The NBC
News Digital Group has launched a new app for Today that includes an innovative feature allowing users to watch
video and at the same time access text and other content.
The
app is immediately available for Android and Windows 8 platforms and is
expected to become available for Apple's iOS devices in the "coming days."
The
new app is notable both for its new features and the fact that it highlights
some of NBC News Digital Group's strategies since NBCUniversal bought out
Microsoft from its joint digital venture took full control of its digital
operations.
"This
is the first real app we've designed inhouse," explained, Jen Brown, VP and
executive editor of Today Digital in
an interview.
She
noted that the Multi-Tasker split-screen feature that allows users to watch
video while accessing text is particularly "groundbreaking."
In
addition, the app now brings together all their content, both video and text,
into one app.
Vivian
Schiller, senior VP and chief digital officer at NBC News added that the app
also marks a milestone for their overall digital efforts.
Since
taking full control of its digital assets, NBC News Digital has been building
up its own operations. "We had a lot of groundwork to do to take control of our
own destiny and we're very proud of the fact that the Today app was developed inhouse," Schiller said. "We're building a
culture of innovation for technology that will set us apart from many other
news organizations."
This
expertise will allow them to launch a string of new products or upgrades over
the next six months. This will include new website for MSNBC sometime in late
September, a complete relaunch of iVillage in the fall and a major redesign of
NBCNews.com
