Cox, Raycom and Scripps to Launch Syndicated Program to Target a New Generation of News Viewers

RightThisMinute combines the broad appeal of on-air journalism with the interactivity of social media

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Apr 07, 2011, 04:12 ET

PHOENIX, April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Three of the country's top television broadcasters have partnered to reach a new generation of news viewers with an innovative and interactive daily program that debuts this fall.

RightThisMinute will incorporate the Internet, mobile and social media, citizen journalists and new ways of storytelling to broaden the appeal of traditional television news and information. The hour-long show will be fresh every weekday, with no repeats.

Station group owners Cox Media Group, Raycom Media, Inc., and The E.W. Scripps Company have partnered with MagicDust Television in the creation and ownership of RightThisMinute. Cox, Raycom and Scripps stations will launch the program this fall in markets that cover up to 30 percent of American households and expect it to be available for national syndication.

RightThisMinute is a show designed for active viewers who want to stay informed. It is a fast-paced roundup of the most timely, engaging and explosive stories, as well as the stories that viewers determine are of most interest. The most-incredible video, the most-talked-about celebrity scandals, the stories that make people stop and think, compelling human-condition stories, and the next day's popular "water cooler" stories will be covered in every episode.

Like no other news and information program on the air today, RightThisMinute incorporates digital media into the formula for both determining and delivering content, providing the brand with the potential to be as popular with mobile and social audiences as it will be on air. In each broadcast, the RightThisMinute digital team scours new-media platforms to bring viewers the most up-to-the-minute information on the stories that matter most to the audience right this minute.

"We are excited to be partnering with such respected journalism companies," said Phil Alvidrez, MagicDust general manager. "RTM e-journalists will connect and investigate countless sources from around the world like a giant television search engine to deliver information in a fresh and interesting way to a different kind of news audience."

RightThisMinute will strengthen a station's ability to provide timely news and information. The RTM newsroom is being built from the ground up with the latest in Internet newsgathering technology, using the award-winning, state-of-the-art facilities of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

"RightThisMinute breaks new ground in television," said Doug Franklin, president of Cox Media Group. "Consumers have demonstrated a growing hunger for timely information, but no on-air product meets that need by harnessing the potential of social and digital technologies. RTM will exploit the vast opportunities presented by combining new-media platforms with the broad reach of broadcast television."

"We believe RightThisMinute adds an exciting new twist to the news formula," said Paul McTear, president and CEO of Raycom Media. "Having the audience influence the program's content ensures that we deliver information that viewers want and need.

"All three of the station group owners are known for producing news that appeals to a broad local audience. RightThisMinute extends our expertise to an entirely new generation of viewers who have come to expect an interactive experience when accessing relevant news and information," said Brian Lawlor, senior vice president of television for Scripps.

About Cox Media Group

Cox Media Group, Inc. is an integrated broadcasting, publishing, direct marketing and digital media company that includes the national advertising rep firms of Cox Reps. With $1.8 billion in revenue, the company operations include 15 broadcast television stations and one local cable channel, 86 radio stations, eight daily newspapers and more than a dozen non-daily publications, and more than 100 digital services.

About Raycom Media, Inc.

Raycom, an employee-owned company, is one of the nation's largest broadcasters and owns and/or operates 45 television stations in 36 markets and 18 states. In addition to television stations, Raycom owns Raycom Sports (a marketing, production and events management and distribution company in Charlotte); and Broadview Media (a post production/telecommunications company based in Montgomery).

About The E.W. Scripps Company

The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP) is a diverse, 132-year-old media enterprise with interests in television stations, newspapers, local news and information websites and feature syndication. For a full listing of Scripps media companies and their associated websites, visit http://www.scripps.com/.

About MagicDust Television

MagicDust Television, with solid roots in news and journalism, has a 30-year history of creating entertaining and informative programs for local television. MagicDust created and produced the nationally-syndicated show NASCAR Angels. The MagicDust team has won PROMAX's award for best major-market, local TV promotional spot or campaign in the world more than a half-dozen times and also has a string of awards for news, editing, art design and animation.

SOURCE The E.W. Scripps Company