CBS launched CBSN Minnesota— an extension to their free ad-supported CBSN streaming service. CBSN Minnesota will add anchored news coverage and live breaking news events from Minneapolis and the broader-Twin Cities region. The streaming channel will feature live streams of WCCO newscasts, as well as an extensive library of local news content that will be available for on-demand viewing.
“WCCO has for many years had an outstanding legacy in local news and serving the community,” said Peter Dunn, president, CBS Television Stations. “We are very happy to broaden its reach from local to national by making the station’s premium local content available on our streaming platform.”
CBSN, which first started streaming in November 2014, is a 24/7 streaming news service from CBS News and CBS Interactive that delivers live national and global news coverage. CBSN launched local streaming in New York last December, Los Angeles in June, Boston in September, and San Francisco in November. The company plans to launch Philadelphia in January, with Chicago, Dallas-Ft. Worth, Denver, Miami, Sacramento, Pittsburgh and Baltimore also debuting in 2020.
CBS, which has merged with Viacom (who owns Pluto.TV), has been aggressive in trying to reach cord cutters on new platforms. Besides CBSN, the company has also launched CBS Sports HQ for sports fans and ET Live for entertainment junkies. The company also has CBS All Access, which brings live access to your local CBS affiliate, original shows and on demand access to CBS primetime programming.