UK on-demand umbrella streaming app Freeview Play has announced that it’s going to be the first streaming service in the UK to carry on demand content from US factual programme channel PBS America.
Incorporating the PBS America player into Freeview Play will enable people with Freeview Play-carrying devices to catch up on such renowned PBS America shows as Frontline, American Experience and Ken Burns’ series of American history films, as well as being able to access on-demand box sets of acclaimed shows such as The Civil War and Country Music. All free of charge.
The PBS America player is automatically rolling out on Freeview Play devices now, and once your device has received the necessary update the new content player will be available via the Explore Freeview Play interface found at Channel 100 on the Freeview Play electronic programme guide.
The PBS America content will be accessible via Explore Freeview Play’s universal search function too, which is able to hunt down search results and make recommendations from across Freeview Play’s entire suite of different broadcaster ‘players’.
With PBS America added, the Freeview Player content suite now includes 11 different players, the other 10 being the BBC iPlayer, the ITV Hub, All 4, My5, UKTV Play, CBS Catchup Channels UK, Legend, the STV Player, the POP Player, and BBC Sounds.
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While the PBS America player will eventually appear on other platforms too, Freeview Play’s status as the UK’s fastest growing TV platform, boasting more than 10 million users, along with Freeview’s long running support for PBS America’s broadcast channel, makes it a logical location for the PBS America player to make its UK debut.
“Freeview Play is an obvious place to launch our first catch up service,” confirms PBS America General Manager Richard Kingsbury. “Most of our linear audience is on Freeview with a reach of 2 million viewers per month, while Freeview Play provides a trusted environment of high-quality channel brands that we are very happy to join.”
Deep Halder, Freeview Play’s Chief Commercial Officer, is also unsurprisingly delighted by the new PBS America arrangement: “We are thrilled to be PBS America’s launch partner in the UK. We are now home to eleven on-demand players, with over 95% of the UK’s most watched programming, alongside new exclusive titles, all for free. There has never been a better time to become a Freeview Play viewer.”
Freeview Play is now available via the smart TV interfaces of most TVs, as well as on a number of set top streaming boxes.
For more details on how to get Freeview Play if you don’t already have it, check out Freeview’s website.
