UKTV Play reveals major mobile app update to build on user experience

Tuesday 14th February Britains biggest multichannel broadcaster, UKTV, today rolls out the first major revamp of its fast-growing TV on demand app for mobile devices, UKTV Play.

The significantly updated product, which is available free on iOS and Android, has been designed to make viewers experience more enjoyable and personalised.

The UKTV Play app, of which downloads were up 98% year on year for 2016, now features a more focused approach to finding favourite programmes through a better organised landing page, higher-quality programme images and the introduction of easy-to-view genre listings. And theres an extended selection of quality Box Sets.

UKTV Play launched the update on its desktop site last year, contributing to a sharp, 50% increase in views. The broadcaster carried out rigorous A/B testing on the new design to ensure it offered the best possible user experience.

UKTVs Head of Digital Products, Oliver Davies, said,

The new, streamlined interface has been designed so viewers can find something great to watch in seconds. The uktvplay.co.uk desktop site update has been brilliantly received by our users, helping to drive a significant increase in views, so were delighted to be rolling it out onto our iOS and Android mobile apps. The new-look app has a premium feel that mirrors the quality of our content.

Latest data shows UKTV Play achieved a 74% increase in direct-to-consumer views year-on-year in 2016. The service boasts a vast and diverse catalogue of quality shows, including exclusive UKTV Originals such as Taskmaster, Red Dwarf XI and Crackanory. UKTV Originals perform particularly well on the service: in 2016 there was 179% growth in direct-to-consumer streams of originals compared to 2015. The first-episode preview of Daves hotly-anticipated Red Dwarf XI brought record-breaking viewer numbers into UKTV Play last year, and a big drive for newly-launched user registration on uktvplay.co.uk.

UKTV Play has this year been shortlisted for Best Digital Video Platform/Service in the Broadcast Digital Awards for the past two years, alongside established market players All 4, BBC iPlayer and The ITV Hub.

END

For more information please contact:

Lara Feinstein, Network Communications Executive

NOTES TO EDITORS About UKTV UKTV is the biggest multichannel broadcaster in the UK.

The award-winning independent has eleven imaginative brands - UKTV Play, Dave, W, Gold, Alibi, Yesterday, Drama, Really, Home, Eden and Good Food. These include the two most popular non-PSB channels in the UK and account for nearly 10% of the British commercial TV market. The companys most recent financial results showed record-breaking year-end revenue of £319m and EBITDA of £82m. It invested £148m in programming and related launches last year, and is becoming an increasingly significant investor in UK creativity.

UKTV has a truly innovative model, curating brand-defining commissions, high-profile acquisitions and the very best of BBC, alongside programmes originally shown on ITV and Channel 4. The network embraces technology to deliver inspired channels to audiences through Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat, Amazon Fire and UKTV Play, and distributes its highly valued original programmes to 200 territories.

Now celebrating over 20 years at the forefront of digital television, UKTV - an independent commercial joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (SNI) - is proud to be the only British television broadcaster in The Sunday Times top 100 companies list.

corporate.uktv.co.uk / press.uktv.co.uk / @uktv_press

About UKTV Play UKTV Play is the fast-growing on demand TV service where you can watch the TV shows you love from Dave, Yesterday, Really and Drama wherever you want, whenever you want. The good news? We love them too.

Love digging into history or laughing out loud to new, British comedy you cant see anywhere else? So do we. Enjoy an engrossing, nail-biting true crime story or powerful real life documentaries? No problem. In the mood to luxuriate in a decadent period drama or hang on the edge of your seat during a pulsating crime drama? Were with you. Theres so much brilliant TV on UKTV Play - Taskmaster, Alan Davies As Yet Untitled, Suits, Parks and Recreation, Red Dwarf, Most Haunted, New Tricks, Pride and Prejudice, Call The Midwife, The Bill and Birds of a Feather - to name a few, so youll never be stuck for something to watch.

With the UKTV Play app you can stream your favourite TV for free via your computer, tablet or smart phone. It has never been easier to watch the things you love most, so download the app and delve in.

You can also put your feet up and watch on the telly, thanks to Virgin TV, YouView, Amazon Fire TV and Fire TV Stick. If youre an M+ subscriber on Virgin Media or BT TV customer, shows from other great UKTV channels - Gold, W, Alibi, Good Food, Home and Eden - are on the menu as well.

uktvplay.co.uk / Get the iOS app on iTunes

LINK:	http://corporate.uktv.co.uk/news/article/uktv-play-reveals-major-mobil...
	See more stories from uktv

Most recent headlines