SEATTLE—Cascade PBS has launched Local Public, a wholly-owned public benefit subsidiary that will be offering app solutions to public media stations across the U.S.

Local Public enables stations to offer a locally-branded, locally-curated streaming video service across connected TV, web and mobile platforms.

Cascade PBS reported that Local Public currently supports 18 PBS stations across the country with streaming applications available on all major platforms. Additional stations will launch in the coming months.

“Public media has always been strongest when it is deeply rooted in the communities it serves,” Rob Dunlop, Cascade PBS president & CEO, said. “Streaming shouldn’t diminish that connection—it should strengthen it. Local Public gives stations the tools to create digital experiences that reflect their communities, deepen audience engagement and build a more sustainable future for public media.”

The launch grew out of an initiative by Cascade PBS to strengthen its own digital future that evolved into a standalone business. That business is now helping a growing coalition of stations nationwide build stronger connections with their communities in the streaming era.

Stations that have joined Local Public span the country include:

• Arizona PBS
• Buffalo-Toronto Public Media
• Cascade PBS (Seattle-Tacoma and Yakima-Pasco-Richland-Kennewick)
• Houston Public Media
• KPBS (San Diego)
• KVIE (Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto)
• Lehigh Valley PBS
• Nashville PBS
• OPB (Oregon)
• PBS Charlotte
• Rocky Mountain PBS (Colorado)
• SCETV (South Carolina)
• Vegas PBS
• WCTE (Upper Cumberland, Tennessee)
• WETA (Washington, D.C.)
• WHRO (Norfolk–Portsmouth–Newport News)
• WHYY (Philadelphia)
• WQED (Pittsburgh)

In launching the new company, Cascade PBS noted that local stations have long been the essential link between national programming (such as “Masterpiece” and “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood”) and the communities they serve. Local stations curate schedules, produce their own shows and build relationships with viewers—who then sustain public media through their support of the station.

As audiences increasingly consume content through streaming platforms, maintaining that local connection has become both more challenging and more important.

Local Public aims to address this challenge by helping public media outlets deliver streaming experiences crafted for the audiences they know best. Rather than a one-size-fits-all experience, local outlets can showcase their own local stories, highlight community priorities, strengthen audience relationships and create a clearer pathway for viewers to directly support their local station.

“Local Public represents the possibilities when local public media organizations work together to build better products, faster, that meet the needs of our audiences and reflect what’s most important to our communities,” said Amanda Mountain, president & CEO, Rocky Mountain Public Media, which is already using their solutions.

Cascade PBS also stressed that its own Local Public-powered streaming products demonstrate the effectiveness of a local-first approach with:

• Higher Donation Revenue: Local Public-powered apps have increased contributions by 53%.
• Accelerated Donor Acquisition: Local Public apps have generated 30% more new supporters.
• Stronger Donor Retention: Donors acquired through Local Public apps have a 7% higher retention rate.

TYSONS, Va.—In a notable example of how local broadcasters are responding to widespread usage of mobile video, Tegna is making a major bet on mobile video with the launch of new mobile apps across 50 markets.

The innovative new apps deliver up-to-the-minute coverage of news and weather stories from its local journalists and meteorologists and provide users with thousands of original daily mobile videos in a scrolling vertical feed that are personalized for users based on individual preferences.

The new mobile apps are part of a larger strategy by the station group to transform its news operations into 24/7 story-first newsrooms, built to capture and deliver local stories in real time as they unfold.

“Our audiences rely on us for credible, local coverage that helps them stay connected to their communities and make informed decisions in the moment. That’s why we’ve reimagined our newsrooms as story-first operations, built for speed and accuracy around the clock – not just fixed broadcast timeslots. This app is an expression of our local newsroom of the future, where great local journalism meets people exactly where they are, on the devices they use throughout the day,” said Adrienne Roark, chief content officer, Tegna.

The new mobile app first launched in four beta markets – Atlanta, Denver, Indianapolis, and Seattle – and is available for download in both the App Store and Google Play Store, with other Tegna markets launching on a rolling basis over the next few weeks.

The new app is already delivering strong results. Video plays are up more than tenfold during the testing period, and user sessions have increased by 40%.

“By emphasizing digital design and the user experience, we’re delivering what audiences truly want: real-time, easy-to-watch video updates from trusted local reporters and weather teams,” said Dhanusha Sivajee, chief experience officer. “We’re encouraged with the early audience response and plan to release new mobile features on a regular basis tied to the valuable feedback we receive from our users.”

“To make true 24/7 news coverage across all screens possible, we had to reimagine the software powering our local teams from end-to-end,” said Kurt Rao, CTO. “Employing cutting-edge technology has unlocked more time for the teams to create original content for streaming and mobile.”

Tegna described the key features of the new mobile app as follows:

• Elegant design and fast video and image load times;
• Localized onboarding and active customization so users can quickly set location, interests, and notification preferences for the topics they care about most;
• A personalized home feed that surfaces the most important local news and weather stories in real time, tailored to each user;
• Story summaries that combine text, visuals, and related coverage so people can choose to skim, watch, or dive deeper into any story;
• A social‑native vertical video player that offers an immersive, scrollable feed of short original clips from local reporters and meteorologists;
• Best‑in‑class local weather with customizable forecasts, maps, and alerts powered by station meteorologists;
• Topic exploration hubs that highlight in‑depth coverage of key local and national priorities, including politics, public safety, education, sports, and community life;
• Premium integrated advertising solutions that give brands new ways to reach highly engaged, local mobile audiences;
• Profile and account tools that let users manage preferences, save stories, and receive alerts across devices.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.—Google Fiber (GFiber) has announced a redesigned app that the company said will simplify how customers set up service, manage devices, and keep tabs on their network.

GFiber said the app's redesign was shaped by customer feedback from user research and usability studies, which focused on making it easier, more intuitive, and delightful to use.

As part of the upgrade, GFiber has updated the user interface for a more intuitive experience that makes it simpler and easier to use. It has also introduced several new features, such as: greater visibility into home network performance, smarter device management, enhanced troubleshooting, and chat, content and video call support for customers.

