MUMBAI: US pubcaster PBS has announced the beta launch of a new PBS.org (http://www.pbs.org/), featuring local content from member stations, full TV episodes from series and auto-localisation features.
The launch coincides with the release of PBS for iPad, and the upcoming introduction of the PBS App for the iPhone and iPod touch.
The first full episode of the multi-part series Circus (www.pbs.org/circus) will premiere on PBS for iPad. The episode is available for streaming, in advance of the broadcast premiere.
These new digital products build on initiatives that have launched over the past 18 months and include the introduction of a local-national video player. The video player features more than 4,700 hours of full episodes, spanning all genres of the organisation‘s programmes.
PBS Kids currently offers six iPad and iPhone apps for children on the App Store, a subscription-based teaching tool for home and classroom, and a suite of interactive whiteboard activities and nearly 1,000 free, educational games.
PBS senior VP, interactive, product development and innovation Jason Seiken says, "During the last two years, we have reinvented our approach to serving the American public by becoming a multi-platform innovator, introducing industry-firsts such as the integration of interactive educational games into linear video and the use of augmented reality to teach science to pre-schoolers.
"Built on public media‘s local-national model, this next generation of services delivers content in vital areas, such as news, the arts, and children‘s educational media to PBS.org‘s 20 million monthly users and across mobile devices."
PBS adds that the new site is the first major media website to fully integrate local content on a national platform. Member station and partner content is now seamlessly featured alongside national productions as part of the home page, topic pages, special features and series sites.
PBS.org is automatically localised so visitors can view video, TV schedule information and content that is specific to their community instantly.
Additional features include:
- A media bar across the top and bottom of every page, which is refreshed daily with upcoming programmes and special promotional features, making it easier for users to find content;
- An expanded video section providing easy access to the thousands of hours of full-length video on the site, including web-original programming;
- Topic pages allowing users to explore all content areas, including Arts and Entertainment, Culture and Society, Health, History, Home and How-To, News & Public Affairs, Parents, Science and Nature, and Technology;
An enhanced search feature; and
Access to the full family of websites, as well as member stations around the country.
The new free apps for the iPad, iPhone and iPod touch deliver calendar and scheduling details, promotional highlights and full-length videos.
PBS for iPad is designed for viewing full episodes of shows like Frontline, Nature, Nova and Masterpiece.
The PBS App for the iPhone and iPod touch will help viewers stay connected with their local station and will permit them to watch previews of the day‘s programme highlights, video shorts, and full episodes.
