BBC and other public UK broadcasters strike Amazon streaming service deal

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BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 have agreed a deal with Amazon to place their new free streaming platform on the US technology giant’s smart TVs in a major boost for the rollout of a crucial new service for the British public service broadcasters.

Everyone TV, a joint venture owned and supported by the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, will on Monday reveal a deal to allow viewers to watch the live and on demand TV for free on the wide range of smart TVs that use Amazon’s Fire TV operating system.

This year, Everyone TV launched the new streaming platform — called Freely — which is seen as the successor to Freeview by moving viewers from using an aerial to internet-based television services.

British audiences can buy smart TVs that stream free live channels alongside on demand content, removing the need for a dish or aerial. About 70,000 hours of TV content is available on Freely, more than any leading rival streaming service.

New Amazon Fire’s smart TVs including Fire TV 2-Series and 4-Series will offer Freely via the Fire TV operating system.

Manufacturers make the TV hardware, while the TV operating system partner runs the software platform on the TV. Freely is partnering with both manufacturers and OS providers.

Freely is already available on some of the TVs made by Hisense, Bush, Toshiba and Panasonic. Everyone TV has also entered into a partnership with smart TV provider, TCL, who will bring new smart TVs to market this autumn. Panasonic smart TVs with Fire OS will also get Freely this autumn.

Everyone TV said that “Freely and Amazon coming together is a landmark deal between Britain’s home of free live and on demand television and a global leader in the entertainment and technology sectors”.

Public sector broadcasters such as the BBC are increasingly shifting their focus to providing TV and radio services over the internet, with fewer people now relying on traditional aerial or satellite services to watch and listen to shows. 

Some channels have already switched to online-only, with BBC director-general Tim Davie saying last year that the broadcaster was preparing to shut down traditional television and radio for online-only services in the future. 

Erik Huggers, chair of Everyone TV, said that achieving “scale is the name of the game” for Freely, which needs to be available on as many TV sets and platforms as possible, describing it as a “deep, system level integration”.

European media analyst Marion Ranchet said: “This is a real win for UK broadcasters and a step in the right direction in ensuring that global players understand the unique markets they are operating in within Europe.”

Emma Gilmartin, director of Fire TV Europe at Amazon, said that the “deal for Freely allows us to provide even more value to our customers by giving them easy access to the best free TV shows, films and live channels from UK broadcasters”.