the initial platform the following year.
Is Pluto TV an American company?
Yes, Pluto TV is an American company. It was founded in Los Angeles, California, in 2013 and is headquartered there. Its parent, Paramount Skydance, is also based in the United States.
What is the net worth of Pluto TV, and what is its market cap in 2026?
Pluto TV does not trade publicly and has no standalone market cap. Viacom acquired it in 2019 for $340 million. As a subsidiary of Paramount Skydance, its current valuation is embedded within the parent company’s broader financials.
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