Based on customer feedback, the app has added new features like video support, enhanced troubleshooting, and more visibility into network performance.

The redesigned app also makes it easier to find and access some of the most impactful features introduced over the past year. These tools not only improve internet performance but also provide greater transparency and control. Notable upgrades include:

• Setting up service. The GFiber App acts as a companion for a smooth setup experience right from day one. For in-home installs, technicians can help set up the app to optimize network performance. For customers who self-install, the app provides step-by-step guidance through every stage of the process — making setup simple and reliable, no matter how they get online.
• Technician Tracker. Once the technician is en route, customers can see the location and ETA, making service appointments more predictable.
• Network Health. Customers using supported GFiber routers can now access the Network Health feature, which provides a real-time assessment of speed, coverage, and overall performance. They’ll also get actionable recommendations for optimizing their connection.
• TechSee. Live video support gives customers the option to allow GFiber’s customer support agents see connection issues in real-time and provide troubleshooting help without an in-person visit.
• Speed Test. The app now provides more details about connections, including speed to one’s home (wired test) that measures the speed from the GFiber network to the router (available on select devices) and speed to one’s device (wireless test) that measures the speed from one’s router to the phone.
• Device Management. For customers with a GFiber Wi-Fi 6E router — included with all new GFiber lifestyle products (Core, Home, and Edge) — the GFiber App provides a clear view of network activity and options to personalize settings, giving them greater control over how they use their internet.
• See what’s connected. Check which devices are using the internet and view their Wi-Fi signal strength in real-time.
• Custom naming and grouping. Devices can be organized easily by what’s important to the customer (like kids’ devices or type of device).
• Pause schedules and access controls. Internet access can be scheduled or paused for individual devices or groups of devices as needed.
• Stronger security. Unknown devices can be easily blocked.

Amazon’s Prime Video has released a new app for Apple TV that the streamer said delivers an improved streaming experiences with faster scrolling, improved search, new touchpad gestures, higher resolution images, improved accessibility and other features.

The app is available on the latest Apple TV HD and 4K Gen 1, 2 and 3 devices.

Prime Video reported that the refreshed app is faster and more fluid, allowing customers to browse through content seamlessly, search for titles with ease, fast forward and rewind with greater accuracy, and much more.

Other key improvements include:

• Faster Scrolling: Leveraging Siri Remote, customers can now use common gestures to navigate around the app. With a simple swipe in any direction, users can quickly scroll through dozens of shows with a single motion to find the exact title they’re looking for.
• New Touchpad Gestures: The touchpad gestures make fast forwarding and rewinding content a breeze. Customers can now simply swipe to their desired playback point.
• Search: The in-app search function will now automatically populate search results as customers type each letter. Users can also leverage dictation to find results quickly with just their voice.
• Motion and sound effects: For an even more cinematic experience, users can now enjoy sound effects when swiping through content and features like parallax effect for added visual depth.
• Images: The Prime Video app on Apple TV now uses higher resolution images so customers can fully immerse themselves into their favorite movie or TV show.
• Accessibility: Apple’s best-in-class suite of accessibility features, like VoiceOver, Hover Text and Bold Text, are now available to enhance the viewing experience.

To access the new features, customers need to open the Prime Video app and make sure that automatic updates are enabled in their Apple TV device settings.

NEW YORK—The NBA has launched what it is calling a completely reimagined global NBA App that is designed to be an all-in-one destination for NBA fans of every team.

The NBA App is powered by the NBA’s new integrated digital platform, which was built in partnership with Microsoft, the NBA’s official cloud and AI partner.  It is a product of NBA Digital, the league’s joint venture with Turner Sports and is free to download, the league said. 

The new app features entirely new personalization features, wall-to-wall content from every NBA game. social-style vertical video, behind-the-scenes access to players and teams, new and existing shows and series, and access to the NBA vault for free, the NBA reported. 

The app also includes a sleek new design and a first-of-its-kind “For You” experience, with content recommendations based on fan preferences and personalization powered by Microsoft Azure and Azure AI.  

Within the app’s “For You” page, fans can tap into a social-like vertical video experience – with vertical scrolling – that features real-time highlights of all NBA games in progress.

“Launching our new NBA App and digital platform is a major milestone as we continue to build and strengthen our direct-to-consumer offerings,” said Chris Benyarko, NBA executive vice president of Direct-to-Consumer.  “We are thrilled to deliver a reimagined product that will enhance and personalize the way NBA fans engage with the league on a daily basis.”

In addition, the NBA has announced the launch of NBA ID, a new global membership program offering fans benefits and rewards from the league, teams and its partners. 

NBA ID, which is free to join, will link a fan’s experiences across existing products like NBA League Pass and NBA Pick’Em, the league said, and it will provide NBA ID members with access to new original content and fan favorites from the NBA vault. 

The membership program will also offer members-only experiences from NBA partners, ticket promotions, prizes through predictive and sweepstakes-style NBA Pick’Em fantasy games, voting campaigns and other rewards, the NBA said. 

The league’s direct-to-consumer subscription offerings – NBA League Pass and NBA TV – will be integrated into the NBA App, giving fans the ability to watch live games and highlights and check scores, statistics and standings, all in one place.  For NBA League Pass subscribers, the live streams will feature higher video quality, lower streaming latency and a seamless user experience for consuming live NBA content.

IRVINE, Calif.–Vizio has launched “Vizio Account,” a payment and subscription management app that allows millions of Vizio Smart TV users a central hub to subscribe to streaming services and take advantage of special offers.

Vizio SmartCast TV owners can enter profile and payment information into a secure platform to create a Vizio account. Features include:

• A single place to subscribe, track payments, and manage streaming services integrated with Vizio Account
• Easy account maintenance for all Vizio TVs connected to Vizio account
• Convenient account management through the Vizio Mobile App
• Automatic TV registration
• Easier tech support check-in with TV registration
• Access to special sales and offers
• Email notifications for new features and products

“The launch of Vizio Account lays an important foundation for streamlining payment and subscriptions on our platform,” said Mike O’Donnell, Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer at Vizio. “Vizio Account will provide consumers with more choice and greater control over their entertainment investments while giving our partners a dynamic marketplace for delivering offers.”

