Several major owners of television stations have formed a venture to stream live and on-demand local newscasts on mobile devices.
NewsON, a joint venture by ABC Owned Television Station Group, Cox Media Group, Hearst Television, Media General and Raycom Media, will provide live or on-demand news from 112 television stations in 84 media markets, according to a news release. Cox Media Group is a unit of Cox Enterprises and operates WSB-TV and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The service will include stations in 17 of the Top 25 U.S. markets and in eight of the Top 10 metro areas.
The service is expected to launch in the fall. It will be free to users who download the app and supported by advertising, the release stated. Former CNN and Weather Company executive Louis Gump has been appointed as NewsON CEO.
“NewsON will bring instant access to live local news to a generation of viewers accustomed to using mobile and connected TV platforms to stay informed,” Gump said.
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