My5 adds new channel partners
July 4, 2018
Channel 5 has signed four content partnership deals for its streaming service, My5, bringing 1500 additional hours to the platform over the next year.
Content partnerships have been secured with PBS America, Together channel, Little Dot Studios and BET, whose programming will appear on the platform later this month. Channel 5 struck the first deal of this type last year with A+E Networks UK for its BLAZE channel. Also from July, A+E Networks UK is set to extend its partnership with My5, increasing its content commitment.
The raft of content deals supports My5’s evolution from player to platform, placing a wide range of third-party content brands alongside programming from across the Channel 5 portfolio. Content will span a breadth of genres, including history, scripted drama, reality, documentaries and comedy.
James Tatam, VP of Commercial, Digital & Operations, Channel 5 commented “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. 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 America, which in the UK is a branch of American public broadcaster PBS, will broadcast a slate of documentaries on My5 including Secrets of the Manor House, Secrets of Stonehenge, Becoming the Beatles and The History Detectives. UK free-to-air channel Together, is set to deliver programmes including Mary’s Silver Service, David Attenborough’s Richmond Park and Great British Garden Revival.
Richard Kingsbury, General Manager, PBS America commented “PBS America has crafted an increasingly popular niche on free to air television by specialising 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. The Viacom team have been great to work with and I would heartily recommend them to other rights owners.”
Little Dot Studios will launch with content from two of its owned thematic web channels, including human interest documentary channel Real Stories, which reaches 1.5 million subscribers on YouTube, and science and engineering channel Spark. Meanwhile, content from the Viacom-owned channel BET will include hit scripted drama Being Mary Jane and reality series Chasing Destiny.
The partnership with A+E Networks UK’ free-to-air entertainment channel BLAZE is being extended with a commitment from A+E Networks UK to increase its offering on My5, allowing viewers to continue enjoying content such as Swamp People, Pawn Stars, Forged in Fire and Billy the Exterminator. BLAZE launched on My5 in September 2017 as a branded presence on My5.
Adrian Pilkington, SVP of Commercial Strategy at A+E Networks UK, said: “We’re really pleased to build on our important relationship with Viacom, enabling some of the best factual entertainment content from our free-to-air channel BLAZE to reach an even wider audience on My5.”
My5 houses all of Channel 5’s most popular content, from Neighbours, The Yorkshire Vet and Make or Break? to GPs: Behind Closed Doors and Rich House, Poor House. The content line-up is further bolstered by My5 exclusives, including East Los High and Wonderland.