All-Digital, On-Demand Format to Keep U-T San Diego on Industry’s Cutting Edge

SAN DIEGO (February 19, 2014) – U-T San Diego is revamping U-T TV, moving away from the traditional broadcast mode of operation and embracing a 100 percent digital model.
As of tomorrow, Feb. 20, 2014, U-T TV will no longer broadcast on Cox Cable Channel 114 and ATT / U-verse Channel 17 and 1017. Instead, it will make programming available exclusively on utsandiego.com and uttv.com. This enhanced content is designed to be accessed on any digital device, including computers, tablets and smartphones.
“The move toward an all-digital format is the next evolution for U-T TV,” said U-T San Diego, president and COO, Mike Hodges. “We will continue to innovate our market-leading news report on video and digital platforms, continuing the entrepreneurial spirit in which we launched this division.”
U-T San Diego’s move follows a trend in advertising dollars shifting to digital platforms. Research firm eMarketer estimated spending on video ads that air on PCs and mobile devices will reach $4.14 billion this year, more than double 2011 levels. By 2017, spending will more than double again, to $9.06 billion.
“We are projecting over a 30 percent gain in year over year digital revenue growth in 2014,” said Hodges. “U-T TV will be a key driver of that success.”
U-T TV was formed in April of 2012 to extend U-T San Diego’s news reporting onto broadcast and digital video platforms. Local business conditions, in particular, the inability to negotiate a carriage agreement with Time Warner cable, proved a barrier to profitability for the broadcast division.
U-T San Diego has steadily been evolving toward becoming a multi-platform media company. All U-T journalists have been trained for the new age of video/digital journalism. There are no longer purely print reporters or television personalities in our newsrooms. Today, all U-T journalists work to produce integrated print, digital and video content.
“The talent, technology and organizational learning we have acquired are extremely valuable assets to our company,” said U-T San Diego Editor Jeff Light. “We are confident they will help us to rapidly deliver the best local news digital video report in the industry.”
U-T San Diego Chairman and Publisher Papa Doug Manchester stated, “Our business model has always been this: We will try new ideas and continue to evolve as a company to provide the best content and information possible for our audience and our advertisers.”
The state-of-the-art U-T San Diego studios will continue to operate, producing and delivering news and lifestyle content focused on all things San Diego. All of this content will be repurposed in a multitude of business, community outreach and new information channels in the future.
“The overall idea, as it has been from the beginning, is to stay one step ahead of the curve,” said Papa Doug Manchester. “In that spirit, U-T San Diego is once again embracing the leading edge of digital content programming.”

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About U-T San Diego
The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC, owner of the 144-year-old U-T San Diego, is San Diego’s leading media company and its most comprehensive source of news and information. Each week, U-T San Diego products reach more than 96 percent of all San Diego County households through the combined strength of its integrated media portfolio: the Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper, U-T San Diego; the website, UTSanDiego.com; the Night + Day weekly entertainment guide; Spanish-language products, Enlace and Vida Latina San Diego; a digital news and programming entity, U-T San Diego; and additional home-delivered products.