STV Player

{{Short description|Free Ad-funded streaming service based in UK}}

{{Infobox software

| name = STV Player

| logo = STV Player 2019.svg

| logo size = 250px

| collapsible = yes

| screenshot = STVPlayerScreenshot.png

| screenshot size = 150px

| caption = STV Player - TV you'll love for free

| developer = STV Group plc

| released = July 2009

| latest release version =

| latest release date = July 2009

| latest preview version =

| latest preview date =

| operating system = Windows, Mac, Linux

| platform = Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, AirPlay, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Freesat, Freeview Play, Now, Roku, Sky Glass, Sky Go, Sky TV, Samsung Smart TV, Virgin Media, YouView{{cite web |title=Which platforms are supported by STV Player? |url=https://support.stv.tv/support/solutions/articles/2000007702 |publisher=STV |date=21 January 2022}}

| language = English

| genre = Television catch-up, archive, exclusive content, live broadcast

| license =

| website = [http://www.stv.tv www.stv.tv]

}}

STV Player is a video on demand service owned by STV Group and available free-of-charge across the UK, online, on mobile and on all major TV platforms, including Sky Glass, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, Freeview Play, Freesat and Virgin Media.

Officially launched in July 2009 following a soft launch the previous year, STV Player was initially established as an online catch-up service for viewers of the STV channel in Scotland.{{Cite web|title=STV relaunches online catch-up service as STV Player|url=https://www.thedrum.com/news/2009/07/17/stv-relaunches-online-catch-service-stv-player|website=www.thedrum.com|language=en}} The platform has since rolled out UK-wide{{Cite web|title=Major content drop marks STV Player UK-wide rollout|url=https://www.rapidtvnews.com/2021031160083/major-content-drop-marks-stv-player-uk-wide-rollout.html#axzz7BGP3t6D3|website=www.rapidtvnews.com|language=en}} as an advertising-based video on demand (AVOD) service with a focus on international drama box sets.{{Cite web|title=Record STV Player deal promises 1,200 hours of 'high-end drama and compelling factual series': Euros ad boost|url=https://www.scotsman.com/business/record-stv-player-deal-promises-1200-hours-of-high-end-drama-and-compelling-factual-series-euros-ad-boost-3308319|website=www.scotsman.com|date=15 July 2021 |language=en}} In February 2019, STV Player+ was launched, allowing viewers with a monthly subscription to stream and download Player content without pre-roll or mid-roll advertising.{{cite web|last=Clover|first=Julian|date=25 February 2019|title=STV launches SVOD service|url=https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2019/02/25/stv-launches-svod-service/|access-date=10 July 2021}}

In January 2021, after launching on Sky Q in all four nations of the UK the previous month,{{Cite web|title=Sky Q viewers gain access to hundreds of hours of new boxsets at no extra cost|url=https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/1374328/Sky-Q-Hundreds-Hours-Extra-Box-Sets-For-Free-STV-On-Demand-Update|website=www.express.co.uk|date=21 December 2020 |language=en}} STV Player reported that its monthly active user base had grown by a fifth and online viewing on the platform had doubled year-on-year.{{Cite web|title=STV Player streaming service sees viewing double amid lockdown boost|url=https://www.scotsman.com/business/stv-player-streaming-service-sees-viewing-double-amid-lockdown-boost-3122136|website=www.scotsman.com|date=3 February 2021 |language=en}} It was nominated for "best on demand service of the year" at the Edinburgh International Television Festival's annual awards ceremony in 2021.{{Cite web|title=Edinburgh TV Festival reveals awards shortlist, names first jury president|url=https://realscreen.com/2021/09/08/edinburgh-tv-festival-reveals-awards-shortlist-names-first-jury-president/|access-date=2021-11-04|website=www.realscreen.com|language=en}}

Programming

STV Player provides a combination of Channel 3 network content such as Coronation Street, The Masked Singer and I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, home-grown productions such as Scotland Tonight and Taggart, and international drama box sets including The Bridge, Janet King and Ice. Channel 3 network content is not available to viewers outside North and Central Scotland, as ITVX owns the rights to show this in ITV plc regions.