Vizio Account is available on the vast majority of Vizio SmartCast TVs.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo.—Sling TV has launched a beta version of its app on Amazon Fire devices that is more personalized for users, has an improved user interface and features a new home screen, a redesigned guide, and other features that will make it easier to find content. 

The beta version launched on Amazon Fire TV devices on May 25th, with plans to rollout the revamped app to all Sling TV compatible devices throughout this year, including availability on Roku devices this summer.

"Our goal with the new app is clear: to make our customer experience as compelling as the extraordinary live content we deliver," explained Michael Schwimmer, group president, Sling TV, who also noted that the new app was based on a "a year of talking to customers and working with our design and advanced engineering teams."

In addition to the redesigned home screen and reimagined guide, the app features an easy-to-use DVR with 50 hours of free DVR storage, an enhanced video experience for pausing and recording live TV, more intuitive navigation and smart search features for easier content discovery. 

PHILADELPHIA—Run a Better Set (RABS) has developed an app and digital voucher that is designed to help TV and film productions deal with many of the safety challenges presented by the current COVID-19 pandemic, by removing the need for paper and touch points.

Through the RABS app, background talent completes their Digital Vouchers from home or from personal devices on set, eliminating the need to exchange paper, pens or other documents. It also features what RABS calls Skin and Wrap technologies, which allow for the review and approval of these documents in-app.

The app can also track COVID test results, safety training certificates and payments. It can separate background talent into “Sequester” and “Hold Units.” The app can also easily update to new regulations and best practices.

All documentation done through the app can be electronically transferred to whatever department needed, per RABS.

"Digital services enabling effective health and safety practices are essential for crews to remain at work," says Josh Weinberg, CEO of RABS. "The RABS App solves the unique and often overlooked challenges of safely managing background talent on set. We've been a proven, trusted service since well before the pandemic."

For more information, visit www.runabetterset.com.  

TEL AVIV, Israel—TAG Video Systems has updated and redesigned its System Configurator app for multiviewers meant to simplify the configuration-to-purchase process in four steps, the company claims.

The new version of System Configurator functions as a DIY tool, allowing new and existing customers access to the app on TAG’s website where they can use the interface to enter specific monitoring requirements, such as number of channels, format, compressed or uncompressed, number of Mosaic Outputs (heads) and site of operation, be it in the cloud or on-prem physical services.

Based on this data, System Configurator provides a diagramed setup as well as an estimate of the resources required for system deployment. Parameters can be adjusted to accommodate different scenarios and budget constraints.

The app works in concert with TAG’s Tech Ops team, who will evaluate the information provided in the app and deliver a recommended deployment configuration.

For more information, visit www.tagvs.com.  

The Peacock app for Apple’s iOS mobile devices was the top ranked overall app in terms of downloads Wednesday, July 15, according to two research companies that track the uptake of mobile apps, App Annie and Sensor Tower.

The firms didn’t disclose the number of downloads for the new Comcast/NBCUniversal streaming app, which hit digital stores Wednesday. NBCU has not released official figures. Mobile apps tell only a portion of the story—it gives no indicator, for example, as to how many users downloaded the Peacock app for Apple TV, Android TV, Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or other compatible living-room devices. 

But strong first-day performance gives some indicator of overall demand for Peacock, which offers a free AVOD component, a premium $4.99-a-month subscription plan, or a $9.99 premium no-ad tier. 

According to Sensor Tower, Peacock’s first-day demand wasn’t as high as Disney+, which garnered 10 million first week sign ups back in November. But Peacock’s first day was far more boffo than other recent streaming war debuts, notably Quibi and HBO Max, neither of which topped the mobile app charts. 

“Peacock is second only to Disney+ among all new subscription video on demand (SVOD) app launches since at least 2014,” a Sensor Tower spokesperson told Forbes.

Notably, Peacock ranked only 11th in App Annie’s Google Play free app rankings. For much of Wednesday's launch day, the Peacock app for Android mobile devices, and other Google gadgets, was available for download within the Google Play Store. But it didn’t surface in search. 

This story originally appeared on TVT's sister publication Next|TV.

MUNICH—ARRI has launched a new version of its Stellar lighting control app, Stellar 2, which among its new features now includes the ability to control third-party products.

Stellar 2 can now control luminaries from Litegear, Astera and Kino Flo. This also includes the ability to set a generic dimmer to work with tungsten lights on a DMX dimmer. The correct DMX address for control of third-party lights can be assigned in a couple of steps.

Another feature added to the app is the ability to swap out a malfunctioning fixture without affecting the setup. A rescan will detect if the fixture has not been in your setup before.

Other available features with the Stellar 2 include grouping fixtures with different CCT ranges; the ability to accommodate a variety of intensity ranges and setting a personalized default intensity; and providing fixture data like RDM functionalities, temperature and mode information if the fixture offers them.

Updates to the Stellar 2 user experience include a trial phase expiry warning, smoother looks application when no color mode change is necessary, improved connectivity handling, presets that apply on different fixtures and minor usability, layout and stability improvements.

Stellar 2 will be available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

For more information, www.arri.com/stellar.  

Los Angeles, CA – January 30, 2020 –Audio Design Desk, an entirely new breed of Digital Audio Workstation that uses AI-assisted content creation tools to enable filmmakers, editors, sound designers and creators to produce cinema-quality sound in seconds, has made its official debut in the media and entertainment market. The brand new audio creation tool is already earning industry accolades, being named on the shortlist of the 2020 SXSW Innovation Awards in the Music & Audio category.

