Verizon Communications announced that it will begin offering local television channels via its FiOS TV service in selected markets in 2007.
The telco said the FiOS1 service will debut in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area during the first quarter.
Former ABC News producer Michelle Webb, executive producer and general manager of FiOS1 local channels, will produce and manage the project, Verizon added.
FiOS1 will also include around-the-clock traffic and weather, as well as local news and community sports. Verizon will partner with professional news organizations to deliver some of the content.
The telco will also televise original features shot and produced by citizen journalists using HD camcorders and provide a platform for local user-generated content.