In April 2020, STV announced plans to provide every episode of classic soap opera Take the High Road, produced by its production arm STV Studios between 1980 and 2003, on STV Player.{{Cite web|title=Stay at home and escape to 1980s Glendarroch|url=http://www.stvplc.tv/blog/2020/04/stay-at-home-and-escape-to-1980s-glendarroch|access-date=2021-11-04|website=www.stvplc.tv|language=en}}

A content deal with distributor Banijay in July 2021, described at the time as STV Player's "biggest ever",{{Cite web|title=STV, Banijay Rights agree content deal|url=https://www.c21media.net/news/stv-banijay-rights-agree-content-deal/|website=www.c21media.net|language=en}} brought over 1,200 hours of new drama and factual programming to the platform for viewers across the UK.

In January 2023, STV Player signed a deal with distributor All3Media to become the first streaming service to provide every episode of classic soap Brookside since it was cancelled by Channel 4 in 2003.{{Cite web |title=All3Media deal sees classic UK soap Brookside stream for first time on STV Player |url=https://www.c21media.net/news/all3media-deal-sees-classic-uk-soap-brookside-stream-for-first-time-on-stv-player/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=C21media |language=en-us}} Original cast members Claire Sweeney and Sunetra Sarker praised the decision to relaunch the show on STV Player.{{Cite news |date=2023-01-25 |title=Brookside: Actors' delight as STV Player to stream soap from start |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-64392312 |access-date=2023-01-25}}

Streaming Issues

In April 2014, STV Player experienced downtime during its broadcast of Salmond & Darling: The Debate—the first televised debate for the 2014 Scottish independence referendum. STV had secured exclusive rights to the broadcast, and refused to offer it to any other broadcaster (including the BBC and Sky News), while STV's network ITV did not choose to pick up the live airing of the debate across the rest of the UK (excluding the ITV Border region), Unfortunately, a configuration issue with a large scale third party providing content distribution for the event prevented audience members from watching parts of the broadcast. STV apologized for the issues, while BBC Parliament aired the full debate broadcast the next day.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/aug/06/stv-livestream-problems-scottish-independence-debate-alex-salmond|title=STV apologises over livestream crashes in Scottish independence debate|last=Plunkett|first=John|date=2014-08-06|work=The Guardian|access-date=2018-12-14|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}

Supported platforms

The website uses Brightcove Flash technology, similar to those used by the services provided by the BBC and Channel 4. It is available on various operating systems, including Windows, Mac and Linux, and multiple web browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox and Safari.

An Android app was released on 9 September 2011,{{cite web|url=http://news.stv.tv/scotland/269599-stv-player-launches-on-android-tablets-and-phones/|title=STV Player launches on Android tablets and phones|publisher=STV|date=9 September 2011|access-date=11 November 2013|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304072254/http://news.stv.tv/scotland/269599-stv-player-launches-on-android-tablets-and-phones/|url-status=dead}} and iOS on 22 December 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tech/news/a357116/stv-player-app-launches-on-iphone-ipad.html|title=STV Player app launches on iPhone, iPad|publisher=Digital Spy|date=22 December 2011}}

STV Player launched on Freesat in October 2016,{{Cite web|url=https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2016/10/18/freesat-adds-stv-player/|title=Freesat adds STV Player|date=2016-10-18|website=Digital TV Europe|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-12-14}} and on Sky UK in November 2019.{{Cite web|url=https://realscreen.com/2019/11/01/stv-player-launches-on-sky-in-scotland/ |title=STV Player launches on Sky in Scotland |first=Frederick |last=Blichert |website=realscreen.com |date=1 November 2019 |access-date=10 July 2021}}

In December 2020, it was announced that STV Player would be installed on Now TV devices, automatically appear on the home screens for all users.{{cite news |url=https://www.scotsman.com/business/stv-seals-long-term-deal-sky-deliver-more-drama-entertainment-and-documentary-boxsets-3072400 |title=STV seals long-term deal with Sky to deliver more drama, entertainment and documentary boxsets |first=Scott |last=Reid |work=The Scotsman |date=18 December 2020 |access-date=10 July 2021}} At the same time STV Player becomes available UK wide to Sky Q customers.{{Cite web|title=Hundreds of hours of STV box sets now available to Sky Q customers across the UK|url=https://www.skygroup.sky/article/hundreds-of-hours-of-stv-box-sets-now-available-to-sky-q-customers-across-the-uk|access-date=2021-08-09|website=www.skygroup.sky|language=en-gb}}

STV launched UK wide on the Virgin Media platform in June 2020{{Cite web|date=2020-06-12|title=Virgin Media takes STV nationwide and adds All 4|url=https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2020/06/12/virgin-media-takes-stv-nationwide-and-adds-all-4/|access-date=2021-08-09|website=Digital TV Europe|language=en-GB}}