Google TV's free channel shuffle continues, but it’s not all bad news

What you need to know

• Google TV Freeplay removed three free holiday-themed Xumo channels: Holiday Movie Channel, Holiday Classics, and Christian Christmas.
• OutTV Proud and Shades of Black made a return after being removed earlier this month.
• This shuffle comes just months after Google TV beefed up its lineup to 170+ free channels, including holiday picks.

Google TV’s Freeplay has pulled the plug on three free channels, including a couple of holiday-themed ones.

According to 9to5Google, Freeplay just axed three holiday-themed Xumo channels: the Holiday Movie Channel, Holiday Classics, and Christian Christmas.

Meanwhile, OutTV Proud and Shades of Black are back after being pulled earlier this month. That said, the other channels that got the axe are still missing for now.

Google TV Freeplay’s latest channel shuffle comes just a few months after it beefed up its lineup to over 170 free streams, thanks in part to some holiday-themed picks.

Even after its big expansion, Google TV Freeplay has been shedding some free channels. According to 9to5, The Hill TV, Dog Whisperer with Cesar Milan, Dove Channel, Comedy Dynamics, and The Bob Ross Channel got the boot, though the channels added in the previous update managed to dodge the cuts.

It’s annoying when your go-to channels just vanish out of nowhere. Google TV Freeplay’s constant channel shuffle—adding some, dropping others—makes it tough to count on for steady viewing.

And, of course, Google isn’t exactly upfront about these changes, so it feels like a bit of a mystery. Your best move is to check its support page for the latest lineup, though even that might not always be current.

As you may already know, Google TV users have access to a huge selection of channels, including plenty that won’t cost a dime. If you’re in the U.S., Freeplay is a standout perk because it hooks you up with free live TV via its own app.

That said, not every channel sticks around forever since Google is always tweaking the lineup. This time, Google TV Freeplay axed three channels, but it’s not all doom and gloom.