P O L A R I S Sees Record Viewer Numbers on VIZIO

Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month and Exclusive Big Game Programming Delivers Stand Up Results for Content Created by BIPOC Creators

IRVINE, Calif. & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--POLARIS, the 100% black-owned television, digital and social media platform, and VIZIO (NYSE: VZIO) announced that a record number of viewers tuned in to the POLARIS channel for curated content celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Black History Month and exclusive content leading up to the Big Game.

POLARIS, one of the latest and fastest growing platforms to enter the streaming space, made its debut in December 2021, exclusively to VIZIO users. In January, the POLARIS channel was promoted using VIZIO Features, an exclusive content offering that leverages VIZIO’s first party, opted-in viewership data and home screen targeting capabilities to deliver personalized content experiences to audiences on the VIZIO home screen. Using a dedicated hero carousel, the POLARIS content was promoted as part of a curated collection of movies, shows, documentaries and related content for tentpole moments including Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month. In just two months following the launch of the network, the channel has seen a dramatic increase in viewers for the ad-supported channel on VIZIO.

POLARIS channel highlights include:

• Average session times increased 2x for the channel during the Martin Luther King Jr. marathon.
• A 6.5x month-over-month increase in sessions and a 13.5x increase in viewing minutes over the same period (December 2021- February 2022).
• Big Game-related content on POLARIS increased average audience and average viewership minutes by 2x in February. The channel’s Big Game programming included an exclusive interview with Eminem by POLARIS board member and iconic media personality Sway Calloway (MTV) as well as the coverage of the halftime show press conference.

“Our goal at POLARIS is to deliver a superior viewing experience through authentic, meaningful content that channels the spirit of African culture and music,” said Sway Calloway of POLARIS. “I am proud to say that we have delivered on that promise with our MLK Day and Black History Month content and we are ecstatic that so many people have tuned in to experience POLARIS firsthand on VIZIO.”

The POLARIS network created an aggressive live 24-hour programming block to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr on Monday, January 17th, the first in the FAST TV/Television environment. The MLK content was curated by creative designers Jakari Barnette and Kayode Lowo to execute the editorial theme, the "Power of Peace and Love.” Kicked off with their flagship Daily Show hosted by Shaheem Reid, the MLK themed show was produced at Dr. King’s Ebenezer Baptist Church in Georgia.

During the month of February, POLARIS produced impactful Black History Month programming consisting of themed music videos and special Daily shows dedicated to the evolution of the culture, rooted in African ancestry.

“POLARIS really set the standard for how to launch a new channel in today’s smart TV environment. Using a data-informed approach, we were able to work closely with the POLARIS team to deliver relevant and timely content to VIZIO audiences. Through hero banners and inclusion in tentpole carousels, we were able to drive tune-in and develop passionate audiences for this new channel. We look forward to future collaborations with the team at POLARIS,” said Steve DeMain, VP Engagement at VIZIO.

For the month of March, the network turns its attention to Women’s History Month to spotlight the next generation of young up and coming female entrepreneurs who have provided inspiration for the future content creators. POLARIS will also unveil an exclusive music video from the late great actor Michael K. Williams and will begin to roll out news programming featuring a variety of hosts.

Created by digital media pioneer and legendary journalist, Rahman J. Dukes, POLARIS exists to uncover and share stories created by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and authentically share Hip-Hop and Black culture with the world.

POLARIS’ record-setting MLK Day and Black History month recap is captured in this VIZIO case study.

For more information, visit VIZIO.com and Watch POLARIS

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About VIZIO

Founded and headquartered in Orange County, California, our mission at VIZIO Holding Corp. (NYSE: VZIO) is to deliver immersive entertainment and compelling lifestyle enhancements that make our products the center of the connected home. We are driving the future of televisions through our integrated platform of cutting-edge Smart TVs and powerful SmartCast™ operating system. We also offer a portfolio of innovative sound bars that deliver consumers an elevated audio experience. Our platform gives content providers more ways to distribute their content and advertisers more tools to target and dynamically serve ads.

About POLARIS

Rooted at the intersection of Black culture, entertainment and technology, POLARIS aims to revolutionize content consumption across TV, digital and social platforms. The 100% Black-owned multimedia entertainment brand is driven by a commitment to illuminate the culture with premium, cross-generational content and programming that entertains, educates, inspires, and uplifts. Airing on WatchFree+, VIZIO’s free streaming service, POLARIS’ 24-hour streaming channel will uncover narratives created by BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) storytellers, empower emerging content creators, and collaborate with some of hip-hop’s finest. At the helm of POLARIS is its chairman and founder, esteemed TV industry veteran, Rahman J. Dukes. A former executive at MTV and REVOLT TV, the behind-the-scenes power-player, has developed and produced game-changing and thought-provoking content across platforms for almost two decades.