Return to previous page

Press and Media

WPEC-TV CBS 12 News (West Palm Beach, Fla.) launches free mobile news app

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. – July 21, 2010 – WPEC-TV CBS 12, Freedom Communications’ CBS affiliate in West Palm Beach, Florida, today announced its new mobile news application is now available on iPhone, Android, Blackberry and Windows smartphones, with availability on Palm webOS coming soon. The app is available as a free download by texting CBS12APP to 56654 or through cbs12.com/mobile.

The news app provides instant access to the latest news, weather, events and information for the Palm Beaches and Treasure Coast, and includes the following tabs: Top News, My News (allowing users to customize news by specific sections or blogs), Video, Latest, and More (to access settings, provide feedback on the app, access other apps or saved articles, and view account information). The app also includes share options, such as sending to Facebook, Twitter or e-mail.

The mobile news app is part of a larger digital strategy by Freedom Communications, Inc. to deliver local news and information instantly across multiple platforms, said Mark McEachen, EVP and COO at Freedom Communications.

“Growing numbers of people prefer to receive locally-focused news and information on their mobile devices, and we are launching several news apps and mobile services to serve these audiences,” McEachen said. “Freedom is moving aggressively into mobile as another means of delivering our trusted content to the communities we serve, wherever and however people prefer to receive it.”

“We’re excited that our flagship station, WPEC CBS 12, is the first station in our broadcast group to launch Freedom’s mobile app. It is a great opportunity for CBS 12 to extend its reach and connect with the growing number of mobile users in the West Palm Beach market,” said Doreen Wade, president of Freedom’s Broadcasting Division. “We look forward to rolling out mobile news apps in the rest of our six TV markets in the near future.”

To celebrate the launch of the app and generate local interest, CBS 12 is hosting a “Download and Win” promotion. Anyone who downloads the news app can enter to win a Bahamas Cruise from Palm Beach, courtesy of Celebration Cruise Line. Mobile users may enter the contest daily. Contest promotion will include ads and banners on the cbs12.com website.

Freedom Communications is partnering with mobile app developer Handmark in the creation and distribution of apps for its newspapers and broadcast sites. Mobile news apps have been launched at a dozen other Freedom locations, including The Orange County (Calif.) Register, The Gazette in Colorado Springs, Colo., Daily Press in Victorville, Calif., and several of Freedom’s newspaper businesses in Texas and North Carolina. Several other launches planned across Freedom’s newspaper and broadcast entities in the coming weeks.

Prior to launching the apps, Freedom conducted employee and customer surveys in November to determine which apps and technology solutions would best serve the needs in its local markets. The surveys were the primary driver in developing a mobile strategy and a phased rollout plan.

About Freedom Communications, Inc.
Freedom Communications, headquartered in Irvine, Calif., is a national privately owned information and entertainment company of print publications, broadcast television stations and interactive businesses. The company’s print portfolio includes approximately 100 daily and weekly publications, including daily newspapers, ancillary magazines and other specialty publications. The broadcast company’s stations – five CBS, two ABC network affiliates and one CW affiliate – reach more than 3 million households across the country. The Company’s news, information and entertainment websites and mobile applications complement its print and broadcast properties. For more information, visit www.freedom.com.