Los Angeles, CA (October 22, 2012) – Ora TV, the new digital network, has launched its newest show, “Newsbreaker” with respected social media expert and host David Begnaud. “Newsbreaker” is a new type of show that goes after the biggest stories of the day, breaking details of those stories using social media and reactions from across the Internet. The show, which was introduced as part of the network’s Ora2012 election coverage, will maintain a broad focus. Topics covered have already included everything from unrest in the Middle East to trending pop-culture happenings.
The launch of “Newsbreaker” follows the successful introduction of the daily interview program “Larry King Now” earlier in the year and emphasizes Ora TV and King's multi-platform approach to digital journalism.
Every day, Begnaud breaks down the biggest news items trending—and breaking—in social media. The show will offer news updates as they happen and push them to a social news audience. As part of Ora TV’s coverage of the 2012 presidential election, during the debates and all the way until Election Day, Begnaud will cover reaction from voters and social media opinion leaders across the country, weighing in on the web in real time.
“Many of today’s biggest news stories are broken using platforms like Twitter and Youtube. What makes Newsbreaker unique is that it sits at the intersection of social media, Internet culture, and current events. ” remarked Ora TV CEO Jon Housman. “David Begnaud has been at the forefront of breaking news, is an expert in analyzing what’s truly important in the explosion of social media, and will cover events that our audience has a keen interest in.”
Begnaud has been a Los Angeles-area and Louisiana-based television reporter for the past ten years, most recently as a lead reporter at KTLA. In 2007, Begnaud was honored as “Louisiana Reporter of the Year” for his work at KSLA.
In addition to Newsbreaker, Begnaud is serving as part of Ora’s 2012 political team led by broadcast legend Larry King. King, who will be moderating the first high profile third-party debate on October 23, 2012, will also lead in-studio roundtable discussions, streamed live on the new YouTube Politics Hub, featuring Daily Beast Columnist Meghan McCain, and Democratic Party consultant Howard Bragman. Ora TV will broadcast alongside The New York Times, ABC News, The Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, Buzzfeed, Al-Jazeera English, and Univision, bringing real-time, production-quality, on-demand anywhere election coverage to the Web for the first time.
King will also moderate analysis on the proceedings from leaders in both parties, host open Google Hangouts, and encourage users to get involved in the conversation through social media. A prime example will be the use of questions generated via the web – using the hashtag #AskEmThisLarry – during the October 23 third-party debate.
New episodes of Larry King Now will also continue to air through the elections.
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About Ora TV:
Ora TV is a new digital television venture that creates high production level programming for digital distribution via a variety of platforms, seamlessly available on phones, laptops, tablets, connected televisions, and other devices. Ora (which means “now” in Italian) is an on-demand network producing a wide range of stand-alone content and differentiated shows which transcend traditional format distinctions. The company’s first show was Larry King Now, available on Hulu and Ora.tv, and additional shows are currently in development. The network is funded by América Móvil, the leading Latin American wireless service provider, with a majority interest held by noted global business leader Carlos Slim Helú.
