More recognition for ‘7@7,’ the RJ’s fast-paced, weekday streaming newscast
The Review-Journal has received national recognition for “7@7,” its quick-hit weekday newscast.
Editor & Publisher magazine earlier this month named the newspaper as one of its “10 News Publishers That Do It Right” for the twice-daily, seven-minute newscasts that launched in January 2021.
The magazine noted the challenges of launching a new initiative in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic while the majority of the RJ’s staff worked from home. E&P praised the Review-Journal for working to sate reader appetites for a fast-paced local newscast that competes with television stations.
“Remembering that the video streaming content was in addition to their regular full-scale news operation, the initiative has been a win on all sides of their business,” the magazine wrote of the Review-Journal.
“It’s the first local newscast built primarily for viewing on a smartphone. Staff across all departments frequently get compliments from readers, subscribers and clients about how much they enjoy the pace and brevity of the show,” said Jim Prather, the Review-Journal’s executive director for programming. “It has been validating for us.”
The Review-Journal previously received multiple first-place awards for “7@7” at the annual Nevada Press Foundation Awards of Excellence dinner in September. Among the awards were best video program or series and best advertising innovation to Chase Rankin, senior vice president of sales and marketing.
Rankin told E&P that the Review-Journal had averaged 850,000 video views per month with “7@7,” and that the newspaper had tripled its video revenue. The newscasts are streamed at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. each weekday and are available on most on-demand platforms, from YouTube and Fire TV to Roku and Alexa and the Review-Journal’s website and news app.
Executive Editor Glenn Cook said “7@7” gives the Review-Journal’s reporters and visual journalists “a platform to expand their own brands” and showcase their reporting to new audiences.
“We have the largest newsroom in the state and the most reporters in the region,” Cook said. “‘7@7’ showcases all the stories readers already would see on our website and in our newspaper. But it gives them the most important information across a range of topics in just seven minutes.”
Other publications recognized by E&P include Pioneer Publishing in Omaha, Nebraska; the Salt Lake Tribune in Salt Lake City; the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in Atlanta; and The Tennessean in Nashville, Tennessee.
Contact Mike Shoro at mshoro@reviewjournal.com. Follow @mike_shoro on Twitter.