• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, October 4, 2012

Can Google TV help The Washington Post break into the rarefied world of nightly news?
 
Giving it a go, the publisher this week is rolling out “The Fold from The Washington Post” -- a nightly newscast designed specifically for Google TV and Android devices.
 
“The connected TV marketplace is burgeoning,” said Vijay Ravindran, SVP and chief digital officer of The Washington Post Company. “We saw a perfect opening for cross-platform … video content that could be … accessed from TV, tablet, and desktop.”
 
But don’t expect any superstar anchors or plush production from "The Fold." Rather, the show will serve as more modest platform for Post reporters to deliver timely news and analysis. Designed for the publisher’s Google TV app -- and future connected-TV properties -- "The Fold" heralds a leaner, more nimble news media.    
 
Indeed, viewers can take in the entire show -- which runs about 15 minutes -- or skip directly to those stories that strike their fancy.
 
Starting this week, viewers can find The Fold on “PostTV,” a Washington Post app for Google TV and Android tablets, which offers original video news, analysis and features from Post reporters.
 
With PostTV, users will be able to access "The Fold" and other videos from its multimedia team. The PostTV app can also be found on Google Play. PostTV was developed by WaPo Labs, the digital innovation team at The Washington Post Company.
 
In addition to "The Fold," PostTV will offer “News in 59 Seconds” -- a midday primer that delivers the latest news in under a minute. “Trail Mix" is an ongoing political series featuring analysis from reporters on the national campaign trail. Another effort, “Special Reports,” features short-form documentaries from WaPo's video journalists.