Just how can a TV station get those pesky millennials to watch your station’s local newscasts?
Send your content to a haystack, and follow in the footsteps of Gray Television.
Gray on Tuesday reached an agreement with over-the-top video network Haystack TV to distribute its local news video content — a move squarely designed to increase its millennial-targeted audience.
What is Haystack TV?
It’s one of the many OTT options to pop up in recent years and is available on iOS and Android devices, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, Fire TV and at www.haystack.tv.
Upon accessing Haystack TV, local users will see a mix of the top news stories and other content tuned to their specific interests based on their viewing habits, preferred publishers and favorite topics.
The platform features content from traditional news broadcasters, as well as from newer niche publishers.
Why the millennial push from Gray?
“Third party researchers have named Gray as the television group reaching the highest number of ‘millennial’ consumers,” said EVP Kevin Latek. “It is therefore quite appropriate that Gray becomes the first local broadcaster in each of our 50+ television markets to distribute local news video content on Haystack TV’s new and innovative platform.”
Attracting millennials through digital platforms isn’t new to Gray. It is the first television broadcast group to launch all of its CBS affiliates on the CBS All Access platform.
Gray is also one of the largest broadcast groups supporting Roku, with local station apps in dozens of markets in addition to hundreds of iOS, Apple, Kindle, and AppleWatch apps.
Likewise, Gray’s early and extensive involvement with “Facebook Instant Articles” led Facebook to select Gray as a “case study” for all media companies looking to expand their presence on the world’s largest social media network.
