Community TV Launches New Catch-up Streaming Service

CBAA congratulates the community television sector on its launch of CTV+, the sector’s long-awaited online streaming service.

Community television stations C31 Melbourne and C44 Adelaide are free-to-air, non-commercial citizen media services, and each television station is owned, operated and/or programmed by community, providing local and specialist programming.

CTV+ launches as a website, available now via ctvplus.org.au, and has both Android and iOS versions in development for future release in early 2022. The service will enable viewers to watch both stations’ live linear broadcast feeds as well as being able to catch up on over 20 locally produced community TV programs, with plans to double its content offering over the next six months.

C31 Melbourne’s General Manager Shane Dunlop said of the platform,

“We have been wanting to provide our viewers with a robust online service for years now, but with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding our free-to-air broadcast licence we simply never had the capacity to spend the vast time and financial resources towards developing one. It was the shared belief by all within the community TV sector that an online offering should be developed as a complementary service alongside our free-to-air signal. With a guarantee of at least three more years on TV, we are able to finally proceed with confidence in the new platform.”

C44 Adelaide’s General Manager Lauren Hillman added,

“Both stations are excited for this next phase of Community TV online. Not only will this new free service allow audiences to continue streaming our current linear free-to-air channels online, but it will also provide one home of community TV nationally where viewers can catch up on high-quality, locally produced series on demand.”

CTV+ launches with a fantastic cross section of Community TV programs including Rediscover Victoria, Off the Couch with Ethan, Move It or Lose It, The Cellar Door: New Zealand, Roaming the Outback, The Holistic Approach and Broadcast Radio Australia—a nine-part documentary series showcasing different community radio stations.

CTV+ and C31 Melbourne are supported by the Victorian Government through Film Victoria.