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PBS is expanding its presence in the linear, free streaming channel business. The public broadcaster has sealed a deal with Amazon to stream its PBS Kids channel, as well as 150 local PBS stations, as part of the Prime Video FAST channel offerings.
“FAST” stands for free, ad-supported TV — but the PBS channels will all be commercial free. For PBS, this reps the first time its programming will be available on a major streaming service for free. As part of the announcement, PBS Distribution also announced two new FAST channels — PBS Drama and PBS Documentaries — as well as another FAST channel that features a rotation of classic PBS series, with “Reading Rainbow” up first.
Those new channels will launch exclusively on Prime Video starting Nov. 26, and will be exclusive to Amazon at first before moving to wider distribution.
Popular on Variety This reps the latest experiment in streaming for PBS; viewers to the pubcaster who contribute to their local station are usually given access to PBS Passport, a streamer that features a larger library of on-demand public television programming. PBS, PBS Kids and local station content can also be found on the PBS.org and pbskids.org websites, as well as the PBS and the PBS Kids apps.
“PBS member stations will be able to tap into a leading streaming service to offer quality local programming viewers know and love for free,” said PBS chief digital and marketing officer Ira Rubenstein in a statement. “It’s part of the PBS commitment to make trusted content available to all households across as many platforms as possible. We thank Amazon for giving PBS member stations a new and exciting way to grow their digital footprint while engaging with audiences old and new.”
Prime Video and Fire TV users can access Amazon’s FAST channels through those services’ portals; non-Prime subscribers can find access to PBS programming under the “Watch for Free” section within Prime Video.
“We’re delighted to bring PBS’s trusted, high-quality programming to our FAST channels,” said Prime Video Marketplace head Ryan Pirozzi. “We have put together one of the most exciting FAST offerings today for Prime Video customers, driven by a highly personalized experience, and a leading selection of channels featuring fan favorite series, movies, news, sports, and more. We know our customers will be excited to discover that their beloved PBS member stations and two new PBS FAST Channels are now part of our growing offering.”
