The E.W. Scripps Company is expanding its commitment to Florida audiences with the launch of the Florida 24 Network, a new statewide news network available over-the-top (OTT) for viewers in every local TV market in the state.
The Florida 24 Network will air real-time, enterprise reporting from Scripps’ six local TV stations in the Miami, Tampa, West Palm Beach, Tallahassee and Fort Myers markets.
Sourcing the best journalism from these Scripps stations, the Florida 24 Network will focus on the issues most essential to Floridians, including politics, tourism, wildlife, beaches, lifestyle and agriculture. Meteorologists from each market also will contribute frequent weather updates, with a focus on tropical weather between June 1 – Nov. 30 for major storm and hurricane coverage.
“Scripps is committed to serving both long-time Florida residents and newcomers with the authentic and hyperlocal journalism we know is essential to people’s lives,” said Scripps Local Media President Brian Lawlor. “The launch of the Florida 24 Network is the evolution of our long-time commitment to our Florida audiences and advertisers. We know our local business partners are eager to reach TV consumers via OTT.”
The Florida 24 Network will be staffed by a dedicated team of journalists and producers, each tapped from Scripps stations across the country and led by News Director Nicole Wolfe, based at Scripps’ WSFL in Miami, and Senior Director of Digital Matt Borek, based at Scripps’ WFTS in Tampa.
The network will feature regular updates from Katie LaGrone, Scripps’ statewide investigative reporter, and Forrest Saunders, Florida State Capitol reporter in Tallahassee.
“The pandemic has taught us a lot about the ways in which our newsrooms are able to collaborate to produce high-quality news and information in a remote environment,” said Lawlor. “The Florida 24 Network captures those learnings with the same commitment to essential journalism for which Florida residents have known Scripps for many years.”
The Florida 24 Network will be available everywhere in linear form and on-demand via its OTT app on streaming platforms, including Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Android TV, and via all Scripps Florida stations’ streaming apps.
