Programs on Demand, Just for PBS Members

As television viewers increasingly turn to video on demand to watch shows when they want, PBS and its local stations plan to follow them, but with a twist: They are creating a streaming video service that will be available only to members of local PBS stations.

The service, which is being referred to as MVOD, for Member Video On Demand, is not expected to start widely before next spring. It will not replace the free on-air channel or the free online replays that PBS offers at PBS.org and on its Roku channel. But after the free viewing period, archives of past seasons of some of PBS’s general interest programs are expected to move to the streaming service. PBS will also continue to license some shows to paid services. Local stations will offer the programs they produce on the MVOD service, as well.