An audio design app that comes with more than 20,000 sounds, add.app completely transforms the process of adding music and sound effects to picture, cutting down what can typically be a full day project to just a few minutes. Using patent-pending Sonic Intelligence™, every sound in the add.app library is assigned identifying characteristics and carries an embedded sync point, which means that as sounds are previewed and chosen, they automatically land on the timeline in the exact right position relative to the video. The user simply imports a video file into the app and presses keys on their keyboard – H for hits, R for rises, D for drones, and so on – making it a Smart Sampler. The user can then strike the keys to position sound elements in real-time while watching the video playback – in effect, using the QWERTY keyboard to play add.app like an instrument. For users who would rather select audio manually, add.app can search, audition and place sounds right from the timeline, completely eliminating the need to parse through libraries, import sounds and then find where they sync.

Once a composition is set, add.app understands where sound connects to video and, by adjusting replacement criteria such as intensity, complexity, genre or feel, Audio Design Desk can use its Sonic Intelligence™ to instantly turn a single composition into infinite alternates without losing sync. Perhaps the most mind-blowing of all, add.app uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and has built the foundation for Machine Learning (ML) to understand which sounds a user likes, and which sounds they reject so, over time, add.app will learn and adjust to its user’s taste.

Audio Design Desk was first conceived by Gabriel Cowan, a multi-platinum recording artist and award-winning filmmaker, to address the challenges he faced while finding and placing sound effects, sound design and music for his films. Frustrated with the time-consuming and creatively limiting process, he set out to modernize this workflow. Cowan teamed up with creative partner Sam Music, also a multi-platinum recording artist and acclaimed sound designer, who has created sounds for blockbuster trailers such as Spider-Man, World War Z, Rogue One and many others. Using Sam’s sounds, Cowan and Music joined forces with Ryan Francesconi, an accomplished musician and software engineer who was a core contributor to AudioKit and streaming technologies underpinning the likes of YouTube, to develop the innovative audio software application that would truly transform the art of sound for film and allow anyone to create a cinema quality soundscapes in seconds.

“This application is to audio software what Pro Tools was to the tape machine. It shows what AI-assisted content creation can do. Television, advertisements, podcasts, and Instagram stories are filled with sound, yet there hasn’t been a single piece of software built from the ground up dedicated to connecting sound to picture, which is why the process is so frustrating," says Gabe Cowan, CEO and Product Architect of Audio Design Desk. "While solving this problem, we discovered that we could advance the process tenfold to create a tool that becomes an inspirational partner that learns its users’ taste. The industry feedback has been extraordinary.”

“Audio Design Desk is a piece of software that revolutionizes the way I am able to produce content,” explains Matt Cooke, an Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker and guest host for Larry King. “I’ll record a five- or seven-minute monologue and then create a short film out of it. Normally that's something that could take a month to do, but because of add.app I’m able to do the soundtrack and cues in less than a day, every time. It gives me the power to instantly put onto the timeline what I'm thinking in my head. There isn't another piece of software that allows you to immediately create something at this level of professionalism.”

At the time of launch, add.app already offers an incredibly robust set of features and capabilities that both professionals and enthusiasts can use for designing cinema quality soundscapes. Cowan states, “Professionals love the cinema quality sounds and the time add.app saves them, while a first-time filmmaker or someone posting a story on Instagram or TikTok can now transform their work into an A-grade sonic experience with a few keyboard clicks. It is a game changer for creatives of all stripes.”

Feature highlights include:

Perform Sounds in Real Time

Turn the QWERTY keyboard into a Smart Sampler to perform Hits, Rises, Footsteps, Punches, Gunshots, or any sound effect in real time, as the video plays back. Find the perfect music for your film, flipping through music options while playing video and saving selects with a single click. Audio Design Desk is by far the fastest and easiest way to find and place cinematic sounds.

Infinite Compositions

Once sounds are placed, add.app understands where the sync points in the video are, so swapping drama for action or horror for comedy or one shoe type for another, can happen in a single click – presenting the user with an infinite range of alternate compositions.

Search from the Timeline

In add.app, users can search for sounds right from the timeline, auditioning them with their video. This saves hours hunting through massive libraries and manually placing and editing sounds.

Integration with Today’s Leading NLEs and Hardware Controllers

Upon its entry to the market, add.app already boasts integration with the industry’s leading NLE software, including Adobe® Premiere® Pro, Apple® Final Cut Pro®, Apple® Logic, Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve, Avid® Pro Tools, and Avid® Media Composer, enabling users to easily export their compositions as an XML or AAF and open their sessions within the NLE of their choice – placing all the sounds in the timeline exactly as designed. add.app also works with hardware controllers like the Elgato Stream Deck, which makes the process of adding sound effects via keystrokes even easier.

Intelligent Sound Import

The highly intelligent sound importer in add.app makes the process of importing additional sound effects and music into the application incredibly easy. Users can attach metadata to their own audio files, giving their unique audio tracks the same rich information that enables add.app to automatically sync audio to the right moment on the video timeline.

Sculpting Perfect Soundscapes

Once the sounds are placed, users can tell add.app what genre, mood, or general “vibe” they’d like for their audio design. They can select how intense or complex they’d like the composition to be and then turn one sound design composition into infinite alternates without losing sync.

Audio Design Desk will be on display at the 2020 SXSW Innovation Awards Finalist Showcase on Saturday, March 14, 2020. For more information or to schedule a demo with an expert from the add.app team, contact Megan Linebarger at megan@zazilmediagroup.com.

About Audio Design Desk

Audio Design Desk (add.app) is to audio software what Pro Tools was to the tape machine. It’s an entirely new breed of Digital Audio Workstation that artists can play like an instrument, revolutionizing the process of adding music and sound effects to picture and cutting down what can typically be a full day project to just a few minutes. It comes bundled with 20,000 sounds embedded with patent-pending Sonic Intelligence™, using AI-assisted content creation tools to enable filmmakers, sound designers, composers, and creators to produce cinema-quality compositions at the speed of thought, giving them a level of creative control that is unmatched by any other software. Visit https://add.app/ to learn more.

Press Contact

Megan Linebarger

(e) megan@zazilmediagroup.com

(c) +1 (617) 480-3674

###

OTTAWA—Australian broadcaster Network 10 is partnering with You.i TV to modernize the advertising and user experience on the network’s 10 Play broadcast video on demand (BVOD) app.

