FETCH and BBC STUDIOS announce extension of multi-channel partnership

Fetch TV and BBC Studios on Thursday announced the extension of their channel partnership agreement covering six BBC channels.

The deal ensures Fetch subscribers ongoing access to the broadest range of premium BBC content available on any Australian aggregation platform covering existing brands BBC UKTV, BBC Earth, CBeebies, BBC Kids and BBC Brit, and introducing BBC Drama only available on Fetch.

The channels will sit alongside BBC News and Britbox which continue to be available on Fetch.

Sam Hall, Chief Content and Commercial Officer of Fetch TV, said:

“We are excited to renew our long-standing channels partnership with BBC Studios and to introduce the new BBC Drama channel which, as a replacement for BBC First, will expand the line-up of premium drama programming available on Fetch.”

“Iconic BBC channel brands, along with much loved shows including Call the Midwife, Death in Paradise and Silent Witness are important elements of the Fetch customer offering.”

“This deal demonstrates that Fetch remains committed to offering a true aggregation model across a very broad range of content options including Free-to-Air, FAST and subscription channels, free and subscription streaming services, transactional video on-demand, and pay-per-view events.”    

Fiona Lang, General Manager, BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, said:

“We’re delighted to renew our longstanding partnership with Fetch.”

“Australian audiences love our shows and with our BBC brands they know exactly where to find the best British curated content, from drama, documentaries, entertainment and children’s programming to world-class independent journalism.”

“Fetch is a long-standing and valuable partner and we are delighted to be able to deliver them a package of linear and virtual playlist channels that meets the demands of their audiences.”  

BBC Drama, a new channel available only on Fetch, will be home to a collection of  some of the best-loved British drama, delivering audiences fan favourites such as Death in Paradise, Call The Midwife and Silent Witness as well as a chance to discover prestigious, premium dramas such as the BAFTA award-winning The Sixth Commandment, Happy Valley and Unforgotten.

BBC UKTV will continue to offer audiences a curated selection of the best British entertainment including soap juggernauts EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale, fan-favourite quizcoms 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, QI and Would I Lie to You, celebrity chat shows and travel shows fronted by well-loved personalities like Joanna Lumley. 

Audiences can find world-class factual shows from the most inspiring and passionate experts in the world on BBC Earth with titles like Where The Wild Men Are and Life Below Zero, while lovers of fly-on-the-wall factual entertainment can find shows such as World’s Most Dangerous Roads, Traffic Cops and Junior Paramedics on BBC Brit. 

Fetch subscribers can view the BBC channels on their TV or on the Fetch Mobiapp, with a “start over” option available for the majority of programmes which enables viewers to join the channel at any point and watch from the start. Subscribers can also access a large amount of on-demand channel content from the Fetch Catch-Up menu.

The Fetch Universal Voice Search makes it easy to find content from across the whole of Fetch, including channels and on-demand content, with one simple spoken search.

The BBC channels are all available in the 46 channel Fetch Ultimate Pack for only $20 per month, and also in the $6 per month Fetch Channel Packs.

The news of the renewal between Fetch and BBC Studios comes as TV Blackbox exclusively revealed yesterday that negotiations had broken down between Foxtel & BBC Studios, with BBC content to leave Foxtel & BINGE from 31 July.

You can read more about that here.