BBC to launch streaming service to take on Netflix
THE BBC has teamed up with rival broadcasters to launch a new streaming service as they battle with the growing dominance of digital competitors such as Netflix.
Freely, a new service backed by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, will deliver free-to-air TV to households across the country via broadbands.
The service, due to launch in the second quarter, will combine live and on-demand TV in one place, while viewers will be able to pause and restart programmes and access more episodes.
It marks efforts by traditional broadcasters to update their offering for the streaming age. Tim Davie, BBC director-general, has said the organisation must prepare for a terrestrial switch-off that would see traditional broadcasting from TV towers replaced by online services by the end of the decade.
More than half of UK homes are expected to watch TV exclusively over broadband by 2030, according to analysts at 3 Reasons.
While the BBC and ITV offer live viewing on their on-demand services, the launch of Freely means viewers will be able to watch Channel 4 and Channel 5 live over the internet for the first time.
Public service broadcasters are trying to stem a decline in audiences as viewers increasingly shift to streaming rivals such as Netflix and Disney.
The downturn has been exacerbated by a deep slump in advertising.
While traditional players will struggle to compete with the financial firepower of deep-pocketed US streaming companies, TV bosses point to the ability of public service broadcasting to deliver mass appeal to audiences.
Reality TV hit The Traitors had 6.9m people tuning into the finale on BBC last month and Mr Bates vs The Post Office attracted more than 10m viewers, becoming ITV’S best-performing drama since Broadchurch in 2017.
The broadcasters are launching Freely through their joint venture Everyone TV, which runs the Freeview and Freesat channels that reach more than 17m UK households.
Everyone TV is also in talks with UKTV, the Bbc-owned broadcaster behind channels such as Dave, Drama and Yesterday, about bringing its channels to Freely.
Sarah Milton and Carl Pfeiffer, joint chief product officers at Everyone TV, said: “The way people are watching TV is changing. We’ve built Freely around the needs of British audiences, bringing them the freedom to choose how they want to watch, with all their favourite shows from the UK’S leading broadcasters all in one place for free.”