Viacom U.K.'s Channel 5 Streaming Service Adds PBS Content
My5 also adds more A+E programming under an extended partnership.
Britain's Channel 5, owned by Viacom, said Wednesday that it is has signed a deal for its My5 streaming service to add content from PBS America and extended its partnership with A+E Networks to add programming from free-to-air entertainment channel Blaze.
Overall, My5 will add 1,500 hours of content over the next year under these and other deals. The move comes as U.K. TV giants, including the BBC and ITV, are all beefing up their streaming offers amid continued growth for global players Netflix and Amazon.
"All of the new deals support My5’s evolution from player to platform as it begins to house a wide range of third-party content brands alongside programming from across the Channel 5 portfolio," Channel 5 said. "Content will span a breadth of genres, including history, scripted drama, reality, documentaries and comedy."
"Viewers have come to expect a lot more from streaming services and this new slate of partners accelerates the development of My5 as we take it from player to platform," said James Tatam, vp of commercial, digital & operations at Channel 5. "With a diverse range of high-quality content from our partners, and from across the Channel 5 portfolio, we know there’s something for everyone. We look forward to announcing further content partners in future."
PBS content coming to My5 will include a slate of documentaries, such as Secrets of the Manor House, Secrets of Stonehenge, Becoming the Beatles and The History Detectives.
Said Richard Kingsbury, general manager, PBS America: "PBS America has crafted an increasingly popular niche on free to air television by specializing in high-quality history and current affairs programming. Our launch on My5 gives us a great shop window for our offering in the free streaming world."
My5 also offers all of Channel 5’s most popular programming, such as drama series Neighbours, doc series The Yorkshire Vet and house swapping program Rich House, Poor House. The content lineup is further bolstered by My5 exclusives, including East Los High and Wonderland.
