David Farnor | On 30, Nov 2018

The CBS AMC UK Channels Partnership, a joint venture between AMC Networks International and CBS Studios International, are launching their first on-demand players on Freeview Play this winter.

Horror Bites and CBS Catchup Channels UK will be available via Freeview Play devices from 6th December. Freeview Play viewers will be able to catch up on shows from Horror Channel, CBS Reality, CBS Drama and CBS Justice – rebranding from CBS Action on 5th December – up to 30 days after broadcast. Viewers will also be able to access exclusive on-demand content, in the form of box sets and CBS Reality Original content, such as Donal MacIntyre’s Murder Files, “Murder by the Sea and Written in Blood.

Horror Bites and CBS Catchup Channels UK will join BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Demand 5 and UKTV Play on the UK’s fastest growing TV catch up platform, Freeview Play, which is built into nearly all new TVs.

“As the way we watch TV changes, it’s important to offer our popular programming to audiences anytime and anywhere, so this expansion onto Freeview Play is a natural next step for us,” says Tanya Gugenheim, SVP, Business Development, AMC Networks International.

“Partnering with Freeview Play means that the Horror Bites and the CBS Catchup Channels UK apps will be available on most smart TVs. We have been ably supported by Simplestream who built an end-to-end service complete with all key Freeview Play functionalities, integrated backwards EPG and intuitive user experience, which we look forward to sharing with our viewers.”

Simon Hunt, Strategy Director for Freeview Play comments: “We’re committed to evolving and improving Freeview Play, so to be announcing the launch of not one, but two new catch up players is really something to shout about. As the platform continues to grow and become the new normal, we hope that the CBS AMC UK Channels Partnership, along with our other partners continue to reap the rewards of its success with audiences across the country.”

“Watching TV has become increasingly personal, with more power shifting to consumers to curate their own individual viewing experiences,” adds Dan Finch, Chief Commercial Officer, Simplestream. “Horror Bites and CBS Catchup Channels UK are colourful additions to the UK’s on-demand landscape and it has been a real pleasure to support their launch.”

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