NBCUniversal News Group announced Tuesday some major pushes to beef up the “NBC News NOW” streaming service, including the hiring of 200 staffers.
“Several new hours of live, original programming” will be added to “NBC News NOW,” which launched in 2019. The programming will feature NBC News talent including Tom Llamas, Hallie Jackson and Joshua Jackson. Moreover, NBCUniversal News Group plans to distribute the streamer internationally.
In recent months, “Now” has averaged over 44 million views and 14 million hours watched per month.
Llamas, the network’s senior national correspondent, will anchor a daily primetime news program, while Hallie Jackson, the senior Washington correspondent, will anchor a daily evening show and weekly special newsmagazine serious. Joshua Jackson will anchor an evening news analysis and explainer program.
The weekday changes are expected through the fall, and the live, original weekend programming will debut in the first quarter of 2022.
“When we combine the power of our portfolio, across our many platforms, our reach and impact is unmatched,” NBCU News Group chairman Cesar Conde said in a Tuesday statement. “Our core focus is to consistently innovate in how our brands deliver distinctive, high-quality journalism. This substantial investment in streaming and digital allows us to meet the needs of news consumers in a rapidly-changing digital media industry.”