CBS has rolled out CBSN Minnesota, a 24-hour news channel drawing on the assets of owned-and-operated affiliate WCCO-TV/4.
The free channel is available through the CBSN app on over-the-top smart TV platforms such as Roku, on the WCCO and CBSN mobile apps, and streaming at minnesota.cbslocal.com/live.
For now, programming consists of simulcasts and repeats of WCCO-TV newscasts along with breaking news coverage. If CBSN Minnesota follows the pattern of other CBSN channels, it will eventually include some original programming.
“Research shows strong demand for OTT content here in the Twin Cities. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to make our award-winning news programming available, both here at home and across the country, for people to watch on their favorite platforms whenever and wherever they want the latest news from WCCO,” said Ann Ouellette, WCCO-TV Vice President and General Manager, in a news release.
WCCO ran a news story Thursday explaining the new service:
Though the current offerings are similar to what was already available through livestreams, CBSN pulls the content together in a linear, ad-supported stream that appears similar to a traditional TV channel.
All other Minneapolis stations also stream their newscasts live on their websites and mobile apps. Additionally, Hubbard ABC affiliate KSTP and Tegna NBC affiliate KARE both use the NewsOn mobile and smart TV app to make past newscasts available on demand. FOX owned-and-operated KMSP streams repeats of previous newscasts between live simulcasts.
CBSN Minnesota is the fifth local version of CBSN to launch. The company plans to roll out local feeds in all of the remaining markets where it owns TV stations next year.
Historical footnote: Remember the 24-hour WCCO Weather Channel was available on numerous Twin Cities cable systems in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s?