The partnership will see Network 10 standardize the 10 Play user experience across streaming platforms, including Telstra TV, connected TVs, streaming media devices, game consoles and mobile and tablet apps, You.i TV said.

The broadcaster and You.i TV, which specializes in tools to enable cross-platform app development, will also work together to enable new ad formats, such as passive, interactive and non-intrusive, on the 10 Play app that go beyond pre- and mid-roll ads.

“With a rebuilt 10 Play on the You.i Engine One platform, we will have the ability to control every pixel on screen, effectively monetizing the glass by creating new ad solutions that go beyond the standard pre- and mid-roll ads,” said Rod Prosser, Network 10 chief of sales.

“Think overlay bugs, non-disruptive ad formats while a program is paused and user interface integrations—this partnership will allow us to push the creative ad boundaries on 10 Play’s apps.”

Network 10 General Manager Liz Baldwin added that the partnership will transform “the audience experience for 10 Play on apps and connected devices.”

More information is available on the You.i TV website.

BALTIMORE—Sinclair Broadcast Group’s STIRR OTT linear channel has reached a milestone, achieving one million app downloads in the first six months of its operation, the group announced last week.

"We launched STIRR with the base premise that all of the national OTT services were ignoring the value of local programming, and in particular live local news," said Sinclair President and CEO Christopher Ripley.

STIRR, a free, ad-supported over-the-top streaming service delivers live, local news, TV shows and digital-first content to viewers.

“Hitting the one million download milestone, combined with the immediate success of the STIRR City channel, has confirmed our strategy, creating the foundation for continued growth.”

Sinclair attributes the popularity of STIRR to its focus on giving viewers access to live, local news and free linear TV channels.

While the STIRR OTT lineup offers more than 30 channels, including Buzzr, Comet, Charge, Stadium, Dove Channel, Dust, Con TV and Shout Factory, it is STIRR City that has garnered the service’s highest viewership.

The 24/7 STIRR City program lineup is based on a viewer’s city. It includes local news, syndicated TV shows, movies, sports and city-focused lifestyle shows.

Along with Sinclair’s announcement that STIRR has reached the one million app download milestone, the station group released other related metrics, including:

• 76% of app downloads were done via connected TV devices, such as Roku, Fire TV and tvOS;
• 85% of viewership is on connected TV devices;
• On average, viewers watch STIRR twice a week, a 50% jump since its launch;
• Viewers watch for an average of one hour at a time, a 200% increase since launch;
• STIRR City is the service’s top watched channel; and
• Live, local newscasts are the most watched programming.

According to the group, STIRR is on track to add 10 more national channels and new STIRR City channels not covered by Sinclair’s footprint over the next six months.

More information is available on the STIRR website.

STAMFORD, CONN.—Sports fans with iPhones and Android devices have a new alternative to keep track of how their favorite teams are performing thanks to a new app from NBC Sports.

The broadcaster this week launched MyTeams by NBC Sports, a team-focused mobile app that gives fans a one-stop destination for coverage of the 25 NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB teams covered by NBC Sports Regional Networks, including live-game streaming of local teams.

Fans can customize content to their liking by selecting the teams they like to follow and choosing an order of preference. The app then presents the content that matches their interests and priorities, NBC Sports said.

The MyTeams app offers access to live and on-demand video, podcasts and written content. Live game coverage is confined to the market in which fans subscribe. The app delivers live NBA, NHL and MLB games produced by NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports Boston, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Chicago, NBC Sports Northwest, NBC Sports Philadelphia and NBC Sports Washington.

When a game is available to fans, live game coverage will play automatically at the top of the team’s page. MyTeams pages are available for six NFL teams, seven NBA teams, five NHL teams and seven MLB teams.

Authenticated subscribers of the local NBC Sports Regional Network providing coverage in their region can watch complete live games and game-day shows at no additional cost anywhere in the United States. The network’s linear television channel will also be available at no charge.

The free app is available for iOS and Android devices from the Apple App Store and Google Play store.

Almost half of OTT apps are abandoned within a month of download according to a new report.

In its Industry Benchmark Report for Media and Entertainment (OTT) Apps, mobile marketing company CleverTap found 43 per cent of all OTT apps are abandoned just one month after download.

The company analyzed the OTT apps space by reviewing data points across 100 million devices.

The report also found that OTT applications experience 67 per cent churn within the first two weeks; conversely, only 26 per cent of new OTT app users engage media at least three times within the first month.

Almitra Karnik, global head of marketing at CleverTap said, “There’s intense competition in the OTT space, and thus the need to differentiate the offering with exclusive content and a superior customer experience becomes all the more important. CleverTap’s OTT Benchmark Report provides the essential metrics that mobile marketers can use to benchmark their app’s performance.”

LOS ANGELES — World Cup soccer fans have a new way this year to get involved with the sport by generating on-the-fly custom highlight reels combining their favorite players, types of plays and other characteristics thanks to Fox Sports and IBM Watson Media.

“We think the Highlight Machine Presented by Adidas is really cool and really fun,” says David Feldstein, VP product management at Fox Sports.

The FIFA World Cup Highlight Machine, available online and as a feature of the new Fox Sports app for iOS and Android, is Fox Sports’ first public use of AI and machine learning to more deeply engage fans with a sporting event.

“It’s been a baby we have been carrying for a while now,” says Feldstein. “It’s exciting now to pass around the cigars.”

[Read: Fox, Telemundo Offer A Clearer View Of FIFA World Cup Russia]

The World Cup is “just the beginning” for the highlight tool, he says, adding that Fox Sports is interested in pursuing other similar applications.

Using the Highlight Machine is straightforward. Fans can create highlight reels drawing from more than 300 archived matches played between 1958 and 2014. When the 2018 edition of the tournament begins, they will be able to create highlight reels from just-completed games about 10 minutes after their completion.

To drive a highlight search, fans can select from year, team, player, matches and play types, such a goals, shots on goal, saves, shots and red cards. Once created, highlight reels can be shared with friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, text and email. The 50 most popular fan reels will appear in a carousel on the Highlight Machine page.

