Reuters launches ‘Netflix for news’

Reuters has launched its mobile TV news service, offering curated and personalised news coverage that is available anywhere, on-demand, a service that the news specialist has dubbed ‘news for the Netflix age’.

Reuters TV, which the news organisation is touting as “a new category of TV news,” is available as an iPhone app and is aimed at “informed, mobile, and globally engaged consumers in their 30′s and 40′s who value authentic video storytelling and are too busy to watch traditional TV news.”

“The way we consume TV and hear about news has changed. Reuters TV is news for the Netflix age: it’s individually relevant, on-demand, and up-to date. It’s ideal for viewing during your daily commute,” said Isaac Showman, managing director of Reuters TV.

The subscription service will be free for the first 30 days, with access then charged at US$1.99/£1.49 per month via in-app subscription.

Reuters TV offers an “algorithmically assembled but editorially curated” news program that can be customised based on each viewer’s interests and location. Videos are between five and 30 minutes long and can be downloaded for viewing offline.

Reuters said that the editorial content found on Reuters TV will be produced exclusively for the service from its global network of journalists.

“This is a radically new way of presenting news straight to consumers. Reuters TV will be fast when it needs to be fast, deep when viewers want depth, but most importantly, it will be news that’s authentic, coming straight from the source and journalists on the ground,” said Dan Colarusso, executive editor of Reuters TV.