CBS, AMC Channels Pact Launches On-Demand Players on Freeview

The CBS AMC UK Channels Partnership between AMC Networks International and CBS Studios International is launching two new on-demand players on Freeview Play.

Horror Bites and CBS Catchup Channels UK will become available through Freeview Play devices as of December 6. Viewers will be able to catch up on series from Horror Channel, CBS Reality, CBS Drama and CBS Justice—which is rebranding from CBS Action on December 5—for up to a month after broadcast. They can also access exclusive on-demand content in the form of box sets and such CBS Reality originals as Donal MacIntyre’s Murder Files, Murder by the Sea and Written in Blood.

“As the way we watch TV changes, it’s important to offer our popular programming to audiences anytime and anywhere, so this expansion onto Freeview Play is a natural next step for us,” said Tanya Gugenheim, the senior VP of business development at AMC Networks International.

“Partnering with Freeview Play means that the Horror Bites and the CBS Catchup Channels UK apps will be available on most smart TVs. We have been ably supported by Simplestream, who built an end-to-end service complete with all key Freeview Play functionalities, integrated backwards EPG and intuitive user experience, which we look forward to sharing with our viewers.”

Simon Hunt, strategy director for Freeview Play, noted: “We’re committed to evolving and improving Freeview Play, so to be announcing the launch of not one but two new catch-up players is really something to shout about. As the platform continues to grow and become the new normal, we hope that the CBS AMC UK Channels Partnership, along with our other partners, continue to reap the rewards of its success with audiences across the country.”

“Watching TV has become increasingly personal, with more power shifting to consumers to curate their own individual viewing experiences,” added Dan Finch, chief commercial officer at Simplestream. “Horror Bites and CBS Catchup Channels UK are colorful additions to the U.K.’s on-demand landscape and it has been a real pleasure to support their launch.”