[opendtv] PR: CBS Digital Media and CBS News Announce Broadband 24-Hour News Network
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 13 Jul 2005 08:31:23 -0400
Remember that NYTimes "poll" about viewing preferences for news?
I guess CBS was not paying attention. Yesterday=20
they announced a significant strategic shift for=20
the news division...what they are calling a=20
"cable bypass" strategy.
=46rom the PR release that follows:
Key elements of the new CBSNews.com site will=20
include: * Significant investment in CBS News=20
and CBSNews.com as part of a "cable bypass"=20
strategy designed to offer breaking news, free=20
broadband- quality video and original reporting,=20
commentary and analysis directly to the=20
fastest-growing segment of news consumers --=20
those accessing news on the Internet.
What people say they prefer, and what they=20
actually do are often different things...
One thing for certain with this announcement...it=20
does not look like the future of TV news is about=20
HIGH DEFINITION.
Regards
Craig
CBS Digital Media and CBS News Announce Broadband 24-Hour News Network
July 13, 2005 12:00am
Source: PR Newswire
NEW YORK, July 12 /PRNewswire/ -- CBS Digital=20
Media and CBS News today announced plans for a=20
major expansion of CBSNews.com, creating a=20
24-hour, multi-platform digital news network,=20
bypassing cable television in favor of the=20
nation's fastest-growing distribution system --=20
broadband.
The joint announcement was made by Larry Kramer,=20
President, CBS Digital Media, and Andrew Heyward,=20
President, CBS News.
In so doing, CBS News will move from a primarily=20
television and radio news-based operation to a=20
24-hour, on-demand news service, available across=20
many platforms, drawing on the experienced,=20
worldwide, award-winning resources of the=20
Division.
The new CBSNews.com will include: * an=20
on-demand, 24-hour news network in the digital=20
broadband space; * a blog to be called "Public=20
Eye" designed to provide greater openness and=20
transparency into the newsgathering process; * a=20
newly-configured homepage including The EyeBox,=20
an on-page video player showcasing the free=20
broadband video of CBSNews.com including over=20
25,000 clips -- and video yet to be broadcast on=20
the network; * a commitment by CBS News fully to=20
integrate its personnel and other global=20
newsgathering resources to provide exclusive,=20
original reporting and commentary around the=20
clock.
"This major expansion of CBSNews.com is designed=20
to capture an audience that is increasingly=20
looking for news and information at all times of=20
the day, not just during scheduled periods, and=20
using the Internet for that purpose," said=20
Kramer. "Every component of this re-launch --=20
including greatly enhanced video streaming=20
capabilities, more on-demand features and greater=20
participation from the CBS News correspondents=20
and producers who will also be reporting directly=20
for the web -- will dramatically improve the=20
content, delivery and navigation of the website.=20
I'm confident that with the unparalleled=20
excellence that is CBS News and its people,=20
CBSNews.com will become the premier news=20
destination site in what has become a 24-hour=20
information world."
"This represents a significant shift for CBS=20
News," said Heyward. "We are redefining the=20
mission of CBS News and the people who work here=20
to meet the demands of a 24-hour digital=20
universe. In addition to producing award-winning=20
television and radio news programming, beginning=20
today we are transforming our 24-hour=20
newsgathering capability into a true on-demand=20
news service on the Internet -- dedicating our=20
worldwide resources to providing competitive=20
breaking-news coverage and distinctive original=20
reporting, analysis and commentary to a young and=20
growing audience of news consumers. And=20
importantly, our new blog presents a wholly new=20
effort at transparency in the newsgathering=20
process."
Kramer further announced that Betsy Morgan will=20
move over to the new Digital Media division as=20
Senior Vice President and General Manager of the=20
new CBSNews.com. Morgan has managed the site for=20
the news division since 2001 as part of her role=20
as Vice President, Business Development for CBS=20
News.
Kramer added: "I am very pleased that we will=20
continue to have the significant talents of Betsy=20
Morgan and her team as we move forward to=20
accomplish the exciting tasks ahead."
Key elements of the new CBSNews.com site will=20
include: * Significant investment in CBS News=20
and CBSNews.com as part of a "cable bypass"=20
strategy designed to offer breaking news, free=20
broadband- quality video and original reporting,=20
commentary and analysis directly to the=20
fastest-growing segment of news consumers --=20
those accessing news on the Internet.=20
Projections indicate that homes connected to=20
broadband will equal or surpass homes serviced by=20
cable and satellite by 2010. During that time,=20
the broadband delivery system will dramatically=20
improve, resulting in a viewing experience equal=20
to television. Furthermore, use of broadband=20
connections during working hours -- when most=20
top stories take place -- significantly outweighs=20
that of cable and satellite. * The debut of=20
"Public Eye," a new blog that will create a=20
candid and robust dialogue between CBS News=20
journalists and the public -- a move=20
unprecedented among CBS's peers in broadcast and=20
cable television journalism. "Public Eye" will be=20
edited by veteran reporter and media writer=20
Vaughn Ververs, most recently editor of The=20
Hotline, a daily Web briefing on politics=20
published by the National Journal. Ververs will=20
serve as the conduit between the public and CBS=20
News to take viewers and users inside the news=20
gathering, production and decision-making process=20
via the use of original video and outtakes,=20
interviews with correspondents and producers,=20
and input from independent experts, among other=20
methods. "Public Eye" will debut by late summer.=20
* A fully redesigned home page featuring The=20
EyeBox, an on-page video player which makes=20
breaking news video immediately available. Users=20
can build their own newscast, choosing from=20
exclusive Web content, the current day's CBS=20
News broadcasts, its archive of more than 25,000=20
news pieces, or in many cases, video that has=20
yet to be broadcast. CBSNews.com will continue=20
to offer all video for free in both of the two=20
most popular player formats, Real Video and=20
Windows Media. All CBS News video is encoded for=20
full-screen viewing. * True integration between=20
CBS News and CBSNews.com staffed by reporters=20
committed to 24-hour news delivery. CBSNews.com=20
will add more exclusive, original reporting and=20
commentary from CBS News. Throughout the day,=20
CBS News correspondents around the world will=20
file, update and expand their stories,=20
continuously enriching the editorial content by=20
providing more insight and context. CBS EVENING=20
NEWS anchor Bob Schieffer will host a daily=20
online version of his television broadcast and=20
CBS News' White House correspondents -- John=20
Roberts, Bill Plante and Mark Knoller -- will=20
produce weekly features to address viewers' and=20
users' questions about their beat. EARLY SHOW=20
Anchors Harry Smith, Hannah Storm, Julie Chen=20
and Rene Syler will also provide online=20
programming. Additionally, "Listening Post," the=20
site's web-exclusive look at issues around the=20
world and why they're important, will be=20
expanded with reporting from Baghdad, Tokyo,=20
Rome, Tel Aviv and London, among other=20
newsworthy locations.
Heyward added, "We've got the resources to make=20
this work. We're adding more people and=20
technology to make sure that CBSNews.com is the=20
immediate first choice of Internet users who are=20
looking for independent, trustworthy news=20
reporting and comment."
CBS News is part of CBS Television, a unit of=20
Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B).
SOURCE CBS
CONTACT: Press Contacts: Dana McClintock
<<PR Newswire -- 07/13/05>>
<< Copyright =A92005 PR Newswire >>
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