The E.W. Scripps Co. said it has launched the Florida 24 Network, a new statewide news service available over-the-top in every market in the state.
The station will feature reporting from Scripps TV stations in the market. Scripps has stations in Miami, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Tallahassee and Fort Myers.
“Scripps is committed to serving both long-time Florida residents and newcomers with the authentic and hyperlocal journalism we know is essential to people’s lives,” said Scripps Local Media president Brian Lawlor. “The launch of the Florida 24 Network is the evolution of our long-time commitment to our Florida audiences and advertisers. We know our local business partners are eager to reach TV consumers via OTT.”
The Florida 24 Network will be available everywhere in the state in linear form and on-demand via its OTT app on streaming platforms, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV and via all Scripps Florida stations’ streaming apps.
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The network will be led by news director Nicole Wolfe, based at Scripps’ WSFL-TV in Miami, and senior director of digital Matt Borek, based at Scripps’ WFTS-TV, Tampa.
It will cover politics, tourism, wildlife, beaches, lifestyle and agriculture. Meteorologists from each market will have frequent weather reports, with a focus on storms during hurricane season.
The network will also feature regular updates from Katie LaGrone, Scripps’ statewide investigative reporter and Forrest Saunders, Florida State Capitol reporter in Tallahassee.
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“The pandemic has taught us a lot about the ways in which our newsrooms are able to collaborate to produce high-quality news and information in a remote environment,” said Lawlor. “The Florida 24 Network captures those learnings with the same commitment to essential journalism for which Florida residents have known Scripps for many years.”
