Non-linear UKTV Play
June 23, 2014
British multi-channel broadcaster UKTV – a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive – will launch a new digital-only service – UKTV Play – this summer.
“UKTV Play will be as easy as switching on your TV,” said CEO, Darren Childs. “We will curate content by topics and events, so UKTV Play will take away the difficulty that some viewers find with video on demand: choosing what it is they want to watch.”
Content will be compiled in familiar and intuitive collections, such as by topic and real-life events, as well as featuring dynamic ‘staff picks’, box sets and advance previews of new programmes.
UKTV Play will soft launch on iOS this summer with PC and YouView following by the end of the year meaning viewers can soon enjoy their favourite shows such as Storage Hunters, Crackanory, Alan Davies: As Yet Untitled, Dara O Briain: School of Hard Sums, Inquisition, Raiders of the Lost Art, Crime Stories, Rescue Code One, Most Haunted and Ghost Adventures, along with a selection of fantastic BBC programmes.
The digital-only service will include box sets so viewers can enjoy hit series such as Lizard Lick Towing, 24 Hours to Go Broke, Black Ops and Museum Secrets, back to back.
The network’s distinctive channel brands – such as Dave and Really – will also feature on UKTV Play, ensuring viewers can find their favourite shows as easily as if holding a remote control.
Dan Fahy, UKTV’s Director of Commercial and Business Development, will work alongside General Manager for VoD, Emma Boston, on the roll out of UKTV Play and Head of VoD, Kim Morris, will oversee editorial content. Ben Hine, Director of Operations and Technology, and his team are responsible for building the service.
Fahy said the broadcaster had launched UKTV Play because data shows its viewers will find more programming and engage with its channels more regularly if they have a single destination for on-demand viewing. “UKTV Play has been created specifically to cater for our viewers’ needs. It is an exciting new destination where they can find and watch programming from our different channels in a very easy and convenient way,” he added.
UKTV Play features easy to use functionality including swipe channel selection, stop-and-resume viewing, predictive search, alphabetical browser and parental controls.
The news of UKTV’s latest brand launch comes at a time when the media company is enjoying record growth. It is currently the fastest growing commercial broadcaster in Britain. The network reaches over 42 million viewers a month and has a raft of exciting new content in the pipeline that viewers will be able to enjoy on its linear channels and via UKTV Play, including brand new Storage Hunters UK and returning series Crackanory, Ross Noble Freewheeling and Dave Gorman Modern Life is Goodish.