Houston Public Media launches HPM+ to Local Public

Houston Public Media viewers have an upgraded streaming option:  HPM+ is now available to download for television streaming devices.

The new, member-supported streaming service features on-demand PBS and Passport programming, and a wide range of local content collections curated in Houston specifically for the Houston Public Media’s local audience.  

“Launching our on-demand streaming platform is an important step in how we meet audiences today,” said Josh Adams, general manager of Houston Public Media. “It brings together trusted national programs and locally produced content in one place, making it easier than ever for our community to watch what matters to them, on their own schedule.”

Houston Public Media (KUHT) has a proud 75-year tradition of success in public radio and television. Its main station, Channel 8 on the local dial, was the nation's first educational public television station. 

The HPM+ streaming service continues the station’s mission: bringing more options to existing TV viewers shifting to streaming, and has the potential to reach a new generation of viewers who may have never tuned in the linear channel.

“HPM+ extends our mission to reach new audiences, removing barriers and delivering content that supports civic engagement, cultural enrichment and community well-being,” said Josh Adams, general manager of Houston Public Media,

The app is free to download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Google TV. Samsung and LG Smart TV apps will be available soon. It offers a wide variety of free, on-demand programs and livestreams of HPM’s broadcast channels.  

A donation of $5/month unlocks the full PBS Passport library, featuring thousands of hours of dramas, documentaries and more, as well as early access to select programs.

HPM+ is powered by the Local Public streaming platform, which was designed and built by local public media, for local public media.  That platform, which now serves 13 markets across North America, was developed by Cascade PBS in Seattle.

“Local Public is honored to have Houston Public Media on our shared platform,” said Local Public Project Lead Kevin Colligan. “We’re excited to provide the infrastructure and support that will empower Houston Public Media to continue serving their community, long after the broadcast business-model fades to black.”

Local Public is a service currently run by Seattle's Cascade PBS (and steered by a coalition of partner stations). Led by Kevin Colligan, Cascade PBS’s VP of Media & Innovation, Local Public empowers local PBS and dual-licensee stations to launch member-supported streaming services.