ARLINGTON Va. & EL SEGUNDO, Calif.—DirecTV Stream has announced that nearly 250 local PBS stations are now available in its streaming platform, completing the rollout of the public stations nearly nine months ahead of its original schedule for their launch on the service.
DirecTV Stream started launching local PBS stations in mid-November, and since that time, has added nearly 250 local PBS stations in 198 Nielsen DMAs that reach 99% of all U.S. TV homes.
PBS on DirecTV Stream provides each of the PBS member stations’ full broadcast channels streamed live, as well as the PBS video-on-demand library at no additional cost.
DirecTV also announced that it has become one of the premiere sponsors for two important upcoming PBS documentaries – “Becoming Frederick Douglass” and “Harriet Tubman: Visions Of Freedom” – that shed new light on the lives of a pair of towering figures in the struggle to end slavery.
As part of this collaboration, screenings of each film will take place in locations across the United States later this summer – sponsored by DirecTV – prior to the premieres of the films nationwide on PBS member stations this fall. As an additional component of the DirecTV sponsorship, Maryland Public Television will make educational materials available online to students in grades K-12.
“The rapid adoption of PBS on DirecTV Stream ensures that we’re delivering some of the best programming to customers across the nation,” said Rob Thun, chief content officer, DirecTV. “Additionally, we’re honored to work hand-in-hand with PBS to amplify diverse voices and creators to help keep our nation’s history alive.”
“PBS’ partnership with DirecTV Stream allows our award-winning, educational content to reach more viewers across the country,” said Ira Rubenstein, PBS Chief digital & marketing officer. “PBS and its member stations offer more diverse and localized programming than any other broadcast network, and we are pleased to continue to share this content across a wide array of digital platforms.”
Unlike other major national broadcast networks, PBS boasts multiple local station affiliates in several cities, and DirecTV Stream has launched at least three different PBS stations into nine Nielsen DMAs and two local PBS stations into another 33 media markets. The markets with multiple PBS stations include: New York (3), Los Angeles (3), Chicago (2), Philadelphia (3), San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose (2), Washington (3), Boston (2), Atlanta (2), Seattle-Tacoma (2), Minneapolis-St. Paul (3), Miami-Fort Lauderdale (2), Denver (2), Cleveland (2), Charlotte (3), Indianapolis (2), Nashville (2), Columbus OH (2), Cincinnati (3), and Greenville-Spartanburg SC-Asheville NC (2), among many others with multiple affiliates.
With the addition of these PBS affiliates, DirecTV Stream offers more than 1,000 local ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS stations, as well as 30+ regional sports networks from AT&T SportsNet, Bally Sports, NBC Sports, Spectrum SportsNet and top independents Altitude Sports, MSG Networks, MASN, NESN and YES Network.
