James Jackson explains how the UK’s biggest TV service is opening catch-up and on-demand to new audiences, helping tackle digital divides and setting new standards for connected TV.
Freeview Play delivers free access to VOD services from the UK’s leading broadcasters through a growing range of TVs and set-top-boxes. Building on international standards, Freeview Play adds enhanced metadata functionality to enable the easy discovery of content and applications. As the first service worldwide to adopt HbbTV 2.0, content providers are able to deliver increasingly sophisticated content and advertising experiences to consumers while avoiding the costs and complexity of proprietary platform development.

Developed in partnership with public service broadcasters, TV manufacturers and wider industry bodies, Freeview Play is on track to become standard functionality in the vast majority new TVs and set-top-boxes, expanding the reach of connected TV to the widest possible audience.