Skip to main content

PBS is coming to DirecTV Stream later this year

Public broadcasting now has another foothold in the streaming era, with local PBS affiliates coming to DirecTV Stream, the streaming service formerly known as AT&T TV, DirecTV Now, and AT&T TV Now.

The addition will put PBS on its second streaming service after being added to YouTube TV earlier in 2021. The rollout to DirecTV Stream will be gradual, however, with only “participating member stations” becoming available “over the next few months.” PBS says the full launch will be completed in 2022 and will include the live feed of the local affiliate, as well as access to PBS’ large (and free) on-demand library.

PBS will join more than 1,000 affiliates from ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC.

“Entertainment is personal and should serve every member of the household, which is why we’re partnering with PBS to deliver DirecTV Stream customers more choice, more control and a more convenient way to access the content they care about most,” Rob Thun, chief content officer for DirecTV, said in a press release.

Along with the local PBS affiliates, PBS Kids 24/7 also has joined DirecTV Stream, making shows like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Odd Squad, Pinkalicious & Peterrific, and Wild Kratts available to even more children.

“At PBS Kids, making our high-quality content accessible to as many children across the country as possible is integral to our mission,” said Sara DeWitt, senior vice president and general manager of Children’s Media and Education at PBS. “As families continue to look to us for more ways to watch, we’re thrilled we can continue building on our offerings with DirecTV — both on broadcast and digital — to ensure we’re meeting them where they are.”

DirecTV Stream, which is now part of a stand-alone company after having been spun off from AT&T, starts at $70 a month for the “Entertainment” package, which includes more than 65 channels. The “Premier” tier takes things up to 140 channels for $140 a month and includes HBO Max, Showtime, and Starz.

Editors' Recommendations

Phil Nickinson
Section Editor, Audio/Video
Phil spent the 2000s making newspapers with the Pensacola (Fla.) News Journal, the 2010s with Android Central and then the…
Hulu Live vs. YouTube TV: How to pick the best live streaming service
YouTube TV and Hulu apps on the Roku homescreen.

When it comes to the best streaming services in the U.S., two stand out. And that makes sense because Hulu With Live TV and YouTube TV are the most popular live TV streaming services in the country.

How popular, you ask? Hulu with Live TV had some 4.5 million paid subscribers at the end of 2022. YouTube TV — well, we don't actually know how many subscribers it has. Google last gave an official update of more than 5 million subscribers in July 2022, and it's since said that it has kept adding subscribers. But it hasn't given us any new numbers since then.

Read more
The best Sling TV alternatives
Sling TV app icon on Apple TV.

Sling TV is the third most popular streaming TV service in the U.S., with about 2.3 million subscribers at the end of 2022. That number hasn't fluctuated much for a number of years, but we do see thousands come and go as numbers are announced every three months.

Nonetheless, it's worth asking what else is out there. What are the best alternatives to Sling TV?

Read more
Want to stream in DTS:X? It’s coming in 2023 thanks to Disney+ and IMAX
Robert Downey Jr. In Avengers: Endgame.

In all the chaos and excitement that is CES 2023, you may have missed a quiet little announcement from Disney+ that could be music to your ears. Starting sometime in 2023, the streaming video service will be upgrading some of its premier Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) titles, like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, with the DTS:X 3D surround sound format.

It's an expansion of the IMAX Enhanced format that Disney+ already uses on some MCU content to provide a more spacious 1.90:1 aspect ratio for key scenes, instead of the usual 2.39:1 or 2.40:1 ratios that create horizontal black bars when viewed on TVs with a 16:9 screen.

Read more