GB News plans aggressive growth on streaming services in plans laid out to staff at the broadcaster last week.
The channel is now firmly established on all major UK TV platforms. But it is now seeking to build its availability on a variety of online TV platforms, to reach viewers wherever they are.
With rival TalkTV having launched with a strong online footprint across streaming devices, GB News is fighting back with expansion plans of its own. It’s been busy adding its service to numerous smart TV platforms, with more to come.
Geoff Marsh, Chief Digital Officer at GB News told staff that viewing via big screen apps on Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Samsung (TV Plus) and LG was “growing at record pace.”
Following on from that, Marsh confirmed GB News plans to launch apps on Freeview Play and YouView and become available on Sky Go, providing Sky subscribers with access to the channel wherever they are. The Freeview Play and YouView apps will enable viewers to catch-up on GB News programmes.
Once the Freeview Play app launches, GB News will join a growing number of broadcasters providing an app on the hybrid platform. All major players including the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 offer their streaming apps through Freeview Play, alongside UKTV (Dave, Drama, Yesterday, W), AMC UK Channels (Legend, Reality Xtra) and Narrative Entertainment (POP).
YouView, launched in 2012, still powers BT TV and a selection of Sony Smart TVs, as well as older TalkTalk TV boxes.
▶ Analysis: Nimble expansion free of the restraints of other broadcasters
GB News is free to expand its reach wherever it pleases, free of the shackles that constrain its longer-established rivals.
Sky News has been widely available for decades; since 2002 on Freeview. But being part of a pay TV giant does mean its owners don’t want to necessarily make some of Sky News’ offerings available to rival or free platforms. Witness the absence of Sky News HD on Freesat or the absence of any Freeview Play app.
The BBC also prefers to make its live streams only available through the walled garden of the iPlayer. So you won’t see the BBC live streaming its news channel on YouTube, or the News Channel popping up on Samsung TV Plus or elsewhere. Its dedicated big screen News and Sports apps were axed as part of the round of cuts triggered when the Government transferred the responsibility and the cost of free TV licences from the DWP to the BBC.
GB News is making big losses (over £30 million last year). But its backers, including the Dubai-based Legatum, have deep pockets and are ideologically driven to reach as many eyeballs as possible with their news service. This is not about profit, it’s about influence. And so the carriage deals with streaming providers keep coming. Beyond the UK, there’s also plans to drive growth in other English-speaking countries.
Marc Thornham