Substack has launched a dedicated TV app for Apple TV and Google TV, giving subscribers the ability to watch video posts and livestreams from the creators they follow directly on their TV sets. The move extends Substack’s expansion into video and positions its growing roster of independent journalists, authors and cultural figures for longer, more immersive viewing.
In announcing the app, Substack framed the launch as a natural evolution of its core proposition: creator-led, longform work designed for audiences willing to spend time with it. The company pointed to programming that already thrives on the platform – from extended interviews and live news analysis to literary readings and cultural conversations – and argued that the TV screen is increasingly where that kind of attention lives.
Examples include figures such as Dolly Parton reflecting on her career, author George Saunders reading from his work, and Tina Brown interviewing leading voices in politics and culture. Former CNN reporter Chris Cillizza, now a Substack publisher, described the app as a way to meet audiences wherever they choose to watch. “Video doesn’t have to live in any one place,” he said. “It needs to be wherever someone chooses to consume it.”
At launch, the TV app mirrors Substack’s existing video ecosystem rather than reinventing it. Creators who already publish video do not need to take additional steps; their content automatically appears for subscribers who log in on TV. Viewers can watch video posts and livestreams from their subscriptions, browse a “For You” row that blends followed creators with recommendations, or explore dedicated pages for individual publications.
Access on TV matches a user’s existing subscription level. Paid content remains behind the paywall, while free subscribers can watch what they already have access to on Substack. The company says previews of paid videos for free users are planned but not yet available.
Substack is characterising the initial release as deliberately pared back, with an emphasis on reliability and viewing quality. Additional features on the roadmap include audio posts and read-alouds, search and improved discovery, in-app upgrades to paid subscriptions, previews of paid content, and the ability to organize multiple shows within a single publication.
For some of Substack’s high-profile video creators, the TV app represents a milestone. Veteran journalist Jim Acosta, who hosts a daily live news show on the platform, called the launch “a game-changing moment for the rise of independent media,” arguing that audiences are actively seeking alternatives to legacy outlets – and finding them.
The move also lands amid a broader industry shift toward the living room. As YouTube continues to dominate Connected TV viewing and platforms like Instagram and TikTok explore TV-first experiences, the television screen has become a key battleground for digital media companies chasing attention, time spent and, eventually, higher-value monetisation.
Pictured: Dolly Parton on Substack
