Sinclair Broadcast Group said it plans to create more original content and use the digital tools available to engage viewers and create revenue opportunities.
“The creation of new content continues to be a priority for our company,” said Sinclair CEO Chris Ripley, speaking on the company’s second-quarter earnings call Wednesday.
Among the new shows currently being developed by Sinclair are a debate show, a game show and a docu-series based on events covered by the company’s stations’ newsrooms.
‘“The new content will appear on one or multiple Sinclair platforms or might even be sold to third parties,” Ripley said.
The content push was started by the launch of The National Desk news show and a podcast series. The company also recently added National Desk Weather to some of its local newscasts and on social media. The weather content is seen as the basis for a new morning show.
Sinclair sees enhancing its programming with game elements.
The company also plans to use its digital reach to promote and deliver content.
“Digital viewing is growing, with our current average monthly unique users of 80 million to 90 million,” Ripley said.
“We have the ability to engage viewers beyond passive consumption, encourage interaction and convert them to direct customers. And we can utilize our content, both newly developed and from our archives, to drive these. This includes initiatives such as podcasts, digital newsletters and other digital content as well as referring users to partner sites to make transactions,” he said.
“In all these cases, we are and will be able to learn more about our users through consented data gathering as a first-party provider to enhance the user experience while opening up the door to additional revenue opportunities,” Ripley said. ■
