Frankly Launches Apple TV OTT App with NBC Station WBBH
Award-winning TV station in Florida launches new OTT service powered by Frankly
SAN FRANCISCO, June 7, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, Frankly Inc. (TSX VENTURE: TLK) ("Frankly"), a leading content, engagement and monetization platform for brands and media companies, announced the launch of their Apple TV OTT app with WBBH, NBC-2.com from Fort Myers, FL. Frankly first introduced its OTT product at this year's NAB convention in Las Vegas (featured on page 54 of New Bay Media's Best of Show). The WBBH app will be available on the App Store of the fourth-generation Apple TV as Watch NBC2.
WBBH is an award-winning station known for its website and reporting excellence. With the launch of Watch NBC2 on Apple TV, WBBH will be giving viewers yet another way to watch their video content. "We are very excited to be a launch partner with Frankly's new OTT TV product. We believe that Apple TV is an important platform for broadcasters who want to expand their digital offering to emerging platforms and we look forward to giving our viewers a new way to watch our news both live and on-demand on their connected televisions," says Matt Bernaldo, Director of New Media at Waterman Broadcasting, parent company of WBBH.
Local broadcasters are launching their own branded OTT apps to stay ahead of the curve as cable TV subscriptions fall and streaming subscriptions rise. According to Parks Associates, 36% of U.S. broadband households have at least one streaming media player, up from 27% last year. In late 2015, Apple launched the App Store on Apple TV so that media providers can participate in this industry shift, with Apple CEO Tim Cook stating their view of the future loud and clear: "We believe the future of TV is apps."
OTT is a fragmented space with many connected TV platforms available to users. Of those players, the four major devices are Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire, and Chromecast. Frankly's mission is to help broadcasters reach viewers on as many of the platforms as possible (in tandem with web and mobile properties), and driving innovation with Apple TV first, while other TV app creators have started with Roku and Amazon Fire.
"Apple TV is rapidly gaining share in this emerging category," said Steve Chung, CEO of Frankly. "We are among the first to create a truly unique local broadcaster optimized OTT app framework that includes interactive elements like local weather. Our OTT platforms are developed to scale with modularity, leveraging our existing innovative features from our iPhone and iPad apps for a seamless user experience. Our Apple TV app is now available to our customers and we will expand to Roku and Amazon Fire next."
The WBBH launch marks the first public release of Frankly's white-labeled Apple TV app.
Frankly's Apple TV app is now available to all clients. For more information, please contact [email protected].
About Frankly:
We build an integrated software platform for brands and media companies to create, distribute, analyze and monetize their content across all of their digital properties on web, mobile and TV. Our customers include NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX affiliates, as well as top fashion brands, professional sports franchises and global organizations. Collectively, we reach nearly 80 million monthly users in the United States. The Company is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange and trading under ticker "TLK." Frankly is headquartered in San Francisco with major offices in New York. To learn more, please visit www.franklyinc.com or email [email protected].
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Notice regarding forward-looking statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Frankly and their respective businesses. Forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release, may not occur by certain specified dates or at all and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the parties. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Frankly undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
SOURCE Frankly Inc.
Frankly Inc, Ashley Ryon, [email protected], 212-931-1200
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