NBC News has acquired the user-generated live video service Stringwire as part of an effort to beef up its newsgathering efforts.
As part of the deal it has also hired Stringwire founder Phil Groman, who will join NBC News as product lead and work out of the NBC News Digital Group's San Francisco office.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"Stringwire is at the leading edge of user-generated video products, with immediate value to our on-air and digital businesses," explained Vivian Schiller, senior VP and chief digital Officer at NBC News in a statement announcing the deal. "Long-term, we think there is great commercial
potential."
NBC News believes that Stringwire's technology will provide its TV and digital platforms with new tools for newsgathering and for using eyewitness user-generated video content.
Stringwire allows news organizations to request video from a network of verified contributors with connected mobile devices capable of streaming video across the globe.
For breaking news and stories, Stringwire has the ability to recruit and direct contributors based on geographical location via Twitter and then to instantly access their live footage.
