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Scripps Brings Local News to Amazon’s Alexa

May 3, 2017  •  Post A Comment

The E.W. Scripps Company has launched its local television news brands on Alexa, Amazon’s voice-activated virtual assistant. News from 23 Scripps local TV markets is just a voice command away for users of Amazon Echo and all Alexa-enabled devices.

In many of its markets, Scripps is the only local news provider available on Alexa. It joins other top news outlets in offering news updates on the platform, including CNN, NPR and the Scripps-owned national news network Newsy. In each Flash Briefing, Scripps stations deliver top local news headlines, updated throughout the day.

“Through our broadcast, web and mobile products, and now through virtual assistants, our local TV stations are committed to delivering news in all the places where consumers are engaged,” said Brian Lawlor, senior vice president of broadcast for Scripps. “As connected devices surge in popularity, our stations are tailoring their news and information to those platforms in order to deliver it into the home.”

The expansion to Alexa continues Scripps’ commitment to building its brands across over-the-top video and audio platforms. Several months ago, the company launched Roku channels for each of its TV brands, which are receiving high engagement times on that platform.

Local news headlines in Flash Briefing from Scripps stations can be enabled in the Skill Store of the Alexa app or on amazon.com. Once enabled, users can ask, “Alexa, what’s the news?” or “Alexa, what’s my flash briefing?” and Alexa will deliver audio of the latest headline news from the selected Scripps market.

— Press release from Scripps, May 3, 2017

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