IBM Watson Media is well-suited for the Highlight Machine application, says David Mowrey, product and business development, IBM Watson Media & Cloud Video.

“For the last World Cup, there were in the order of 98,000 hours of video produced,” he says. “Most of the scenarios we talk about [for Watson Media] are mainly for customers with massive amounts of video.”

For the Highlight Machine application, IBM Watson Video Enrichment, a programmatic metadata tool, analyzes the massive amount of historical and 2018 match footage, interviews, press conferences and other related video to create metadata that identifies what is happening in a scene at any given moment along with an associated timestamp.

“That provides a more comprehensive set of metadata that Fox Sports can expose to their consumers in very personalized ways,” says Mowrey. “It also helps editors and commentators.”

In essence, Watson Video Enrichment acts as an automatic metadata generator that is trained to use clues, such as facial characteristics, the presence of a red card, crowd noise, what’s being said by announcers and other characteristics, to create metadata that makes the massive amount of soccer video searchable.

For the live games, IBM will take a live feed of a match, transcode it to its house format, run its Watson Media Enrichment algorithms and supply the metadata results with timestamps tied to clips to Fox Sports for use with the Highlight Machine.

When a fan specifies search characteristics, the Highlight Machine performs the desired search of the metadata within seconds and retrieves the desired footage tied to the metadata from the cloud to build a custom reel.

Fox Sports has set up a three-tiered caching architecture for user queries, says Feldstein. “We preseeded the cache with what we thought the most common query types were,” he says. Those queries were made, and the results stored in cache.

“Second are the complicated queries my team and I put together of the best of FIFA for the carousel,” he adds. “Then we cached all of those results and actually built a bot that is capturing user queries as they are made.”

Fox Sports then “flushes the cache” and uses the bots to reseed the cache with everything the system has learned,” says Feldstein.

The idea behind the approach is that the more queries the Highlight Machine receives, the more queries that are cached; and the more queries that are cached, the faster highlight reels can be served, he added.

Fan Top 50 reels available on the Highlight Machine carousel will find their way into broadcasts, says Feldstein, adding that Fox Sports talent will likely demo and play with the Highlight Machine during their telecasts of matches.

The Highlight Machine isn’t the only step Fox Sports is taking to entertain fans with features other than its core broadcast coverage. Once again, the sports broadcaster has partnered with LiveLike to provide a social VR experience, including a custom suite and three immersive multi-angle VR feeds of each game. It is also offering “90 in 90” match highlights, match replays and on-demand episodes of World Cup shows via Fox.com and Fox Now as well as instant alerts of goal highlights, plays and recaps. But it seems that the Highlight Machine is the new feature that most excites Feldstein.

“If we are right and the Highlight Machine is as fun to use as we think it is, that’s going to drive more people to it so they can enjoy it, and that will make us very happy,” says Feldstein.

Fox broadcast coverage of the FIFA World Cup begins June 14 at 11 a.m. ET with the Russia-Saudi Arabia match.

The Highlight Machine is available on the Fox Sports website.

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LONDON—There is a new update available for Sienna’s NDICam iOS app, which transforms an iPhone or iPad into a wireless broadcast camera using the NDI IP Video Protocol. Sienna launched the app back in March.

The new version 1.30 adds a talent-facing tally light using device’s flash light, the addition of a red-gel, plus zoom functionality. Users can use these new features during production and then connect to production systems over Wi-Fi.

NDICam is available now from the Apple App Store for $19.99.

CHELMSFORD, MASS.—Broadcast Pix is offering a new way for sharing photo and video content, announcing the release of its BPNet Upload App. The free app is designed for both iOS and Android mobile devices and works in conjunction with the BPNet cloud-based video workflow service.

BPNet Upload allows users to transfer content to any preselected production switcher, or one file can be transferred to multiple destinations. With the app, users can upload content in the background using the UDP protocol, which accelerates uploads and provides a secure transfer. The app also supports video playback and allows metadata and an uploaded file history to be viewed in the mobile device.

Files can be renamed in the app and are transcoded automatically before being transferred. Users’ names are also displayed in the BPNet account to track incoming files and progress status. BPNet Upload also has the ability to support multiple accounts and can brand content with an account’s specific logo.

BPNet Upload is available on both iTunes and Google Play.

NILES, ILL.—A new version of Shure’s ShurePlus Motiv mobile recording app is now available for download, per the company’s press release. Version 2.0 comes with a new editing tool, improved user interface, and fluid sound metering, as well as access to a playback window for review or listen to a specific recording.

The app’s new editing tool provides the ability to trim and split tracks, incorporate fades, and place markers on a recording’s timeline for points to return to, playback from or define splint points. The reconfigured interface offers fewer menu selections and pull-down options for easier navigation. And the app’s fluid sound metering indicates clipping by turning the entire metering bar red. With the playback window, app users can play, pause, fast forward, and rewind content, as well as a looping feature for continued review and an option to add artwork or imagery to the recording.

Version 2.0 is now available for free download for iOS devices on the Apple App Store.

STAMFORD, CONN.—NBC has taught an old app some new tricks, as NBC Sports Digital has announced it has launched the NBC Sports Scores app from what was for the past two weeks its NBC Olympics: Rio News & Results app. With the Olympics now officially over, the NBC Sports Scores app will now offer a personalized sports guide that delivers up-to-date scores, notifications and on-demand news and info from a range of sports leagues.

The repurposed app offers complementary live streaming services on the NBC Sports app and provide information on when and where to watch video content. Features include a game trending algorithm to gauge the excitement level of sporting events; personalized notifications; and integration of NBC Sports blogs.

The NBC Sports Scores app will cover the NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, NASCAR, Premier League soccer, Golf, NCAA football and basketball, tennis, and a number of international soccer leagues. The app is available now for iOS and Android devices.

WORCESTER, ENGLAND—Timecode Systems has unveiled its new production dashboard and device control app, BLINK Hub, across app stores. Designed for iOS, Android and Mac devices, BLINK Hub uses Timecode’s long-range BLINK RF to power a real-time dashboard that displays all Timecode System units in use on a single screen.

