Cox Media Group said it has launched Neighborhood TV, a free ad-supported streaming service that focuses on neighborhoods in the markets where it owns broadcast stations.
The service was tested on desktop and mobile devices in 70 neighborhoods around Atlanta and 30 neighborhoods in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area, two markets where GMG owns broadcast stations. It is already generating more than 100 million impressions monthly.
The service will stream to TV sets via CTV apps on major streaming platforms including Samsung and Roku.
CMG said it plans to launch Neighborhood TV in Orlando, Florida, in the fourth quarter.
Expansion into other markets in the Southeast is planned. Ultimately CMG eyes having Neighborhood TV serve as many as 5,000 neighborhoods across the country.
The launch comes as television stations look for ways to stay vital as more viewers turn to streaming for their television programming.
Local news is one area where TV stations remain strong, particularly as more communities lose local newspapers.
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Station owners, including Hearst with its Very Local channels, ABC and CBS have launched streaming local-news channels. ABC also launched Localish, which offers local stories in such markets as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Dallas. Cable operator Altice offers News 12 channels focused on regions including The Bronx, Long Island, Westchester and Connecticut and Charter Communications offers local Spectrum News channels throughout its footprint, including Spectrum News NY1 in New York City.
The disappearance of newspapers has also impacted neighborhood advertisers, many of which cannot afford commercials on stations reaching an entire large market.
“We see audiences migrating online with a keen interest in local happenings and as the leading broadcaster in key markets, we want to build on the equity we already have by expanding in this way,” said Steve Pruett, executive chairman of Cox Media Group.
Neighborhood TV has a dedicated staff of 20 people. It is also working with newspaper publisher McClatchy to expand its newsgathering footprint.
Local government, the local impact of extreme weather or other events, new restaurants and nightlife spots, local sporting events, community heroes and local cultural events are among the topics covered by Neighborhood TV.
According to early audience testing of Neighborhood TV, residents say they are eager to know more about what’s going on in their immediate neighborhood and 72% said they had a positive first impression of the service, Cox Media Group said.
Viewers said they liked that Neighborhood TV was all local information, community news and events. They said it offers trustworthy information about things they need to know and coverage from places they recognize.
Awareness of Neighborhood TV was already 18%, Cox Media Group said.
