Freeview offering TV, radio through free streaming app

Freeview has introduced a new Streaming TV app to allow viewers to stream their favourite television and radio channels for free.

Leon Mead, General Manager at Freeview, says the move comes as part of a refocus by Freeview on Live TV, making free-to-air more accessible than ever.

"With more and more people choosing to stream content on their TVs, it was the logical next step to make Freeview available via streaming," Mead says.

"Free-to-air TV is as relevant now as ever, and it's vital that Kiwis of all ages can access essential, reliable, local programming free of charge.

"We are proud to be making this possible with our new Streaming TV app."

The initial rollout will include fifteen channels, with Freeview expecting to add more channels soon.

The channels included in the initial rollout are TVNZ 1, TVNZ 2, Three, Bravo, Whakaata Māori, Prime, Shine, RNZ National and RNZ Concert, and will add to the diverse range of content to inform and entertain New Zealanders.

The Freeview Streaming TV app will work much the same as ordinary TV, enabling viewers to channel surf and browse their favourite TV and radio stations.

However, the key difference is that viewers won't need an aerial or satellite dish to do it.

"At Freeview, we're proud to keep Kiwis connected in moments that galvanise our nation," Mead adds.

"A personal favourite being the historic win from the Black Ferns, which aired on Three. Plus, by providing easy access to quality news and journalism, we foster trust and social cohesion.

"With an ever-increasing number of apps and streaming platforms, we're also glad to offer a service where Kiwis can sit back, relax and enjoy watching TV without decision fatigue."

The Freeview Streaming TV app is now available on a broad range of Freeview-approved Smart TVs, including most new Smart TVs and many of those released in the previous 4-5 years.

Further, the offering is preinstalled on SmartVU devices, which can be connected to almost any TV through HDMI, allowing viewers to stream live TV channels, even on older sets.

Freeview's On Demand platform became available on the Freeview streaming device DISH TV SmartVU X shortly after its release in 2019.

In a collaboration between Freeview, Dish TV and Google, the SmartVU X is a small gadget that connects to almost any TV and streams Freeview Live TV over the internet.

Viewers can also explore third-party apps such as Netflix, Lightbox and YouTube.