By Focusing on the Heartland, NewsNation Separates Itself From the Pack

NewsNation is taking dead aim at the voids that have been created under the leadership of Jonathan Killian who joined the network in January as Vice President for Creative Marketing and Brand Communications At the time the channel was called WGN America but the day after he started work WGN America became NewsNation and the mission shifted It39s one that Killian is well prepared to execute having spent the previous 13 years as Executive Director of Creative and Brand Development at CNN InternationalquotThe timing was wild but I knew what I was signing up forquot Killian said quotIt39s very appealing the chance to start a new news networkquot And it39s a network that hit the ground with 5500 correspondents who work for Nexstar39s 200 owned television stations from Los Angeles to New York and many many points between The service reaches 75 million homesBeginning March 1 NewsNation started to greatly expand its fivedaysperweek evening news programs launching a plethora of new shows Today the weekday schedule in the eastern time zone isMorning in America a new threehour live national newscast hosted by Adrienne Bankert that airs at 7 amNewsNation Rush Hour at 5 pmThe Donlon Report anchored by Joe Donlon at 6 pmOn Balance with Leland Vittert at 7 pmDan Abrams Live with the former MSNBC host at 8 pmNewsNation Prime hosted by broadcasting vet Marni Hughes at 9 pmBanfield with Ashleigh Banfield at 10 pmSome of the programs repeat for a second cycle starting at 11 pm ET plus weekend evening newscastsWhat does it all add up to Something new and useful in the news firmament Killian said The hosts a mix of veterans and fresh faces will field reports from those farflung American correspondents and air important stories missed by the coastbased networksThe expectation is that NewsNation will be a 247 news operation within the next two years quotIt39s a big commitment and a big signalquot Killian said quotDan Abrams was a big get for us And having the threehour news program is also important To be competitive we have to be in the morning news racequotquotWe39re just getting started and our local journalists are a powerful weapon in our arsenalquot Killian said quotIn looking ahead strategically we think it39s important to be on the ground in the communities where stories happen We39re going to be a national network with local impactquotVeteran news watchers can be forgiven for thinking that stories can only be found around the Beltway and in New York and other big cities But Killian said NewsNation will quotremember where the middle of the country isquot That will drive the editorial focus For instance the heartland opioid crisis as portrayed on Hulu39s Dopesick series was deeply embedded in Middle America before it made the traditional news cyclequotWe see an opening and we39re going to go after itquot Killian said quotWhen we created our marketing plan and materials we emphasized that most of America is in the middle not on the extremes of left or right and they don39t fit neatly into one slot As our ad says we are a nation of neighbors and of more than two sidesquotKillian continued quotWe created these criteria to accomplish our goals keep the focus on the viewer reflect all perspectives not just left or right challenge elitism and keep whatever we do feeling authentic and true It39s a different tone and we want it to feel aspirational and empowering Our focus groups tell us there39s a hunger for that kind of informationquotThe biggest challenge for NewsNation now is awareness getting viewers to know that this highquality alternative programming exists quotWe39ve just started to address that with promotional materials in the last eight or nine weeksquot Killian said quotAnd we39re seeing some traction though building our audience is not something that will happen overnightquotAccording to Killian NewsNation isn39t sweating the daytoday ratings numbers because it39s so new but it39s seeing a significant growth in awareness quotWe39re encouraged by the early returns Nexstar believes in the mission and is putting in the time and marketing muscle in to help us break out And the product keeps getting better and betterquot Killian saidNewsNation is deep into plans for next year with expanded resources to draw upon quotWe39re proud of the collection of talent we39re assemblingquot he said quotWe39re delivering on news for all America and people are taking noticequotClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet

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By Focusing on the Heartland, NewsNation Separates Itself From the Pack

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Jim Motavalli

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