• by Alex Weprin , November 29, 2018

The streaming video network Law & Crime, which provides live trial coverage and legal analysis of high-profile court cases, has signed a deal to join the channel lineup on Philo.

The channel will be available on Philo starting this week.

Philo is the streaming video bundle aiming to deliver entertainment programming at a lower price point than traditional cable bundles. It includes entertainment channels, like ones from Viacom and AMC Networks, while forgoing expensive sports channels.

The deal is notable for both companies.

For Law & Crime, it secures a presence on a channel lineup next to linear competitors, like A&E and Investigation Discovery. For Philo, it bolsters its lineup of channels at low or no cost. 

Streaming bundles like Philo are trying to replace expensive cable and satellite bundles, offering a better user experience and lower prices. Of course, the competition is fierce. AT&T and Dish Network’s own streaming services lead the market in subscribers, while upstarts like Hulu and YouTube gain ground.

Philo and the sports-centric FuboTV are the two main independents in the field, meaning that every source of differentiation is key.

Law & Crime has tried to fill the void left by CourtTV, which was rebranded as TruTV in 2007. After CourtTV folded, HLN expanded its live trial coverage, but has since moved on from the genre. While not as popular as general or entertainment news, crime and court coverage has a following.