Accelerated rollout means local streaming news products in place before primaries

CBS Television Stations and CBS Interactive are accelerating their rollout of CBSN Local, the company’s direct-to-consumer streaming news service, in all 13 owned markets.

CBSN New York debuted in December and CBSN Los Angeles in June.

CBSN Boston is next, and CBSN San Francisco Bay Area is scheduled for a fourth quarter release.

CBS Television Stations’ remaining nine markets will premiere their CBSN Local products in early 2020.

CBSN Local services have 24/7 anchored programming, coverage of live local news and a library of local news content on demand. They are ad-supported.

“The early success of CBSN New York and CBSN Los Angeles has exceeded our expectations,” said Peter Dunn, president, CBS Television Stations. “It is clear there is significant demand for high-quality local news coverage on streaming services, and we are moving forward with excitement as we prepare to launch CBSN Local services in all 13 of our local news markets. Our accelerated rollout schedule ensures launches in all of these markets ahead of the 2020 political primaries and elections.”

CBS announced earnings Aug. 8.

Besides its stations in New York, Los Angeles, Boston and the Bay Area, CBS’ owned stations include WBBM Chicago, KTVT Dallas-Fort Worth, KYW-WPSG Philadelphia, WCCO Minneapolis-St. Paul, KCNC Denver, WFOR Miami, KOVR-KMAX Sacramento, KDKA-WPCW Pittsburgh and WJZ Baltimore.

“The collaboration between CBS Television Stations and CBS Interactive, coupled with the enthusiastic response from the teams at our local stations, has created a winning combination, both for CBS and the millions of viewers we serve,” said Adam Wiener, executive VP and general manager of CBS Local Digital Media. “We are excited to address the rising demand for local, relevant and useful information on all platforms by leveraging our existing local news assets to dramatically expand the distribution of CBSN Local services.”

CBSN launched in November 2014. CBSN Local services are available through CBSN, CBSNews.com and through the CBS News app.

“Access to reliable local news is a priority for our audiences from coast to coast,” said Christy Tanner, executive VP and general manager of CBS News Digital.