- Launch of Freely prompts That’s TV to develop plans to make live streams of its channels available.
Operator of numerous classic TV and music channels says it is ‘advancing plans’ to launch a new streaming app.
That’s TV’s parent company That’s Media has confirmed plans to finally expand the broadcaster’s reach online. The company has noticably been absent from online platforms, despite the rapid growth of That’s TV-branded channels on traditional broadcast services.
In its latest financial report, the company also says it is “in discussions” over launching its services on the recently launched Freely platform, which will ultimately replace Freeview as broadcasting moves online.
Currently, That’s TV’s channels are only available on Freely devices connected to a TV aerial. The channels, including its network of local channels are not available to Freely viewers who opt to stream only.
Separately, That’s TV is developing an app combining on-demand programmes with live streams of its channels. It has so far not revealed on which platforms the app will be available on.
Trial channels
The company also confirmed its recently launched That’s TV 2 is an “initial trial” channel. It also described its recently launched retro music station ‘Chart Show Retro’ as a “pilot” on the Sky platform. The broadcaster has benefitted from picking up channel slots on both Freeview and Sky. In both cases, it needs to be able to broadcast something on the slot, or lose them.
In the past year, That’s TV has acquired Freeview channel 56 from Channel 5, plus additional slots when it purchased the operator of the Manchester Television Network (MTN). MTN was set up to utilise Freeview bandwidth originally assigned to Channel M, the now defunct local channel for Manchester. On Sky, That’s TV also purchased channel 360 from Trace Music, who withdrew from the platform in late 2023.
The company has stepped up its investment in licensing older programmes to fill the schedules of its numerous channels.
That’s TV launched in 2014 as a local TV operator and has since acquired a number of other local channels from companies including Archant and STV to hold the licence of 20 out of the 34 local channels on air across the UK.
That’s TV was informed earlier this year that the Government will allow Ofcom to extend its local TV licences until 2035. However, the regulator has been given powers to review the performance of each local channel. Ofcom has already warned That’s TV and other local TV operators of the minimum standards it expects. This includes providing 60 minutes of non-repeating local news each day.
By: Marc Thornham | Image: That’s TV