Local Now, the Allen Media Group-owned free streaming service focused on local U.S. news and entertainment, is expanding its array of local news channels through a new partnership with Hearst Television.
AMG on Tuesday announced its Local Now lineup will now include 27 free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels from Hearst’s digital brand Very Local, which serves 26 U.S. media markets across 39 states. See here for a full list of the new local channels.
In addition to local news, content also includes original series focused on food, travel, dating, adventure and true crime.
In the announcement, Byron Allen, founder and CEO of AMG, touted Local Now as having “the most local channels of any free streaming platform.” The service provides localized news, weather, sports, traffic and entertainment in more than 225 markets in the U.S., with 450 free streaming channels including a Local Now channel in every DMA. It also boasts more than 16,000 movies, TV shows and documentaries.
Other streaming services have also been bolstering their local news offerings. The Roku Channel first launched a local news category on the FAST platform over the summer. It now counts over 10 linear local news channels from NBC and has said users are engaging with the category in a meaningful way.
As for Hearst, the TV station owner first released its free OTT and connected TV app, Very Local, about a year ago in 2021. It features curated local FAST channels, offering content from Hearst Television news teams across the U.S. in the company’s broadcast footprint. That includes local, regional and national news; and consumer news and investigative reporting. It also offers digital-first programming through Hearst’s partnerships with Hearst Magazine brands such as Esquire, Delish and Runner’s.
At the time, Hearst said the launch of Very Local was a way to meet consumers where they are as more audiences shift to streaming for content consumption - a sentiment it echoed in today's announcement with AMG.
“We're excited to expand Hearst Television's streaming footprint by making our Very Local channels available to the diverse and growing audiences on the Local Now streaming app," said Andrew Fitzgerald, Hearst Television SVP of Streaming Services, in a statement. "As consumers seek to connect with local news and information on streaming platforms, Hearst Television will meet them where they are with award-winning news and originals via Very Local."
In addition to Local Now, the Very Local programming from Hearst will also be available on Allen Media Group’s TheGrio Streaming app – a free streaming platform with news and entertainment focused on Black culture.
As AMG adds more local news content to its platforms, the company also has long-term sights set on global growth for its streaming portfolio, which also includes The Weather Channel.
Speaking to Fierce Video at the IBC trade show in Amsterdam earlier this month, Michael Senzon, president of digital at AMG, said Local Now has seen tremendous growth and is ready to unlock the next phase – particularly with a competitive user experience.
To that end AMG announced a partnership with Quickplay to use the vendor’s Google Cloud-powered OTT platform as the backend of its tech stack across the AMG portfolio.
“We’re essentially upgrading our entire infrastructure to be more competitive in streaming,” Senzon told Fierce.
One feature AMG has its eye on for new FAST capabilities is providing a linear-like experience on Local Now but one that’s personalized to the viewer, he said.