Planet Knowledge on-demand service launches on Freeview

Planet Knowledge, a new on-demand service for documentary programming, has launched on the Freeview digital-terrestrial platform in the UK.

The channel, which launches on Freeview channel 245, will be available to viewers once their Freeview HD TV or box is connected to the internet and show a range of factual programmes across categories including history, nature, travel, kids, people and culture, science and technology.

The channel is currently supported by advertising and sponsorship, with an ad-free subscription option due to launch later in 2015.

The service is the first online collaboration between Video On Demand 365 (VOD 365), a company that specialises in building new on demand premium content channels, and Synapse TV, a technology and services company offering solutions for OTT delivery. The firms said that further on demand Freeview channels are “in the pipeline.”

“This project is an advance in a number of areas, including the use of dynamic advertising within VOD on the Freeview HD platform. It’s an exciting development for Synapse TV and we are looking forward to working further with VOD365,” said David Cutts, director of Synapse TV.

Paul Coster, director of VOD365, added: “The launch of Planet Knowledge on Freeview HD is a major step forward for our on-demand channel distribution strategy.”