Tegna plans broadcast TV streaming app for Amazon Fire TV

Tegna, a U.S. broadcast television station group, said it is planning to launch OTT streaming apps for its stations on Amazon Fire TV by the end of 2020.

The announcement comes as the company completes an update of its stations’ streaming apps on Roku.

Tegna’s OTT station apps offer streaming viewers free, ad-supported access to live news and the most recent news broadcasts, breaking news and weather forecasts, in addition to VERIFY fact-checking reports and Tegna’s live entertainment program, “Daily Blast LIVE.” The company also added a new “Watch” feature on stations’ websites and mobile apps, which it said will create a unified video consumption experience across all consumer digital platforms.

Tegna’s True Crime Network app is also now available on Roku, after an initial launch on Amazon Fire TV and other platforms in August.

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“Tegna is capitalizing on the growing popularity of streaming and over-the-top services by expanding our offerings across digital platforms, driving audience growth and diversifying digital revenue streams,” said Adam Ostrow, chief digital officer at Tegna, in a statement. “Our latest rollout of station apps and the True Crime Network app, as well as new features on web and mobile, gives consumers even more ways to watch local news and entertainment programming.”

Tegna said its stations have significantly increased digital viewership in 2020 and have achieved a record audience across platforms, setting records in metrics including visitors, video plays and monthly active users in the first half of the year.

Earlier this year, Tegna and Gray Television announced a strategic partnership in which Gray acquired a minority ownership interest in Premion, Tegna’s connected TV/OTT advertising business. As part of the partnership, Gray serves as a reseller of Premion’s services across all of Gray’s 93 television markets.