Reuters launches video app for people too busy to watch traditional TV news

Reuters TV offers a personalised, on-demand, always up-to-date news show, and live feeds of global events.

It is aimed at “a growing segment of informed, mobile, and globally engaged consumers in their 30’s and 40’s who value authentic video storytelling and are too busy to watch traditional TV news”, Reuters said.

Showbiz magazine Variety said it was uncertain how many people that represents - “and, more important, how many of them will pay two bucks per month to watch Reuters’ videos”.

It said Reuters TV aimed to cut into the viewership of CNN, CNBC - which currently dominates business TV news - and other US networks like Bloomberg TV and Fox Business Network.

“The way we consumer TV and hear about news has changed,” said Isaac Showman, managing director of Reuters TV. “Reuters TV is news for the Netflix age; it's individually relevant, on-demand, and up-to-date. It’s ideal for viewing during your daily commute.”

The service available only in the United States and United Kingdom on Apple’s iPhone via an app. It is free for 30 days with a $1.99/£1.49 monthly subscription thereafter. It will contain what Reuters described as “limited, premium advertising”.

Content will be produced in multiple versions and organised by editorial teams in Hong Kong, London, New York and Washington.

Reuters TV offers two services:

• Reuters Now - “an algorithmically assembled but editorially curated news program" that is on-demand, up-to-date, any duration between five and 30 minutes, customised to each viewer’s interests and location, and downloadable for offline viewing.
• Live feeds - real-time coverage of global events, unfiltered and uninterrupted, available live and on-demand.

“This is a radically new way of presenting news straight to consumers,” said Dan Colarusso, executive editor of Reuters TV. “Reuters TV will be fast when it needs to be fast, deep when viewers want depth, but most importantly, it will be news that’s authentic, coming straight from the source and journalists on the ground.” ■