CBS News has expanded its “48 Hours” free, ad-supported streaming television channel showcasing the network’s iconic true crime series to other platforms.

The channel, which rolled out on CBSNews.com, the CBS News app and Paramount+ Aug. 14, 2024, will continue to be part of Pluto TV, Paramount’s standalone FAST offering. Additional platforms will continue in the coming weeks.

“‘48 Hours’ has tremendous appeal to millions of viewers and is delivering remarkable growth in its 36th season. It truly is the iron horse of the true crime genre and continues to gain steam on every platform as we find new ways to create ubiquitous distribution for this iconic franchise,” said Wendy McMahon, president of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures, in a statement. “We are excited to expand the 48 HOURS offering and package episodes in ways that will appeal to both longtime fans as well as new viewers who have just discovered this powerhouse series.”

“48 Hours” has been the top-rated non-sports primetime offering on Saturday nights for 18 consecutive seasons.  Across linear and streaming, viewers have consumed 36.3 billion minutes of “48 Hours” in this season alone. It’s also been posting strong growth on streaming, up 31% from 2023.

“True crime is one of the most popular genres in free streaming. For decades, ‘48 Hours’ has been the leader, transcending across mediums,” said Sahand Sepehrnia, executive vice president of digital content strategy and business for CBS News and Stations, Entertainment and Sports. “We are thrilled to bring the show to an even wider audience with the launch of the show’s FAST channel on new platforms.”

Episodes will be aired 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in a linear format.  There will also be themed blocks, including “Crimes of Passion,” “Serial and Spree Killings,” “Criminal Blunders,” “Evil in the Family,” “Love Gone Wrong,” “Wrongful Convictions,” “Women Who Kill,” “Houses of Horror,” “Money Kills,” Missing People,” “Cold Cases,” Survival Stories” and “Hollywood Mysteries.”

“‘48 Hours’ brings you the very best of true-crime documentaries with our deep reporting and taut, smart storytelling. We follow a case from the crime scene to the courtroom with edge-of-your-seat suspense and intrigue every step of the way. It’s why our fans tell us that once they start watching a ‘48 Hours’ episode, they can’t stop,” said executive producer Judy Tygard. “We’re also known for our empathy and integrity. While killers often capture headlines, ‘48 Hours’ puts victims and their families at the heart of every episode. The ‘48 Hours’ team can’t wait for new fans to discover us.”

“48 Hours” first launched on CBS as a newsmagazine 1988.  It was inspired by the documentary “48 Hours on Crack Street,” which CBS produced in 1986. The show originally focused on showcasing events within a 48-hour block of time. CBS later branded true-crime focuses editions as “48 Hours Mystery” before it switched entirely to the format.

“48 Hours” is also syndicated nationally by CBS Media Ventures.

NBC’s “Dateline,” which also started as a more general interest newsmagazine, has also switched to true crime format and offers past episodes on a FAST as well. It also airs in syndication.  Both shows also have sold repackaged versions of past reports to various cable networks.

True crime newsmagazine shows have become a staple of both linear and streaming TV and many networks are filling their schedules and streamers with this type of content, including repackaged versions of other shows sold to third party networks.  It’s also become common to take old episodes and update them with some new information and bill them as new episodes.