Timecode has also released a new firmware upgrade that integrates the BLINK Hub compatibility into the company’s :wave timecode generator. The :wave’s Wi-Fi connectivity will allow users to open the BLINK Hub app from smartphone, tablets or laptops. BLINK HUB has the ability to remotely monitor and control any devices that Timecode Systems are connected to.

BLINK Hub is available for free via download from the Apple or Android app stores.

LOS ANGELES—NBC is reaching out to gamers, announcing that it will launch its NBC app on the Xbox 360 gaming platform in an effort to expand its reach. The broadcaster will officially launch the app on Tuesday, June 28.

Special features available on the NBC app include pre-release clips of acts from “America’s Got Talent” as well as the shows full episodes; episodes of “American Ninja Warrior,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers;” and full seasons of “Superstore,” “Shades of Blue” and “Chicago Med” that require no authentication.

NBC also reports that it has developed products that incorporate Microsoft artificial intelligence features. This includes an interactive tool for the show “Blindspot.”

The NBC app is also available on the Xbox One platform.

RALEIGH, N.C.—WRAL is offering its viewers more opportunities to stream live newscasts, events and other on-demand content by announcing it has upgraded its OTT Roku app and adding its first app to Amazon Fire TV.

These new versions of WRAL’s app adds additional content than just live newscasts, including Carolina Railhawks soccer games, legislative hearings and trials, weather forecasts, DualDoppler 5000 radar, WRAL documentaries, Tar Heel Traveler and Restaurant Ratings. WRAL’s OTT apps are feed-based, allowing for content updates as video is published. It is also integrated with Google’s DoubleClick for Publishers to work with video ads.

WRAL says that future updates will incorporate search functionality in addition to more streaming content.

The broadcaster also announced that it will launch its app on Apple TV later in the summer.

KANATA, ONTARIO—Canadian-based company Tablo has landed on the latest generation of Apple TV, as the company announced a new native app that will appear on Apple TV devices that work in tandem with Tablo’s over-the-air HDTV DVR. The new app, which launched on Friday, June 17, enables users to discover, record and stream live TV and playback recorded shows and movies through the Apple TV, according to Tablo. The new app also features an integrated voice navigation system.

Read the full story on TV Technology’s sister publication Multichannel News. 

SAN BRUNO, CALIF.—YouTube is jumping in to virtual reality, as the company has announced its plan to launch a dedicated virtual reality app. The new app is specifically designed for Google’s Daydream, an Android-powered VR platform.

The NBA, Buzzfeed and Tastemade will help create VR experiences for the app, YouTube reported. The company is also working with VR camera manufacturers to make them available to YouTube content creators; VR capabilities are expected to be added to YouTube production facilities in New York and Los Angeles.

Read the full article on TV Technology’s sister publication, Broadcasting & Cable.

SAN DIEGO & LINKÖPING, SWEDEN—Mobile users can now upload breaking news video directly to One America News Network’s news bureaus via the new OAN Stringer app. Created in partnership with Sweden startup Stringer Systems, the OAN Stringer app also features a Web-based management system and server back-end software that allows content to be examined, rated, organized and processed.

With the OAN Stringer app, OAN now has the ability to use authentic and authorized content from its users. “Our viewers will get a personal, safe and direct channel into our editor’s room, submitting images in just a few clicks,” said Robert Herring, Sr., CEO of OAN. “Our editors will be able to enrich our conventional sources of new coverage with reliable viewer content fully in line with our highest journalistic standards."

The OAN Stringer app is available for both iPhone and Android devices.

WATERLOO, ONTARIO—Dejero has released a new update to its Live+ Mobile app for journalists. Among the new features are improved stabilization abilities, an enhanced audio meter, and support for new microphones and real-time analytics.

With the new version of the Live+, users can enable image stabilization on iPhone 5s and up. In addition, Dejero has boosted the app’s audio meter to better reflect the sound environment, according to the company. Support for mics with lighter connector cables is also a new feature for the app.

In addition, the company has announced that the app now supports real-time analytics in Live+ Control, Dejero’s cloud-based management system. The new feature analyzes both live and historical stream performance data, including network connections and glass-to-glass latency.

Dejero is expected to demonstrate the updated Live+ at Mojocon in Dublin.

BERLIN—GMIT, a Rohde & Schwarz subsidiary, has announced a new app that extends its BMM-810 A/V monitoring platform. The company’s new virtuWall iOS app connects with BMM-810s across the globe to enable mobile, real-time access to status information and measurements. The app also sends out notifications and analysis of errors.

The virtuWall app connects to one or more BMM-810 monitoring instances through either a secured private VPN connection or a web service provided by GMIT. The Web service uses E2E encryption and complies with potential security and privacy requirements.

Features for the virtuWall app include “zero delay” status indication of monitored broadcast and OTT services; adaptive bitrate encoded multiviewer screen for visual checking; proxy infrastructure for setup and administration; access to log books and detailed measurement results; and layers of access restriction and protection, including TouchID fingerprint authentication.

The virtuWall app is now available for iOS devices in the Apple App Store.

SHENZHEN, CHINA—Want to find other drone enthusiasts or drone professionals in your area, there’s an app for that now. DJI has announced the launch of its “DJI+ Discover” app, which allows drone users to start conversations and meetup either socially or professionally. The app also provides access to the DJI Forum, online store, SkyPixel, and provides information on upcoming DJI events.

The app is divided into four sections: Nearby Search, Experience, Store and Forum. Nearby Search shows social and professional users in an area, as well as flying locations and geo-tagged photos from SkyPixel; the search section is separated for social and professional users. The Experience section provides information on nearby DJI stores and upcoming events. Store provides direct access to DJI’s online store and Forum is an integrated version of DJI’s official Forum for discussion.

Users sign up by registering an email address; profiles can be linked to existing DJI accounts.

The “DJI+ Discover” app is available for either iOS or Android users in the U.S., U.K., Germany, Spain and Australia.

