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Welcome To “Proximity” - Our Take On The Future Of Local TV

Tim Hanlon

Hi! Welcome to Proximity, a new TVREV section that puts a spotlight on all things local. Written and curated by Tim Hanlon, who arguably knows the local TV and streaming market better than anyone. Look for it every Thursday morning. Or better yet, bookmark the special section.

If you have news you think is relevant, feel free to hit us up. Or, if you’d like to sponsor Proximity and get your name, message and logo in front of our 55K+ subscribers, we still have a few slots left. Hit us up about that too.

You may have seen the TVREV Special Report Local TV: Perils & Promise In The Age Of Streaming that my colleagues Alan Wolk, Evan Shipiro and I published last Fall (it's still available here, in case you missed it) - where we wrestled with both the numerous challenges and potential opportunities ahead for the heritage local broadcast TV industry as it, like the entirety of the "medium formerly known as television," grapples with the new realities of streaming platforms and digital technologies.

The urgency of the themes called out in that report resonated so strongly within the TVREV community that we've decided to expand our coverage of the local space with a brand new vertical we are calling "TVREV Proximity" - and it is my pleasure to help bring it to you in the weeks/months ahead.

If you're involved in any aspect of the local television complex - programming, advertising, distribution, news production, group ownership, streaming, digital, affiliate relations - you know just how quickly the business is changing and the myriad of uncertainties that lie ahead.

With luck (and hopefully some directional data, reasoned analysis, and occasional insight!), we'll aim to unpack some of the biggest operational issues and strategic imperatives facing the local TV sector—as well as highlight some of the more promising pathways of change and innovation that today's practitioners can utilize to ensure future growth and relevance.

Each week, yours truly (along with other members of the TVREV community) will highlight a key issue worthy of your attention; some topics will seem obvious, while many others will not - but hopefully, each will hopefully be thought-provoking and actionable.

In addition, we'll also point you to some important stories and worthwhile thought pieces that you just might have missed during the previous week - with direct impact on the today and tomorrow of the "local TV" experience.

Your comments and suggestions along the way will be most welcomed, of course - and we look forward to sharing robust dialogue, tangible insights and real-world solutions in the months ahead!

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