Starting today, viewers in several major markets can access Hearst-Argyle Television content on local YouTube channels. The station group inked a deal with Google/YouTube that sees five YouTube offshoots of Hearst-Argyle stations in Boston, Manchester, NH, Baltimore, Pittsburgh and Sacramento. The online "channels" will offer news, weather and entertainment videos, as well as popular local programs.
"This innovative deal with Google and YouTube fits perfectly within our overall digital strategy of distributing our content on all three screens — the TV, the PC and the mobile phone," said Terry Mackin, Executive Vice President of Hearst-Argyle Television.
YouTube’s content partnerships boss Jordan Hoffner cited the video giant’s desire to have a larger local presence. "Local creates relevance and this agreement will ultimately deliver Hearst-Argyle’s programming to an even broader audience looking for local content," he said.
The channel’s URLs are: youtube.com/wcvbtv, youtube.com/wmurtv, youtube.com/kcratv, youtube.com/wtaetv and youtube.com/wbal.
Hearst-Argyle owns 26 stations across the country.
YouTube was acquired by Google last year.
