Sinclair's STIRR: Live, Local and Multi-Channel Mix in Expansion Mode

quot2020 has been an outstanding year for the servicequot answers Adam Ware vice president and general manager of national networks and platforms at Sinclair quotI don39t like saying there has been a positive side to the coronavirus pandemic but since March streaming television experienced tremendous growth and STIRR in particular definitely benefited with over four million downloads and overall viewing drastically increasingquotWithin weeks after the pandemic became widespread across the nation viewership to STIRR through a variety of connected TV devices including Roku Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV increased 300 percentWare attributes this to STIRR39s mandate to feature live local and familiar content choices as an alternative to all the new national choices now available in the fastbooming marketplace of OTT TVdistributed services quotIn today39s streaming wars viewers are asked to navigate through a sea of new brands and unknown TV shows where local is not at the heart of their strategy Trusted local TV station brands and their programming amp8211 especially live local news and toprated syndicated TV shows amp8211 are proven programming franchises and have been absent from national streaming warsamp8230until now STIRR connects viewers with streaming TV from their local TV stations For freequotIn STIRR39s bailiwick that outlook is shaped in three ways all free and adsupported There39s a collection of more than 120 linear channels including Sinclairowned networksamp8212 Comet Stadium Charge and TBD and established 3rd party OTT brands like FilmRise People TV and Newsy There is even a new locally originated network called the Horse Shopping Channel where viewers can learn all about different types of horses and buy them on the spotThe package39s flagship channel is the STIRR City channel customized by market The format is a blend of live local newscasts from a Sinclairowned station local sports and event coverage and programming acquired from other sources arranged by daypart More than 70 Sinclair stations around the US are involved with STIRR CityVideoondemand represents the final element of STIRR presenting more than 6000 hours of content per month In this manner viewers can see individual local newscasts or community events free movies and TV shows along with the latest episodes of top syndicated series from Judge Judy to Wheel of FortuneOver the course of 2020 STIRR introduced a number of temporary quotpopupquot linear channels to its package also customized by area One is 2020 Live devoted to unfiltered opinionfree live presentation of political events whether the recent Presidential and VicePresidential debates to local town hall discussions and press conferences Another Covid19 News is a roundup of local news coverage and regionalnational programming on the pandemic emphasizing original reports from Sinclair stationsIn quick order both 2020 Live and Covid19 News have become second or thirdranked in viewership depending on the location quotLive news events in real time without commentary or opinion was not being done and these popup channels filled that voidquot Ware adds He foresees life for these channels postelection and when the pandemic ends quotBoth of these channels have tapped into audiences39 desire for unfiltered coverage of live news in real time That format translates on the local level as wellquotAd sales for all three aspects of STIRR is quotscaling quite nicelyquot according to Ware While others experienced revenue declines provoked by COVID19 as advertisers reduced their spending during the first half of 2020 STIRR maintained a steady sales pace thanks to increased viewershipFor 2021 Ware predicts the multichannel package to top off around 150 channels and in some markets bring in unique linear nets created by advertisers such as the Horse Shopping Channel There are many local brands that are rich with content not benefiting from the growth in OTT TV he believes There39s also opportunity to craft separate multichannel tiers catering to AfricanAmericans Latinx and other demographic communitiesOther 2021 expansion elements include content partnerships with other TV station group owners increasing circulation among smart TV set makers and introducing the top syndicated series currently available as VOD to the local STIRR City channel linear schedule based on Sinclair station affiliation with those programsAt some point next year or beyond there will be new options for STIRR generated by the rollout of NEXTGEN TV technology among Sinclair and other station groups quotThe idea of delivering a bundle of content and services that are live localized targeted as well as ondemand is something we expect to be able to do on steroidsquot concludes Ware quotIn many ways STIRR is testing future NEXTGEN TV business opportunities todayquotClick the social buttons to share this story with colleagues and friendsThe opinions expressed here are the author39s views and do not necessarily 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Sinclair's STIRR: Live, Local and Multi-Channel Mix in Expansion Mode

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Simon Applebaum

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Sinclair's STIRR: Live, Local and Multi-Channel Mix in Expansion Mode

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