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Microsoft and 12 others join Amazon's climate change initiative
Unilever also pledged to hit net zero carbon emissions by 2040.
BritBox finally adds classic 'Doctor Who' to its UK service
As a Boxing Day gift to the UK, the entire library of classic Doctor Who content is now available on BritBox. The streaming service now has 627 pieces of content -- a mix of episodes, spinoffs, documentaries and more. That includes 558 episodes with the first eight doctors, an unaired story entitled Shada, which is presented as a 130-minute special, and two solely animated stories -- The Power of the Daleks and The Macra Terror.
BBC and ITV's BritBox streaming service launches in the UK
With the popularity of British TV shows in the US, the launch of the BritBox streaming service in 2017 was an attempt by UK broadcasters to cash in on the streaming wave. ITV, the BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5 banded together to offer content through a single BritBox subscription, though it was originally only available on the other side of the pond. Earlier this year, it was confirmed that the service was finally coming to the UK, and now it's arrived.
BBC and ITV streaming service BritBox is finally coming to the UK
BritBox, the streaming service from two of Britain's largest broadcasters, will finally launch in the UK by the end of 2019. The service, a partnership between the BBC and ITV, will be priced at £5.99 ($7.50) a month, offering HD video across multiple screens and devices. BritBox will not only be a repository for UK TV content, it'll also commission new and original shows just for subscribers.
British broadcasters are teaming up to launch a Netflix rival... again
The BBC and ITV, Britain's two largest broadcasters, are hoping to launch a homegrown rival to Netflix in the UK. BritBox, which is already available in the US and Canada, would bring a huge amount of otherwise unavailable archive content to subscribers. In a statement, the BBC said that the pair is working on a proposal and hopes other broadcasters will look to get involved. And, if regulators approve, the service could launch in the UK as early as the back half of 2019.
Netflix is making a live-action 'Cowboy Bebop' series
Continuing on an apparent quest to secure the loyalty of classic anime fans, Netflix is following up yesterday's Evangelion news by acquiring a new version of Cowboy Bebop. This time it's doing the noir-ish bounty hunter series set in space as a live action TV show, and has commissioned 10 episodes that will be co-produced with Tomorrow Studios. We don't know a lot about the show yet, but the director of the anime series, Shinichiro Watanabe is listed as a consultant. The original anime series ran for 26 episodes, with a movie that arrived later. Netflix has tried its hand at live-action anime adaptations before, with Death Note, and we'd hope that experience leads to a better result with efforts like this one and its Avatar: The Last Airbender series. Marty Adelstein, the CEO of Tomorrow Studios is listed as an executive producer, and is also working on TV series versions of Snowpiercer and Hannah. It had announced development of the show back in June, and as the company said then, Chris Yost (Thor: The Dark World, Thor: Ragnarok and Max Steel) will write the first episode, and Javier Grillo-Marxuach (Lost, Helix) has confirmed he's writing for it as well.
UK public broadcasters want top billing on streaming services
As streaming services and set-top boxes continue to creep up on traditional TV, public service broadcasters (PSBs) in the UK are worried about being left behind. The heads of ITV, BBC, Channel 4 and Channel 5 are urging the government to require tech companies to give them prominent placement within on-demand services.
ITV’s new celebrity show uses social media to mug off the public
This year, I became a genuine Love Island fan. I'm no stranger to the show, but have previously watched as a voyeur, convincing myself that although I might not be as pretty as these people, I totally have more to offer (all the while alone on a Friday night, sipping the dregs of a McDonald's milkshake I've just had delivered). There was something about the caricatures of last season I found genuinely entertaining, but the price of that is contributing to ratings that allow ITV to justify dropping even trashier commissions into the primetime schedule. This leads us to Celebrity Showmance, a new ITV show that revolves around two seemingly ill-matched celebrities perpetuating a fake relationship on social media for the sole purpose of winding up the public.
BBC and ITV's 'BritBox' streaming service arrives in the US
The BBC and ITV have banded together to launch their own subscription streaming service in the US. They've teased "BritBox" before, but now it's actually here, for $6.99 per month on the web, Apple TV and Android (Roku, Chromecast and iOS apps are in the works.) If you've wanted a Netflix equivalent for Top Gear, Doctor Who and The Great British Bake Off, however, you'll be sorely disappointed. At launch, the service is being propped up by older classics such as Miss Marple and Sherlock Holmes (the one starring Jeremy Brett, not the Benedict Cumberbatch reboot.)
BBC and ITV launch 'BritBox' streaming service in the US
The two major broadcast networks in the UK are jointly launching a streaming service under the name BritBox. The BBC and ITV are backing a Netflix-esque service that'll showcase the best of the two firm's output. Users will be able to watch a wide range of the pair's programming, including premium dramas and sitcoms. In addition, Anglophiles will be able to view some of the country's most popular soap operas, including EastEnders and Emmerdale, a day after they air in the UK.
ITV Hub subscription strips the ads for £4 per month
ITV announced today that it's adding a premium, subscription tier to its ITV Hub streaming service, following a "successful pilot" on iOS devices. An ITV Hub+ subscription strips the adverts from on-demand content for £4 per month, with other exclusive features planned for paid users. During the holidays, for example, a download option for offline viewing will be added to ITV Hub on iOS.
All Amazon Fire TV devices now have the major UK catch-up apps
If you prefer to catch-up on TV shows instead of watching them as they air, Amazon's latest announcement might be of interest. After bringing all major UK broadcasters to the Fire TV, the company has turned its attention to the streamer's smaller sibling, the Fire TV Stick, confirming today that the HDMI dongle now supports BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4 and My5. It doesn't matter which Fire TV or Fire TV Stick model you own, they now all feature catch-up apps provided by the UK's biggest broadcasters. Add to that support Amazon's own Video service, Netflix and other major streaming services and you've got yourself a few reasons to skip your traditional TV box entirely.
