Political news icon Bob Schieffer will host a 15-minute weekly Webcast starting tomorrow, CBSNews.com announced today. It’s one of the first initiatives by a broadcast network to create an original news show purely for the Web.
The show, “Washington Unplugged,” will run on Fridays at 2 p.m. ET. Mr. Schieffer, CBS News’ chief Washington correspondent and host of “Face the Nation,” will anchor the Web show.
CBS is billing the show as a “hard-hitting discussion of the political news of the week,” including interviews with newsmakers, a discussion of the week in politics and in-depth analysis of issues affecting the administration.
“Washington Unplugged” also will feature CBS News Washington correspondents and political analysts.
It can be found online at www.cbsnews.com/washingtonunplugged.
As evening news audiences shrink, news network are hunting for ways to reach new viewers with their programming. The broadcast networks already offer their evening news shows on the Web. ABC News carries a 15-minute version of its evening news program on the Web each day at 3 p.m. ET.
“Washington Unplugged” is unique because it’s created solely for the online audience. Because it’s made for the Web, CBS News said, it will lean on viewers for input. Audiences can interact with the show by submitting questions in advance to washingtonunplugged@cbs.com.
“We will aim to get at some of the things that tell you how Washington really works—some of the things that don’t always make it into our broadcasts,” Mr. Schieffer said in a statement.