Available today initially on Amazon Prime Video’s live channels lineup is the first-ever free, ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel dedicated to AAPI audiences and extending to the massive general market Asian pop culture fandom. This first-of-its-kind free linear streaming channel will amplify American Asian expression and provide culturally-resonant entertainment to everyone, regardless of background.
Also announced today is the launch of a standalone JoySauce website (www.joysauce.tv) and VOD apps on iOS and Android. As previously announced, they are powered by Cineverse’s Matchpoint™ streaming technology platform.
Multi-exited tech entrepreneur Jonathan Sposato founded JoySauce Network in 2020 to create a vibrant curation of JoySauce Originals and acquired titles dedicated to finally representing the fullest spectrum of American Asian narratives and celebrating both established and up-and-coming talent. JoySauce’s slate of programming includes scripted episodic comedies, feature films, unscripted reality series, music videos, and standup comedy. All programming is available on Amazon Prime Video as a “Live TV” (FAST) channel and on-demand via YouTube Movies & TV, and the JoySauce website and apps.
The breadth of programming streaming 24-hours on the JoySauce Network will be over 60% either a U.S. premiere, original, exclusive (or for the linear channel, first-on-FAST). This includes streaming of this year’s Critics’ Choice Association Celebration of AAPI Cinema & Television Awards, with the exclusive premiere on the JoySauce video-on-demand and live-streaming channels starting DATE, thanks to a new partnership with the event.
Other programming highlights are:
- 13 Original, Exclusive & First-Run American Asian Series & Films including:
- JoySauce Late Night , the first-ever American Asian late night talk show format, with celebrity guests, live music performances and sketch comedy
- VeryAsianConversations , provocative and controversial issues are tackled by American Asian social alphas
- Rulebreakers, a talk show highlighting iconic individuals and up-and-coming stars who are breaking all the rules of what it means to be American Asian
- Team Tan , featuring Samantha Tan, a 22-year-old Asian Canadian rising through the ranks of the professional race car circuit at 170mph
- Cinema Showcase: Epic titles from Japan, Korea, China, Hong Kong, Singapore,, together with a curation of American Asian independent features and shorts.
- Cult Classics: No serial dramas and period pieces here. Just elusive, eclectic and enigmatic action, comedy, sci-fi, horror and thriller films and series from the vanguard of new wave of indie trendsetters and rule breakers.
- Asian Game Shows & Variety Series: Infamous Japanese competition game show genre known as batsu-gaemu, or “punishment games.”
- Anime & Tokusatsu: the first North American digital run of series from the 80’s curated by a team with a combined 50+ years of industry expertise.
As U.S. demand for Asian content has grown by nearly 25% since 2020, the channel is set to be an easily accessible destination for Asian pop culture entertainment. The channel concept also emphasizes the separate yet notable gap that has existed in representation, both in front of and behind the camera of American content particularly for American Asians. Multicultural audiences continue to be greatly underserved within the linear ecosystem, with no overarching linear Asian or American Asian content available to-date – a representation issue both Cineverse and JoySauce are looking to remedy.
“Despite American Asians being the fastest growing demographic in the U.S., there’s still a glaring gap in content for and by American Asians or their communities,” says Founder and CEO Jonathan Sposato. “Building a future where everyone is authentically represented is at the core of everything we do, so we’re incredibly proud to be a catalyst in this long overdue first step to advance AAPI representation on screen. I want us to stand with more stature, walk with more swagger, and to dance with more joy.”
Added Jake Rubin, channel co-founder and Head of Digital Networks, “In the coming months, the JoySauce FAST channel will debut additional Asian productions, the majority of which will be U.S. market premieres, as well as offer ritualized fandom genre nights, live trivia challenges, exclusive digital film festival screening programs, live-stream events, and audience-selected playlists.”
JoySauce is partnered with Cineverse, whose award-winning Matchpoint™ media supply chain technology can easily and seamlessly launch networks, channels and services to deliver entertainment experiences to passionate audiences. This results in unprecedented efficiency for partners with up to more than 71,000 premium films, series, and podcasts – now including the new JoySauce Network. Other streaming channels powered by Cineverse and its Matchpoint™ technology target fans of Horror (Screambox), Anime (RetroCrush), Independent Film (Fandor), Music (Verse Karaoke), Romance and Rom Coms (Dove Channel), among others.
“JoySauce has successfully built a media company that uniquely serves the American Asian community – from creators to fans – with entertaining content across platforms, and we are proud to leverage Matchpoint to bring such a unique and innovative streaming channel to market,” said Alexandra Viglione, VP, Strategic Partnerships at Cineverse.