The BBC wants ITV to keep its opinions to itself
At the end of 2016, the BBC will be given its next Royal Charter, which will define its duties as a public service broadcaster for the following decade. While the UK government will ultimately agree the finer details of the next Charter with the BBC, earlier this year it put out the first call for opinions on what the future remit of the broadcaster should be. ITV made a point of publishing the report it submitted as part of the public consultation process, with one of the main recommendations being a requirement that the BBC focus on delivering distinctive programming, not chasing audience figures. This obviously ruffled a few feathers at the BBC, today provoking the broadcaster to defend its creative decisions and go about debunking some of ITV's more accusatory claims.
ITV launches 'Hub' with a focus on live TV
Wave farewell to ITV Player and say hello to ITV Hub. The British broadcaster has revamped its TV streaming service today with an updated design and navigation. The channels are now separated into different tabs with a large video player at the top of each one, making it easier to click/swipe through and immediately start watching live TV. Alternatively, you can scroll down the page or use the good old-fashioned search bar to see what's available on-demand. You'll find that most of ITV's shows have a limited selection of catchup episodes -- more so than BBC iPlayer or All 4, anyway -- but there's at least something for the nation's favourites such as The X Factor, The Jeremy Kyle Show and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! If none of those are your cup of tea (don't worry, we fall into that camp too) there's always Adventure Time and soon, Family Guy.
ITV Player comes to Amazon's Fire TV
ITV's replacement for ITV Player is meant to launch before the end of the year, but that doesn't mean the company is holding back on its app expansion. As promised, the broadcaster has brought ITV Player to the Amazon Fire TV, letting you catch-up on all of your favourite programmes on demand. The rollout is staggered, however, as Fire TV Stick owners will have to wait a couple of weeks until they can get in on the action. And if you've pre-ordered Amazon's new 4K-ready Fire TV, that too will support the app when it starts shipping on October 5th. When ITV Hub does launch, with a focus on live TV, ITV Player will be swapped for the rebranded app, but you shouldn't need to lift a finger.
ITV's Hub is its answer to BBC iPlayer and All 4
As more and more households embrace online TV services, broadcasters are changing the way they deliver content in order to better fit around their audience. Last year, the BBC updated the iPlayer website and apps, followed by Channel 4's rebranded All 4 portal in March. Now it's ITV's turn. The company announced today that it will scrap the existing ITV Player and ITV.com website and roll them into a new entity: The ITV Hub. It will house all of the channels you'd expect (ITV1, ITV2, ITV3, ITV4, CITV and ITVBe) and you'll be able to either watch live or stream on-demand via a smartphone, tablet, PC, connected TV or set-top box.
The next generation of Freeview arrives next month
More than ever before, Brits are using catch-up services to watch their favourite TV shows from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. YouView is already fusing those services with the traditional Freeview experience, and now, realising its potential, the brains behind Freeview are preparing a similar platform themselves. It's called Freeview Play and we've been told that it'll be launching in October on Panasonic's 2015 line-up of Viera TVs. The idea is that you'll be able to scroll back through the guide and watch an old TV show immediately -- one unified experience for browsing and discovery, rather than launching and navigating separate apps. Not all catch-up services will be integrated at launch, however. Freeview says Demand 5 will be available straight away as a standalone app, but won't support its TV guide experience until later. We suspect more TV manufacturers will launch and update their sets with Freeview Play throughout the year -- if you want to be an early adopter, just look for the "Freeview Play inside" branding on Panasonic's site.
BBC and ITV team up to keep Six Nations rugby out of Sky's hands
Bidding for TV rights to major UK sporting events has always been hotly contested, but things have really hotted up over the past year. BT Sport has done what it can to wrestle some control away from Sky's firm pay-TV grip, but now terrestrial broadcasters are enjoying some success. Having secured exclusive access to rugby's Six Nations championship, where England, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, France and Italy battle it out for European dominance, for the last 12 years, the BBC announced today that it's teamed up with rival broadcaster ITV to ensure the Six Nations remains on free-to-air TV for another six years.
Freeview's new on-demand service will be called Freeview Play
It's been eight months since we first become aware that Freeview is looking to take on YouView with a new on-demand service, but since then we haven't heard much about it. Thankfully, the company has decided now is the right time to share a little more information, which includes what the connected service will be called. Freeview Play will offer consumers the choice of live television and on-demand TV when it launches later this year. Like Freeview, Play will be subscription free and will be integrated in connected TVs and set-top boxes, although we don't yet know what it will look like. We do know, however, that with support from Freeview shareholders Arqiva, BBC, Channel 4, ITV and Sky, you can expect iPlayer, ITV Player and the new All 4 brand to be available on the service when it launches, finally letting you catch up on all the stuff you missed.
ITV Player comes to Roku and Now TV streaming devices from today
If we'd written Jay Z's 99 Problems, we'd have been tempted to mention that Roku's failure to support ITV Player was a bigger issue than being pulled over for doing 55 in a 54. Thankfully, the company has just announced that ITV's video platform is now supported across the current range of streaming players and sticks. Thanks to Sky's partnership with Roku, Now TV users will be able to download the app on their £10 streaming boxes too. Users will be able to watch the previous 30 days worth of The Jeremy Kyle Show episodes, assuming, of course, that they already know who won Britain's Got Talent.