Spectrum Networks Launches Connected TV Local News App for Roku and Apple TV

STAMFORD, Conn. – Spectrum Networks today announced the launch of its Spectrum News connected TV app for Roku and Apple TV streaming devices, complementing the Spectrum News mobile app launched in 2020. The new connected TV app provides Spectrum customers access to Spectrum News’ award-winning local news from its 30-plus local TV news networks, as well as original news content created exclusively for the app. The connected TV news app, like the mobile app, is free to anyone for a 30-day trial, after which it will be available to all authenticated Spectrum customers at no additional charge – including Spectrum internet-only customers.

“While the way viewers consume local news continues to evolve, the essential role local news plays in the communities we serve has not wavered,” said Mike Bair, Executive Vice President, Spectrum Networks.  “At a time when Americans rank television as the most important source for local news,* our unique style of community-based, local journalism is even more essential than ever. That’s why we continue to find ways to make our local news more readily available and accessible to our audience on whichever platform they prefer, including streaming TV devices.”

The app features the live streams of all of Spectrum’s local linear TV news networks; curated video-on-demand content, including timely local news updates and major headlines; and full episodes of Spectrum News specials. The connected TV news app also features exclusive on-demand national news updates that provide local context on nationally relevant news and headlines of the day.  The app is fully accessible for customers with disabilities utilizing the screen reader feature, and Closed Captions are available for both the live TV and on-demand video player and respect the user’s settings from their phones in terms of customer appearance for the caption text.

In a recent nationwide survey, viewers rated Spectrum News as more trustworthy than other local TV news channels by a margin of more than five-to-one.** And at a time when, on average, two newspapers per week are shutting down***, and local broadcast news programming is limited due to network schedules, Spectrum News’ growing investment in local news is more important than ever.

In the last few years alone, Spectrum Networks has launched linear TV news networks in seven states; introduced a mobile news app that has more than two million downloads; debuted three digital-only local news operations; and launched podcasts hosted by Spectrum News journalists. Among Spectrum customers, Spectrum News consistently outperforms the major cable and broadcast news networks, averaging more than 2.6 million viewing households each month across its linear and digital platforms in 12 states.**** Spectrum News has local news networks that span across the country in California, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin.

More information on the Spectrum News app is available here.

*Spectrum News/Morning Consult national poll of 5,000 US adults on sentiments about and trust of local news, July 11, 2022.   

** Front Row national survey of 10,000 Spectrum News viewers, spring 2022

*** “The State of Local News, The 2022 Report,” Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, June 29, 2022 

**** Spectrum set-top box data is sourced from all markets where Spectrum News has distribution, and is based on a minimum threshold of five consecutive minutes of viewing on one station to count as a viewing HH.

About Spectrum Networks

Spectrum Networks is a series of 24/7 news and sports networks owned and operated by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband connectivity company and cable operator serving more than 32 million customers in 41 states. Spectrum Networks carry distinct, comprehensive, and exclusive local programming on over 30 networks across Charter’s footprint. More information on Spectrum Networks is available at spectrumlocalnews.com. 

Media Contact

Stacey Mitch

Stacey.Mitch@charter.com