Fewer people are watching live TV in an era of the best streaming services. With so much at our fingertips, it’s no surprise people are choosing to watch “on demand,” so Channel 5 has decided to streamline its content into one.
Combining Channel 5 and the streaming service My 5 to simply be known as “5”. They have done this to create a clear brand, although this has confused some viewers, according to reports from The Independent.
Explaining the decision, Sarah Rose, President of 5, said, “This is the start of a new and exciting era for 5 as we bring together our linear and streaming services under one clear brand.”
She added: “Everything our audience and our advertisers already love about Channel 5 will be central to this relaunch – but there will be much more besides, with a huge array of content from the Paramount family and beyond, new live channels, and a brand-new user experience for our streaming product.”
This move is very similar to that of rival Channel 4, which got rid of its All4 streaming service to be collectively known as “Channel 4” across linear and streaming channels. There’s also a streaming service called Freelywhich features the largest number of UK TV channels all under one roof, so it seems the move towards streaming is increasing in popularity.
What is Freely?
Freely was launched in 2024, and TechRadar’s streaming editor, Amelia Schwanke, got a sneak peek of Freely, where she gave an excellent rundown of the service.
Essentially, it offers a way to stream both live and on-demand TV from UK broadcasters like BBC, ITV, Channel 4, and Channel 5 (now “5”) without requiring a dish or aerial, making it an excellent way for people to watch a host of content without having to stream TV the old-school way.
It’s looking like 5 will be bringing more content to Freely as a result of their recent rebrand as well.