TV Stations Join Digital Gold Rush

The explosion of demand for video production is creating a new business for an unlikely source: local TV stations.

Broadcasters such as Gannett spinoff company Tegna, Sinclair Broadcasting, Tribune and the station division of Disney’s ABC are now creating shows specifically for Facebook and YouTube. The shows include “More in Common,” a weekly reality show from ABC’s station group for Facebook Watch, and Tegna’s morning talk show “Daily Blast Live” which streams both on YouTube and Facebook Watch simultaneously. Facebook is paying for some of these shows, such as “More in Common,” while others are financed by the station owners themselves.