TechWeb's 'The News Show' Takes Center Stage

A daily online TV news program, called The News Show, makes its debut today with an informative, fun, and often irreverent look at the world of technology and business.

Launched by CMP Media LLC's TechWeb network, The News Show will run about 7-8 minutes per day and feature several segments ranging from up-to-the-minute tech news, interviews with top IT-industry execs like Sun CEO Scott McNealy and General Motors CIO Ralph Szygenda, product reviews, opinionated analyses, and an occasional rant or two. It auto-launches on these pages: TechWeb.com, InformationWeek.com, NetworkComputing.com, and finally, TheNewsShow.tv.

The News Show will be anchored by John Soat who will also serve as managing editor. Soat, editor of InformationWeek magazine, decides how to shape each daily edition, guided by his knowledge of the technology industry and his sense of tone and style. "The News Show is something unique in technology-industry coverage, a hip, quick video digest of industry developments, hard-hitting news, reviews, and opinions delivered in a personal and entertaining style," says anchorman Soat, who brings 15 years experience in technology reporting to the show. "The show embodies a new approach to tech coverage."

While most television news programming revolves around a central studio with remote correspondents, The News Show is completely remote. Correspondents — including the anchor — armed with laptops and high-quality web cams file their reports from wherever they are: at a key technology conference, while waiting for an interview, during a press conference, or from the back of a taxi.

Mike Azzara, CMP's VP/Group Director of Internet Business and the person who spearheaded and funded the initiative, sees the show answering the next stage in tech media's insatiable thirst for new media products, but with an entertaining twist. "Our products have always combined valuable information, education, and entertainment — on TV, though, the entertainment bar is a lot higher. The News Show is a totally new approach for a Web-based offering," Azzara said.