YouView and Virgin Media TV customers can now access the BBC’s 18 national and 40 local radio stations plus thousands of hours of on-demand and catch-up content after the broadcaster launched a new BBC Sounds TV app.
BBC bosses say the app will offer 80,000 hours of content, including podcasts and music, to help entertain and inform audiences “during these very challenging times.”
Offering personalised recommendations, the ability to continue listening from the point reached on another device and track information when you’re listening to a live radio station, the app also features a screen saver to protect TVs from screen burn.
The roll-out starts today on Virgin and YouView devices, including some Sony TVs, followed by selected Samsung TVs later this week, with support for more devices added “in the coming weeks and months.”
Find a list of compatible devices here.
Jonathan Wall, controller of BBC Sounds, said: “BBC Sounds has over 80,000 hours of radio programmes, podcasts and music mixes so there’s a huge amount of choice for listeners.
“The new TV app is another way the BBC will be there for people through the current challenging times, giving listeners access to all of our brilliant audio through a few clicks of their TV remotes.”
Dan Taylor-Watt, director of product, BBC iPlayer & BBC Sounds, added: “More so now than ever, we want our services to be available on whatever devices people want to access them on – and this is the natural next step in the development of BBC Sounds.
“We know lots of people listen to radio on the TV, and since Sounds is already the digital home for all audio from the BBC we’re really pleased to be bringing it into homes with a TV app.
“This launch is just the start, and we’re looking forward to the app being available on more connected TVs soon.”
