Hearst offers mobile election app

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Expanding on the political coverage offered by its television stations (and pair of radio stations), Hearst Television is making mobile smartphone applications available to citizens interested in staying on top of Election 2012.


Up-to-the-minute election information will be available to both iPhone and Android users.

Among the features:

* A friendly interface enabling users to browse local election and political   coverage – including articles, slideshows, and videos – from a selection of   local stations; 

* Local “Voters’ Guides” with information such as deadlines on voter   registration, polling locations, candidate biographies, and candidates’ positions on issues; 

* A “count-down clock” to election day;

* Electoral College map;

* A featured “photo of the day”;

* The ability to upload user-generated content;

* Facebook integration; and

* Live election-night video, continuous news and commentary updates, and election results.

Hearst SVP Roger Keating said, “This app should come in handy not only for voters in the 25 Hearst Television news markets, but for any political observer interested in the latest developments in closely contested presidential-election states like Florida, Iowa, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin – and in states hosting tight Senate races, like Massachusetts – in all of which states Hearst Television has leading news stations and websites.”

RBR-TVBR observation: This is more than a demonstration of service in the public interest that will generate excellent material for inclusion in Hearst’s many public files.

The truth is that you can’t toss a brick these days without hitting a financial prognosticator who says that advertising dollars will continue to shift to online and mobile venues.

However, nobody says WHO will be getting the money shifting to online and mobile venues, and there is absolutely nothing stopping broadcasters from establishing a strong presence on both so that they may reap their fair share of the coming windfalls – enjoying the beneficial cross-promotion of these online and mobile assets that can be provided by the broadcast asserts.

In short, well played, Hearst – well played.