BBC Studios launches video-on-demand (VoD) service with Canal+ Poland, continuing its long-term partnership

BBC Player has become available to subscribers of the Canal+ online streaming service from the beginning of June. Subscribers to the Canal+ satellite offer who use set-top boxes connected to the Internet will also have access to BBC Player from launch.

BBC Player will be the local on-demand destination for award-winning and critically acclaimed British drama, documentaries, pre-school, and inspiring lifestyle programming. Subscribers will be able to stream some of their favourite series from the BBC’s linear channel portfolio – BBC Brit, BBC Earth, BBC Lifestyle, BBC First and CBeebies, in addition to brand new programming.

With around 1,000 hours of content in its first year, BBC Player will give Canal+ subscribers the opportunity to delve deeper into the BBC content they enjoy and discover many new favourites. Programming at launch includes premium factual titles such as David Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities and Mediterranean: Life Under Siege, documentaries such as Trump Takes on the World, compelling crime dramas like Unforgotten and classic comedies such as ‘Allo ‘Allo!.

In July new titles are coming to BBC Player: crime series “The Kettering Incident”, documentary “American Dynasties: The Bush Years – Family, Duty, Power” and the new season of “Where the Wild Men Are”.

Programming collections around the genres of travel, science, arts, history and current affairs will be regularly refreshed and join the service immediately after their linear premiere. Top drama titles include Time, Jimmy McGovern’s powerful depiction of prison life, starring Emmy and BAFTA winner Sean Bean and four-time BAFTA nominee Stephen Graham and intense investigative thriller Smother which looks at how secrets that families keep from each other can tear them apart.

Subscribers will also get to enjoy the latest season of the biggest motoring show Top Gear right after its premiere on BBC Brit and exclusive recordings of live concerts such as U2: Live in London.

The service will offer a choice of Polish voice-over and subtitles for all content, with the additional option of English subtitles on selected programmes.

Access to BBC Player will be granted to all new and current subscribers of the Canal+ online streaming service who subscribe to Canal+ channels. Subscribers of the Canal+ satellite offer, who have set-top boxes connected to the internet, will be able to access BBC Player service at no extra charge as part of decoded access from 1 June to 31 August. Then the offer will be available in selected Canal+ packages.

Zbigniew Pruski, BBC Studios’ commercial director for CEE said: “BBC Player is a curated on-demand service that complements our long-standing BBC channels that Polish audiences love. BBC Player takes our content and combines it with expert human scheduling and a product built on the BBC Group’s 15 years of on-demand experience. It is a pleasure to be launching this service with Canal+ and offer their subscribers a deeper BBC content offer to address the growing need for top-quality and trustworthy content to be available to audiences wherever they are and at a time convenient to them.”

“The inclusion of the VOD BBC Player library in the Canal+ offer is another step in building a wide range of high-quality productions from many different genres available in one place. We are also happy that we will be the first to offer access to the website on the Polish market” said Monika Kłosińska, programme purchasing director at Canal+ Poland.

The agreement to launch BBC Player was concluded as part of the renewal of the long-term agreement for the distribution of BBC Studios linear channels at Canal+ Poland.

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios, a global content company with British creativity at its heart, is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group, supporting the licence fee and enhancing programmes for UK audiences. Its activities span content financing, development, production, sales, branded services, and ancillaries across its own productions, and programmes and formats made by high-quality UK independents. Award-winning British programmes made by the business are internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, and Doctor Who. BBC Studios has offices in over 20 markets globally, including ten production bases in the UK and production bases or partnerships in a further seven countries around the world. The company, which ordinarily makes around 2,000 hours of content a year for both the BBC and third parties including Apple, Netflix and Migu, is a champion for British creativity around the world.  It is also a committed partner for the UK’s independent sector through a mix of equity partnerships, content investment and international distribution for programme titles.

About Canal+

Canal+ Polska is a leading producer of premium and thematic TV channels, offering a unique combination of premium segment programming, innovative technology and a wide distribution network. The   Canal+ Polska Group serves over 2.7 million customers (as of 31 December 2020) and is the second-largest provider of pay-TV services in Poland.

Canal+ Polska is the operator of a satellite platform offering television packages that include its own TV channels and third-party channels, with particular emphasis on the premium segment.

In May 2020, Canal+ Polska launched the Canal+ online service, an innovative service created in response to the growing demand for non-linear programming content. This service offers access to linear channels and programming content on demand, such as movies, series, sports events, lifestyle, programming content aimed at children. Through Kino Świat, Canal+ Polska is also involved in the distribution of films to cinemas. With a market share of 26.4%, Kino Świat is the leading film distribution company in Poland.

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