Sinclair Broadcast Group Targets Millennials with Digital Platform Circa

The goal of Circa is to give young news consumers factbased video journalism without a POV The subjects are eclectic ranging from breaking news and popculture interviews 21 Pilots Ed Sheeran and LL Cool J to investigative documentaries and stories that explore charity heroism and the rise of the semilegal pot industry The entertainment side Circa Laughs creates humorous shortform skits and super cuts quotWe have no opinion pieces just facts organic footage and compelling storylines presented in a neutral voice for independent minded Millennialsamp160who want to form their own opinions and join their own conversationsquot Chief Operating Officer John Solomon saysThe appeal has been validated by a growing nationwide audience that includes large followings in metros like Los Angeles Chicago and New York where SBG currently doesn39t own stations Its decisively young base about 80 percent under the age of 45 and 67 percent under the age of 35 also tilts slightly more female At the moment Circa publishes its content on its Facebook destinations which have about 3 million daily followers and its mobile friendly website which is on track to reach about fiveamp160million unique users in April That loyal core is also helping to spread Circa content to new users each month generating about 100 million video views 25 million shares likes and comments in the social space and some 25 million page views on the Web siteThe content is offered under a series of portals Circa Now for breaking coverage 60 Seconds minutelong features Documentaries Great American Pop Report and Humor Another section Circa 360 is devoted to immersive videos shot in virtual reality formats where the viewer appears in the center of what39s unfolding The 360 section has already accumulated more than six million views averaging 35 minutes per viewNext up and just in time for Circa39s oneyear anniversary this summer are two new distribution platformsAn Over The Top OTT series of videoondemand channels for smart TVs worldwide created in partnership with the OwnZones VOD platformA new iOS and Android apps that will allow Circa fans to create their own personalized video channel filled with their favorite topics shows and reportersBoth projects will require Circa to expand its staff and capabilities to create longerform programming out of its shorter nonlinear content Solomon saysMeanwhile both Circa and Sinclair are leveraging their content to benefit each other39s audiences About 25 of what Circa presents each day via Facebook and the Internet site originates from footage originally shot by SBG affiliate news stations In return Circa syndicates back Circa Moments two exclusive news reports each day for play on Sinclair39s early and lateevening local newscasts These have provided SBG stations with breaking news which has ranged from stories on the sale of used US federal cars with safety defectsamp160to Facebook safety enforcement failuresSinclair which operates 173 stations covering 443 million households purchased the Circa name and technology stack from a prior breaking news site that operated under the same name but went defunct in 2015 But while repurposing the name and technology SBG set out to create a different news venue that focused on Millennials mobileamp160and video journalismThe potential personalization capabilities of Circa39s forthcoming app excite the leadership team the most Every user will be able to create a My Circa video playlist that autopopulates with his or her favorite content quotThat could be the next iteration of the personal connection we39re trying to create herequot Solomon saysThe smart TVdevice version distributed through alternative platform provider OwnZones is also on track for early summer deployment In this environment the portals would show up as specific channels Additional portals under review for any or all the ways Circa reaches its audience include one for fashion and another Laughsamp160for sketch comedy One of the early OwnZones opportunities includes syndicating Circa content across Europe via cable boxes operated by Liberty International39s UPC affiliateFor this second coming of Circa the possibilities keep comingClick the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this article are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated bloggers

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Sinclair Broadcast Group Targets Millennials with Digital Platform Circa

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Simon Applebaum

We Are the Outliers - By Jack Myers

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Sinclair Broadcast Group Targets Millennials with Digital Platform Circa

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