USA TODAY NETWORK Releases the First Weekly Virtual Reality News Show
October 20 2016 - 8:00AM
Business Wire
‘VRtually There’ marks the first-ever branded news experience
exclusively in partnership with YouTube and Premiere Launch Sponsor
Toyota; NETWORK hires award-winning David Hamlin as executive
producer of the show
Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE:GCI) (“Gannett”), parent company for the
USA TODAY NETWORK which currently comprises USA TODAY and 109 local
media brands, including Arizona Republic and Indianapolis Star,
today announced the release of ‘VRtually There,’ the first
branded news experience presented in virtual
reality (VR).
This Smart News Release features multimedia.
View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005443/en/
VRtually There (Photo: Business Wire)
‘VRtually There’ is a continuation of the USA TODAY
NETWORK’s innovation and pioneering work in VR. The weekly
experience enables the NETWORK’s journalists to tell the nation’s
stories and deliver immersive and original VR content to its more
than 110 million unique monthly users. More notably, the show
provides new advertising opportunities for brand partners with the
introduction of the “cubemercial,” the industry’s first VR ad unit
created specifically for the medium, which demonstrates the
NETWORK’s commitment to innovation in the digital publishing
landscape.
"We are honored to be working with Toyota and Saatchi &
Saatchi LA as our partners on launch of ‘VRtually There’. Working
with outstanding brands, such as Toyota, to create branded content
in the virtual space is exciting and ground breaking - we have
learned so much over the past year. Viewers of the show will also
experience the "cubemercial" - a showcase of our pioneering effort
in building an ad standard in VR," said Kevin Gentzel, USA TODAY
NETWORK’s chief revenue officer.
USA TODAY NETWORK has been committed to inventing VR advertising
and virtually-branded content experiences which have been built
seamlessly into the show’s experience through the organization’s
creative studio, GET Creative. The show’s premiere sponsor, Toyota,
is featured in the first ever cubemercial, along with sixty seconds
of branded VR content promoting the 2017 Toyota Camry.
“We believe in creating amazing experiences for our guests, so
we’re excited to help launch USA TODAY NETWORK’s innovative VR
show, bringing incredible virtual reality experiences to its
audience,” said Lisa McQueen, Media Manager for Toyota Motor Sales,
Inc. “The NETWORK’s approach to bold storytelling and use of new
mediums aligns with our brand and our creative approach for the new
2017 Toyota Camry.”
‘VRtually There’ will be released weekly on Thursdays
at 2 PM ET and puts viewers into the story for a first-person
perspective via three original content segments. The segments are
filmed and produced by NETWORK journalists across the U.S. and are
available via the USA TODAY app, within the VR Stories app and
YouTube.com/VRtuallyThere, which has exclusivity for the first
sixty days from each episode’s release. The show is best viewed in
VR on a mobile device using Google Cardboard, but is also available
for viewing on devices, tablets and computers in 360.
“Our in-house VR content production is unique to the industry,
allows us to showcase our great journalism across the NETWORK and
allows us to expose our vast audience to this innovative
storytelling. ‘VRtually There’ is another proof point of our
continued innovation in storytelling,” said Joanne Lipman, USA
TODAY NETWORK’s chief content officer.
The NETWORK has hired multi-Emmy winning producer and director,
David Hamlin, to serve as executive producer of ‘VRtually There.’
He will be responsible for the show’s editorial direction and
original content. Hamlin joins the USA TODAY NETWORK from National
Geographic, and has created over 100 award-winning specials, series
and new media projects for the National Geographic Channel, NBC,
TBS, PBS, other global broadcasters and Non-Governmental
Organizations.
About USA TODAY NETWORK
The USA TODAY NETWORK is the largest local to national media
network in the country. Powered by integrated and award-winning
news organizations with deep roots in 109 local communities, plus
USA TODAY, the multiplatform news network informs and engages more
than 100 million people every month through its diverse portfolio
of digital, mobile and publishing products.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161020005443/en/
Gannett Co., Inc.Amber Allman, 703-854-5358Vice President,
Corporate Events & Communicationsaallman@gannett.comorMichael
Dickerson, 703-854-6185Vice President, Investor Relations &
Real Estatemdickerson@gannett.com
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