From Newsletter Platform to Video Platform, Now to TV... The Living Room Is Social Media's Final Destination
Substack TV app interface. The 'For You' section lets subscribers browse subscribed content and recommended videos. (Source: Substack)
Email newsletter platform Substack launched its TV app for Apple TV and Google TV on January 22, 2026. A platform built for reading has moved into video, and now it's conquering the living room TV.
But the battle for the living room is shifting again. Just one day after Substack's TV app launch, on January 23, TikTok finalized its U.S. joint venture. With Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX each holding 15%, and U.S. investors controlling 80.1% total, TikTok's American operations have stabilized.
The platform that shut down its TV app in June 2025 has regrouped and may now re-enter the living room market. Meanwhile, Samsung TV Plus is recruiting mega-creators like MrBeast and Mark Rober for FAST channels, Netflix is pursuing an $83 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., and Instagram has launched its own TV app. The 'living room war' has entered a new phase.