CBS Television Distribution and Yahoo! are re-branding syndicated entertainment news show “The Insider” as “omg! Insider,” and adding a number of interactive elements to the program. Hosts Kevin Frazier and Brooke Anderson will stay on, but they will also be joined by Yahoo! talent like Kristin Aldridge and Michael Yo. As for the social element is concerned:
omg! Insider will be a cross platform online and on-air collaboration that aims to reinvent how consumers access entertainment news across screens. Online, the deal will provide continually updated coverage, including video clips, celebrity interviews, photo galleries, engaging editorial, and a number of interactive social features.
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Yes, it’s somewhat vague, but they have until January 2013 to figure it out.
The re-brand was first reported earlier this month by Ben Grossman at B&C. More details below.
Yahoo! and CBS Television Distribution Team Up to Bring omg! Insider to TV
Syndicated newsmagazine The Insider will be renamed omg! Insider in January 2013
to bring users high-quality entertainment news content across TV and WebLOS ANGELES – October 23, 2012 – CBS Television Distribution and Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) today announced a deal that combines the broadcasting power of The Insider with the online reach of Yahoo!. As part of the deal, CTD’s syndicated entertainment newsmagazine The Insider will be renamed omg! Insider in January 2013 to create a multi-platform entertainment series.
Kevin Frazier and Brooke Anderson will continue to host the TV show, as well as draw on Yahoo! talent such as Kristen Aldridge (omg! NOW) and Michael Yo (The Yo Show on Yahoo!). In addition, Yahoo!’s popular omg! entertainment news site, visited by nearly 30 million users each month, will be the exclusive home to video provided by the TV show.
omg! Insider will be a true web and on-air collaboration that aims to reinvent how consumers access entertainment news across screens. Online, Yahoo!’s omg! will provide continually updated coverage, including video clips, celebrity interviews, photo galleries, engaging editorial, and a number of interactive social features. On-air each evening, the TV show will offer a unique mix of informal in-studio conversations with celebrities and personality-driven discussions around the day’s hottest topics and trends.
The new venture will also provide a substantial promotional platform for TV station partners, as the website will post breaking news throughout the day and continually promote the television broadcast later that night.
“We’re excited to give our affiliate stations the opportunity to be associated with one of the largest entertainment news sites in the business,” said Joe DiSalvo, President of Sales for CBS Television Distribution. “We’re adding value to The Insider by tapping into an online audience in the millions and taking advantage of Yahoo!’s omg! brand and its loyal following. Our stations will also get an unparalleled promotional opportunity online. This is the perfect example of what the convergence of broadcast and digital is all about.”
“We’re thrilled to bring together two of today’s most popular entertainment news brands to create an ‘always-on’ content experience across TV, the Web, and beyond,” said Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!. “Yahoo! is focused on bringing the most personalized and relevant information to our users. Original video content and branded multi-screen programming help us to deliver on that promise. We’re proud to collaborate with CBS Television Distribution to bring omg! Insider to millions of viewers in such a unique and exciting way.”
The Insider, a spin-off of Entertainment Tonight and now in its 9th season, debuted on September 13, 2004, and averages 2.2 million viewers per night. Under Linda Bell Blue’s leadership, The Insider premiered as the highest-rated debut of any newsmagazine in syndication since 1996. The new, renamedTV show will continue to be produced and distributed by CBS Television Distribution. Linda Bell Blue, who also executive produces the #1 entertainment newsmagazineEntertainment Tonight, remains executive producer. Brad Bessey, who has served in various capacities including as co-executive producer of Entertainment Tonight, will be executive producer and will be the day-to-day showrunner.