Thursday, October 31, 2013

Report: CBS News Developing Streaming Service

The news and interactive divisions of CBS have been quietly developing a digital video service that continually streams content 24 hours a day and leverages reporting from its existing news staff and content from the broadcaster’s archives onto new distribution platforms, according to Buzzfeed..

These sources said CBS is currently in talks with distribution companies to carry the service, though no deals have been signed and an official launch date is still several months away at the earliest. The service is said to be a pet project of CBS News President David Rhodes, who has developed a close relationship with CBS Interactive President Jim Lanzone since both joined the company within a month of each other in 2011.

Sources said Rhodes sees the product as a digital cable news channel that in essence would make up for the company’s lack of an actual cable television news outlet.

According to both sources, that means having CBS News content available as a standalone product for streaming for smartphones and tablets, on game consoles like Microsoft’s Xbox or Sony’s Playstation, on over-the-top TV distribution services such as Roku or Apple TV, and on online video platforms like Hulu Plus or YouTube, for instance. The service under development would be separate and distinct from both other CBS News-branded and show-specific (i.e., 60 Minutes) websites and apps.

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