Today PBS launched a new streaming service called PBS Living. This new service will be available as an Amazon Prime Channel and will give subscribers access to PBS lifestyle and how to content.
The PBS Living channel will cost $2.99 a month and will include shows like This Old House, Antiques Roadshow, and The French Chef, Downing said in the email to GMs. Newer programs available on the channel include Milk Street and the travelogue No Passport Required.
PBS Living joins PBS Masterpiece and PBS Kids on Amazon Channels.
This all comes as PBS is making a bigger push into streaming. Recently the CEO of PBS confirmed that they are in talks with several live TV streaming services like YouTube TV, Sling TV, and Hulu. “We’ve been in discussions with them,” CEO Paula Kerger said during PBS’s Winter TCA executive session. “I’m not making any announcements today. But stay tuned. We definitely are in discussions. We think that’s certainly a place that our viewers would appreciate.”
Kerger went on to say they are also looking at options to team up with services like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon. “I think that part of the challenge that we have is making sure that we’re punching through the fray so that people are aware of the programs that are on public television, that are available through their local stations,” said Kerger. “I mean there are a lot of people that go to the Netflixes and then just get lost in the jukebox effect of scrolling through lots of stuff…We look for ways to bring them into their local station.”
According to PBS, one of the main issues was live TV streaming services asking for a national feed of PBS rather than taking each local feed. PBS made it clear they are only interested in offering local PBS feeds to help protect their 350-member stations. So, while WGBH is reportedly launching this year we are unsure how many PBS channels will be going live in 2019 as smaller stations will likely take longer to go live.
Source: Current
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