CBS News is rebranding its national streaming network, which becomes CBS News 24/7 instead of CBS News Streaming Network. Live coverage will expand as of April 22, and flagship program CBS News 24/7 debuts as a one-hour block in June.
CBS News promised to eventually double the amount of live hours of coverage on the streaming network.
“CBS News 24/7 is a decidedly ambitious evolution of our streaming efforts,” said Wendy McMahon, president and CEO of CBS News and Stations and CBS Media Ventures. “Data backs up our bet on a fresh, timely and distinctive approach to breaking news and live coverage. Our audiences crave it, and we’re in the best position to deliver it.”
The flagship program, which CBS News calls a “whip-around newscast,” promises to capture what’s happening across the globe in real time. “The CBS News 24/7 newscast will be the backbone of the stream’s 24/7 promise, offering best-in-class storytelling combined with on-the-ground reporting and a behind-the-scenes look at how the coverage comes together,” CBS News said.
Augmented and virtual reality tech will provide the newscast with context and clarity. It has not yet been given a time slot.
America Decides will stream Monday-Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. ET starting April 22. Primetime with John Dickerson will be renamed The Daily Report with John Dickerson, and will stream Monday-Thursday 6-7 p.m. Later this spring, it extends to 90 minutes. Dickerson is CBS News chief political analyst and senior national correspondent.
“Our commitment is to mirror on the stream the same level of world-class reporting and analysis that CBS News viewers expect from our television broadcasts,” said CBS News president Ingrid Ciprian-Matthews. “The expansion of John Dickerson’s program, America Decides, and the upcoming CBS News Confirmed show are just a few of the ways in which we are driving the next generation of viewers to this high-quality reporting that sets CBS News apart.”
CBS News 24/7 will introduce a late-night show this spring called CBS News Roundup. It will air at 1 a.m.
CBS News Confirmed, which will report on misinformation, debuts this summer. CBS News debuted its Confirmed fact-checking department late last year.
CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell continues to stream weeknights at 10 p.m. ET.
Sahand Sepehrnia, executive VP of digital content strategy and business at CBS News, Stations, Entertainment and Sports, said CBS News would rebrand the streaming network with lessons learned at the local level. “CBS stations climbed from No. 4 to No. 1 [in streaming minutes versus station competition, per Comscore] in just two years, through an emphasis on quality reporting, breaking news, data-driven optimization, and aggressive distribution," Sepehrnia said. "Now, we plan to grow CBS News 24/7 into the leader in network news streaming via similar innovation, collaboration and commitment.”
