Brushing TBD.com Aside, D.C.’s WJLA Prepares to Launch New Website

By Andrew Gauthier 

The name has turned out to be more accurate than perhaps originally intended as TBD.com, Allbritton’s local news site launched in partnership with D.C. ABC-affiliate WJLA last August, is about to take on a new identity following Allbritton’s decision to give command of the property to WJLA’s Bill Lord.

In a post on Monday, TBD and WJLA announced that they will be launching a “two-pronged online approach to covering news, traffic, weather, and much more” next week.

Previously TBD had served as the umbrella site for WJLA, as well as Allbritton’s regional cable news station News Channel 8, but now, as part of what Lord has called a “mid-course correction” for the online property, WJLA will launch a new, more autonomous website.

Advertisement

From the description of the new “two-pronged approach,” it appears that WJLA management felt the station’s previous association with TBD hurt its brand status in the market.

Sounding a bit like the VO from a station promo, here’s the description of the new WJLA.com:

The new WJLA.com will be fueled by the region’s largest, most experienced, and most nimble TV news staff, including Leon Harris, Maureen Bunyan, Gordon Peterson, Alison Starling, Cynné Simpson, Doug Hill, Bob Ryan, Tim Brant and our first-on-the-scene reporters. From regional stories on crime, weather and transportation to in-depth looks at health and medicine to on-location features on big national and international stories, ABC7’s reporters deliver the news that Washington demands each day. Immediately upon arriving on the scene of a breaking story, ABC7’s reporters transmit photos, video and text directly to WJLA.com. The result is a dynamic site that stays way ahead of the competition in debuting and updating news stories that matter to area residents.

[h/t Lost Remote]

Advertisement