Scripps Streams Live Video To Mobile

Moving quickly to the next step on the mobile video bandwagon, TV station group E.W. Scripps Co. says it will become the first TV station group to offer regular live video programming streamed to mobile devices.

Using a mobile app on any popular mobile device, the company says users can get news and information from its TV stations in nine TV markets.

The new mobile effort starts this month and is accessible on Apple's iPhone and iPad devices, as well as mobile phones and tablets using the Android operating system, select BlackBerry devices, and via a mobile Web browser.

The markets included in the launch are: WXYZ Detroit, KNXV Phoenix, WFTS Tampa, WEWS Cleveland, WMAR Baltimore, KSHB Kansas City, WCPO Cincinnati, WPTV West Palm Beach and KJRH Tulsa.

Adam Symson, vice president of interactive for the Scripps television division, stated: "We'll now close the gap and aggressively deliver live continuous coverage to the massive and growing on-the-go audience."

The new platform will also allow users to set a mobile prompt for breaking news, such as severe weather. A mobile app's on-screen display will prompt users to view streaming content. A live media player through a mobile app may be a simulcast of the station's on-air content or may be coverage that is unique to that stream.

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The TV stations industry has been slowly moving in the direction of mobile video with beta tests in certain markets as well as new standards. The goal is to boost its sometimes lagging business model against new digital competitors.

Scripps, with other partners, helped form Pearl Mobile DTV, which establishes the standards for mobile broadcasting using over-the-air towers to deliver a signal to specially equipped devices.

Earlier this year, Mobile Content Venture, working with 12 major broadcast groups -- Belo Corp., Cox Media Group, E.W. Scripps Co., Gannett Broadcasting, Hearst Television, Media General, Meredith Corp., Post-Newsweek Stations and Raycom Media, all of which are part of Pearl Mobile DTV, as well as Fox, ION Television, and NBC -- announced a plan to launch efforts in 32 markets by the end of the year.

Stations included in this group of 32 are from Gannett, Media General, Bahakel, Belo, Raycom, Scripps, Fox, NBC, and Telemundo.

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