Observed Signal · Aug 14, 2026 · Product Launch · Source: Cord Cutters News · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
PBS App Arrives in LG Smart TV App Store
PBS has released its official app to the LG App Store for select LG Smart TVs, making live station streams, thousands of on-demand episodes, favorites, and cross-device sync available to LG viewers. The app supports most 2023 and newer LG models running webOS 23 or higher and integrates with LG features like the Magic Remote. PBS and LG executives framed the availability as an expansion of PBS’s reach and a commitment by LG to deliver high-quality content to its smart TV users. The publisher Cord Cutters News reported the launch on August 14, 2026.
Expands availability of a major public broadcaster's app across LG Smart TVs (webOS 23+), increasing CTV distribution and potential reach/advertising inventory; relevant to publishers, platform app distribution, and CTV ecosystem but not industry-shifting.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- The PBS app is now available on select LG Smart TVs.
- The app is available in the LG app store on most 2023 and newer models running webOS 23 and higher.
- Features include live station streams, thousands of on-demand episodes, saving favorites, and syncing viewing across PBS apps and pbs.org.
- Ira Rubenstein is cited as Chief Digital and Marketing Officer for PBS; Matthew Durgin is cited as Vice President of Services and Content at LG Electronics USA.
- Cord Cutters News published the article on August 14, 2026.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mapped“By Jess Barnes on August 14, 2026 in All News, News...”
“Freestar.com (advertising links and image placements appear throughout the article page)....”
“To address the growing use of ad blockers we now use affiliate links to sites like http://Amazon.com, streaming services, and others....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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State of Streaming Adds LG Channels Profile
LG Channels is a free, FAST streaming service integrated into LG Smart TVs. Launched in 2016 and operated by LG Electronics (headquartered in Seoul, South Korea), the service aggregates more than 300 live and on-demand channels. The State of Streaming publisher page lists LG Channels’ basic corporate details and links to related LG ad and measurement offerings but contains no additional coverage or product updates for the service.
ABC Launches Free Channels on LG Smart TVs
ABC Commercial has launched four free ad-supported linear streaming channels on LG smart televisions via the LG Channels app, making Australian programming available without subscriptions or user accounts across North America, the UK, parts of Europe, the Nordics and selected Asian markets. Availability and channel lineups vary by territory: the U.S. receives ABC Entertains and ABC Kids; Canada gets ABC Entertains, ABC Factual and ABC Kids; the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, the Nordics and Singapore receive all four channels (ABC Entertains, ABC Everyday, ABC Factual and ABC Kids). The offering combines continuous linear streams with selectable on-demand libraries, delivered to LG webOS TVs and monetized through advertising breaks and standard free commercial models.
DIRECTV Launches Native App on LG Smart TVs
DIRECTV has launched a native streaming app on modern LG Smart TVs, allowing owners of newer LG sets to access the service’s full streaming lineup without a separate streaming box. The app brings DIRECTV’s paid tiers — including Signature packages and Genre Packs — as well as its free ad-supported service MyFree DIRECTV to LG’s platform. DIRECTV’s Head of Product, Vikash Sharma, said the goal is to make the service available on devices consumers already use; LG’s Matthew Durgin said the app enhances the smart TV experience without a set‑top box. The launch closes a notable device gap versus rivals like Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, though DIRECTV’s top Signature plans still start at about $95 per month, leaving a meaningful price barrier for some consumers. An earlier, now‑deprecated "DIRECTV Ready" app existed on older LG models.
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