June 22, 2005

CMP Media's TechWeb Network (http://www.techweb.com/) announces the launch of The News Show, the first daily B2B television show on the Web produced for technology professionals.

The News Show features experienced tech editors from InformationWeek, Network Computing and TechWeb showcasing the latest news and technical reviews, as well as peeking under the hood of the most complex enterprise and personal systems, in an entertaining and irreverent style.

The first edition of The News Show includes an interview with industry luminary Scott McNealy, CEO of Sun Microsystems. GM CIO Ralph Syzgenda will follow later in the week as well as a conversation with Napster president Brad Duea on its new subscription plans.

Every weekday, CMP Media correspondents spread out around the country will file technology stories ranging from how technology impacts the bottom line, to how it permeates sports, Washington, and all aspects of business.

Additionally, correspondents will interview the technology industry's most prominent personalities and sound off on its most pressing issues with opinions that are sure to rattle.

The 6-to-8 minute show appears daily at noon (ET) on the home pages of InformationWeek (http://www.informationweek.com/), Network Computing (http://www.networkcomputing.com/) and TechWeb (http://www.techweb.com/), which are visited by millions of business technology professionals each month. The News Show will be archived at http://www.thenewsshow.tv/.

The News Show will be anchored by John Soat who will also serve as managing editor. Soat, formerly editor of InformationWeek magazine, will shape each daily edition, guided by his knowledge of the technology industry and his sense of tone and style.

"The News Show is something unique in technology industry coverage -- a hip, quick video digest of industry developments, hard-hitting news, reviews and opinions delivered in a personal and entertaining style," says Soat, who brings 18 years experience in technology reporting.

"The show embodies a new approach to technology coverage."

Part of this new approach is how the daily news show is being produced. Unlike most television news programming which revolves around a central studio with remote correspondents, The News Show is completely remote.

Correspondents -- including the anchor -- armed with laptops and high-quality web cams file their reports from wherever they are: at a key technology conference, while waiting for an interview, or even from their own kitchens while they make lunch.

While webcam technology has progressed significantly in the past few years, it still is not what users might expect from a television program or even one of CMP's TechWebCasts. "But, it's perfect for this program," says Paul Way, CMP Media's Associate Publisher, Webcasting, and one of four creators of The News Show.

"By arming a network of correspondents with the latest portable web video technology, we can afford to put the story at the center."

In addition to Paul Way and John Soat, Bob Evans, CMP senior vice president and Editorial Director of InformationWeek and TechWeb, and Mike Azzara, VP/Group Director of Internet Business, round out the list of the show's four creators.

Mike Azzara sees the show answering the next stage in the technology industry's insatiable thirst for new media products, but with an entertaining twist.

"Our products have always combined valuable information, education and entertainment -- on TV, though, the entertainment bar is a lot higher. The News Show is a totally new approach for a web-based offering and adds a new dimension to our integrated marketing programs, with an edgy new venue to reach key decision makers," said Azzara.

The TechWeb Network is the perfect place to launch such a bandwidth- intensive product. According to CMP Media's own statistics, nearly 90% of its web visitors arrive using a broadband-level connection. Outside of this core audience, broadband usage has been climbing.

According to Nielsen//NetRatings, broadband connections in the US hit 58% for April 2005. Nielsen also predicts that broadband penetration among active Internet users in the US should break 60% by mid-summer 2005 and soar past 80% by October, 2006.

Source: www Coder