Amazon Fire TVs to Feature Freely Streaming Platform – A Boost for British Broadcasters

The newly launched Freely streaming service, a joint venture backed by British broadcasters BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5, has secured a significant agreement with Amazon. This strategic partnership will make the Freely platform available on Amazon Fire TV devices, marking a substantial step for the broadcasters in expanding their digital presence. Announced by the involved companies on Monday, this collaboration aims to transport public interest programming to more British homes.

The collaboration between Freely and Amazon signifies a remarkable union of a global technology powerhouse and public service broadcasters, according to Jonathan Thompson, Chief Executive of Everyone TV, the consortium behind Freely. “A deal of this kind, between a technology giant and those working in the public interest, is remarkable,” Thompson stated. “It represents a significant development in widening the availability of Freely and therefore ensuring UK audiences can access free TV well into the future.”

Freely’s inception in April marked a pivotal moment as it was the first time all four major British public service broadcasters collaborated on a streaming service. The platform offers 70,000 hours of on-demand content, setting it apart as a significant player among streaming services in the UK. This move is an effort to preserve live TV’s relevance amidst the growing preference for streaming content.

Emma Gilmartin, Director of Fire TV Europe at Amazon, expressed enthusiasm about the agreement, stating, “We’re thrilled to be bringing Freely to Fire TV customers in the UK. This new deal for Freely allows us to provide even more value to our customers by giving them easy access to the best free TV shows, films, and live channels from UK broadcasters, alongside the great content they already enjoy on Fire TV.”

In addition to the Amazon partnership, Everyone TV announced collaborations with other smart TV manufacturers, including TCL and Panasonic. TCL plans to integrate Freely into its new 2024 smart TVs in the UK, while Panasonic aims to offer Freely on its new range of FY24 TVs with Fire TV OS. Gareth Rayworth, Managing Director of Panasonic UK, commented on the partnership, “Panasonic recognises how much UK viewers value content from national broadcasters, so we are delighted to be able to offer Freely to customers on our range of new FY24 TVs with Fire OS.”

This development positions Freely as the premier TV guide across smart TVs equipped with Amazon’s Fire TV OS, providing viewers with a consistent and user-friendly experience. Freely is already accessible on brands such as Hisense, Bush, Toshiba, and Panasonic with Tivo.