Raycom Media, one of the nation’s largest station groups, has selected Cell Journalist, a Nashville, Tenn.-based provider of user-generated content solutions to television stations, newspapers, and other media outlets, to provide its platform and services to nine Raycom stations in seven states.
The Cell Journalist platform enables any individual with a cell phone, digital camera, or video recorder to upload images and videos of newsworthy events as they happen to news outlets who process the content and then air or post it online.
Since October of last year, the company has witnessed a 100 percent growth in customers, including the addition of E.W. Scripps' newspapers across the country.
"The growth we have experienced over the past five months has been phenomenal by most every standard," said Cell Journalist founder and president Parker Polidor. "Changes in the media industry and advancements in personal technology allow much more participation from audiences today than just a few short months ago. Our growth is also a direct result of the sales opportunities that are built into the Cell Journalist platform. Many Raycom stations have been able to generate significant incremental revenue by using our platform."
Raycom Media stations that will be served by Cell Journalist include WAFF-TV in Huntsville, Al; WECT-TV, Wilmington, NC; WMBR-TV in Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC; WMC-TV in Memphis, Tenn.; KSLA-TV in Shreveport, La.; WAFB-TV, Baton Rouge, La.; KPLC-TV, Lake Charles, La.; WTOL-TV in Toledo, Ohio, and WTVM-TV in Columbus, Ga.
Cell Journalist was started by Parker and Colin Polidor in 2005, and was inspired by media coverage of the 2005 London terrorist bombings.
