Plex "free" Live TV launched for your phone and television

Today the folks at Plex launched a system* where users of all sorts can watch live TV stations for free. Of course "free" isn't entirely free when it includes advertisements, and this system most certainly includes advertisements. But Plex appears ready to roll with a surprisingly appealing proposal for the masses nonetheless. Users around the world can now watch free Live TV on Plex.

*Or re-launched a system, depending on your perspective. Plex has tried to launch free movies and TV shows and a Plex Live TV system before. Before, they had a Live TV feature "free" for several months – and other similar promotions. Now it would appear that they've gone out of their way to draw in the users by making the "free" part a bit more permanent.

"Plex, the popular streaming media platform for all your favorite media, today announced a new way for consumers to watch free Live TV with the addition of 80+ channels of completely customizable live programming, most available worldwide and more coming soon," wrote a Plex representative this week.

The Plex app now includes "free" ad-supported media of several sorts. Included in the app are the following:

• Movies

• TV shows

• Podcasts

• Music

• Personal Media

• Pre-programmed Live TV

This setup is part of the Plex plan to get you, the Plex user, to sign up for and pay for access to more major networks than what are offered with the free tier. If you're going for the free tier, you'll see "Live TV" from groups like IGN, Fubo Sports, Toon Goggles, Yahoo, Reuters, Tastemade, and a few others.

Basically "free live TV" here is just like allowing a network to play videos for you one after the other without your input. In exchange for not needing to select a new video each time the last video ends, you'll get an advertisement. Welcome to the past!