OLD LYME, CONN.—At Prolight+Sound in Frankfurt, Germany, Sennheiser has introduced a new app for its evolution wireless D1 radio microphone systems. With the app, users can convert their iPads or iPhones into a remote control for digital D1 systems, assisting in configuration, management and monitoring of radio links.

The WSR app can automatically detect whether D1 microphones are up-to-date with firmware and can provide an update if they are not. With the app, users can adjust the settings of individual units or groups, controlling audio effects, network settings and output signals.

With the app, an iOS device can become a signal tester, displaying the transmission quality of the radio link in real-time. The app also monitors the battery status, sound levels, and signal strength. The iPad version allows users to include photos for identification of the systems and to arrange the positions of the systems on the screen.

The app is now available via the Apple App Store.

NEVADA CITY, CALIF.—While it isn’t technically under the Christmas tree, users can now find Telestream’s Wirecast Go app in the Apple App Store. A mobile live streaming application, the Wirecast Go app converts iPhones into live broadcast studios.

Based on Telestream’s live streaming Wirecast software, Wirecast Go places professional features on the iPhone to offer live video streaming to multiple destinations, along with the ability to intuitively brand streams, add a range of graphics, and edit shots.

Wirecast Go is available in two versions: standard and premium. The free standard version enables unlimited live streaming to YouTube, allowing insertion of images, logos and graphics from the user’s photo library; social chat and sharing; and the ability to save two shots in a shot list. The premium version is available for $5.99 and enables live streaming to any Real Time Messaging Protocol destination, as well as private or unlisted broadcasts on YouTube. It also can switch between unlimited number of shots, and capture and replay highlights from a live production.

NEW YORK—Tablet Television LLC, a joint venture between Motive Television plc and Granite Broadcasting Corporation, has announced that it will launch its TabletTV Plus app throughout the U.S. in mid-fourth quarter.

The TabletTV Plus app will provide TabletTV users with access to all broadcast channels available in their market, operate a mobile personal video recorder to time shift programs to their personal schedules, and watch free and paid Internet channels when connected to Wi-Fi. Users can also simultaneously use social media, check emails or just surf the Internet while watching TV. The app is compatible with Google Chromecast to view content on to a TV screen.

Initially available for Apple iOS, TabletTV Plus will become available for Android devices at a later date. TabletTV users with TPod tuners can download the TabletTV Plus app without additional cost and have it be compatible with their current devices.

TabletTV was first introduced in San Francisco as a beta test in 2014. It is currently being rolled out throughout the U.S. To become a TabletTV user, visit www.tablet-tv.com to place an order.

Also see:

- http://www.tvtechnology.com/news/0002/ota-tablet-tv-to-launch-this-fall/269822
- http://www.tvtechnology.com/news/0110/tablet-tv-prepares-for-san-francisco-beta-tests/272047

- http://www.tvtechnology.com/expertise/0003/motive-televisiongranite-broadcasting-plan-tablet-tv-service-launch/223271

WATERLOO, ONTARIO—Dejero has announced an updated version of its LIVE+ mobile app, a smartphone or tablet app that allows journalists to broadcast live while on the go. Some of the new features for the upgraded app include an exposure and focus lock, and a simplified on-screen zoom capability.

Dejero's LIVE+ mobile app

The new automatic exposure and automatic focus lock feature offers control for situations in which automatic adjustments are not ideal. By tapping and holding onto a specific area in the frame, users are able to select what area is focused on, as well as manually adjust and lock exposure levels. Additionally, users can now zoom in and out with a sliding motion thanks to the new on-screen zoom bar.

The new version of the LIVE+ mobile app for iOS is now available for free download via the Apple App Store. Users must have a license to send live feeds and recorded or edited files to a server.

WATERTOWN, S.D.—The National Association of Tower Erectors has announced that it will launch its new STAR Initiative app in time for the start of the 2015-2016 NATE STAR Initiative program, which kicks off Oct. 1. The STAR app is designed to provide means of submitting Site Safety Audit documentation in real-time from the field via a smartphone, tablet, computer or other mobile device. The app will be available for free on both iOS and Android platforms.

The deadline to apply/renew for the STAR Initiative is Aug. 31 for the program that will start Oct. 1 and run to Sept. 30, 2016. To apply, visit www.natehome.com.

ALAMEDA, CALIF. – Clear-Com is now shipping the Agent-IC, a new mobile app that allows users to access the Eclipse-HX Matrix intercom systems remotely from an iPhone or iPad. The app is able to connect studio staff and OB teams in remote locations, or crews working live events.

Agent-IC app for iPad and iPhone

Agent-IC comes with point-to-point calling, point-to-multi-point group calling, partyline, PTT, local-cross point audio level control and notification functions. Eclipse-HX manages the app with central administration control and comes with secure NSA-approved audio encryption.

The interface is designed like a dedicated intercom panel, which allows users to monitor and/or contribute to assigned matrix resources. The app features G.722 codec and is accessible via multiple IP networks, with user selectable optimization for network conditions.

Agent-IC can be downloaded directly from the App Store by iPhone and iPad users with iOS 8.0 or later. It will also be present at IBC 2015 at the Clear-Com booth, 10.D29.

PHILADELPHIA - Stats are as much a part of baseball for fans as peanuts and cracker jacks. To help satisfy that need, Comcast’s Xfinity Sports app on the X1 is getting an overhaul to increase fan’s access to statistics during game broadcasts.

The Baseball Extras feature for the X1 Sports app offers pre-game matchups, live batter-by-batter statistics, and full post-game analysis. Users can access Baseball Extras by selecting a game from the Sports app and clicking on Extras. Real-time statistics and visuals will be presented on the right-hand side of the screen in a rotating fashion.

Developed with OneTwoSee, Baseball Extra aggregates data from several sources to rate games based on team records, compute each team’s win probability and preview pitching match-ups. In game stats include strike-out percentages, pitch counts, hit zones and spray charts. The post-game analysis also offers the fantasy points earned during the game. The Baseball Extra app can also be viewed when you are watching something other than baseball.

Baseball Extra is available for the Xfinity Sports app for no extra cost.