While many stations seem happy to let their experiments into digital end with streaming newscasts on their websites, KSAZ has launched what amounts to a separate news channel complete with a dedicated host.
“FOX 10 News Now” is hosted and produced by Samia Kahn and is aimed at the non-appointment viewing crowd using smartphones or tablets to keep up with what’s happening. FOX promises it will soon be a 24/7 thing.
The content is separate from the usual fare local TV stations broadcast, but still relies on some reporting and face time with the local anchors and reporters.
When TVSpy tuned in, Khan was talking British politics with Ron Hoon. The two then spent a few minutes guessing how old Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden were (Hoon guessed right: 67 and 72 respectively) and answering questions from viewers.
Khan moderates a live chat throughout the segments. One viewer in Ohio was comparing gas prices, others were guessing how many shoes Khan owns. For the record, she says has about 60 shoes in her closet at home.
Kahn came to KSAZ from KNBC where she was a web producer. She’s also been a host for the YouTube show “The Young Turks.”
The part of the story local stations might want to pay attention to is that the numbers KSAZ pulls from the show equals some stations viewing audience. A station spokesperson told TVSpy, on Thursday, the stream pulled in a total of 73,000 people who watched the verdict in the Jodi Arias trial, at one time the station had a peak of 7,500 watching it live.
FOX also said it had 30,000 people talking about Katy Perry‘s halftime Super Bowl performance, and 10,000 watching President Obama talk about new housing programs while he was in town.