LONDON — UKTV, the multi-channel network operator owned by BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, has signed its first direct agreement with the free-to-air and Internet-connected television service YouView for a seven day catch-up service.
The operation will offer YouView consumers UKTV content across its free-to-air channels Dave, Yesterday and Really.
The deal marks the first time UKTV has offered a catch-up service that is purpose-built for TV.
The service will launch with shows on its Dave channel including Dara O Briain: School of Hard Sums, Ross Noble’s Freewheeling, Dave Gorman’s Modern Life is Goodish, Alexander Armstrong’s Big Ask, and Russell Howard’s Good News.
UKTV developed its YouView app with Capablue and YouView catch-up services for Yesterday and Really will launch by the end of the year.
UKTV CEO Darren Childs said: “The UKTV network currently reaches over 42 million viewers a month and this agreement with YouView will make our award-winning programms and channel brands available to even more viewers. Providing a catch-up service for our free-to-air channels on YouView is an important step for us, ensuring we give viewers the ‘anytime, anywhere’ access to our channels and programming that they want.”
YouView CEO Richard Halton said: “YouView is currently the fastest growing TV platform in the U.K. and we know that offering quality on demand content, from iconic channels such as Dave, Really and Yesterday, is key to giving our customers a great TV experience and makes our scroll back program guide even more compelling.”
The catch-up service follows the launch of UKTV’s own On Demand services for its free-to-air channels late last year and UKTV’s recent announcement of its fourth free-to-air branded channel, Drama, which will launch on July 8.
