‘VRtually There’ marks the first-ever branded news experience on a VR platform

MCLEAN, Va. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — March 10, 2016 — USA TODAY NETWORK, part of Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) announced today that it will produce VRtually There,the first branded news experience presented in virtual reality (VR). Through the launch of VRtually There, the USA TODAY NETWORK maintains its groundbreaking status in VR-driven journalism and media, poised to scale as specialized VR hardware evolves, and the viewing audience grows.

VRtually There will premiere in Spring 2016 and will air a variety of regularly scheduled segments through a true network approach. Working with USA TODAY NETWORK newsrooms across the nation, VRtually There will expand to include a slate of regularly-scheduled original programming to include content from across the NETWORK, touching on a wide variety of topics, such as: music news from Nashville, SPORTS news from Detroit and Indianapolis, political news from Washington DC, outdoor news from Reno and Fort Collins, MONEY news from Westchester and USA TODAY’s team, TECH and LIFE news from San Francisco and Los Angeles, and consumer tips from Reviewed.com.

Tied to the introduction of programming, VRtually There will also make various tiers of new, VR advertising units available by working with brands and agencies to develop winning integrations on the channel. And, USA TODAY NETWORK’s GET Creative, its branded content studio, will have in-house expertise in VR branding. By providing these unique offerings for brands, USA TODAY NETWORK is continuing to push the boundaries on emerging technology platforms.

“We are excited to work with innovative brands and agencies to invent VR advertising products and virtual branded content experiences. The USA TODAY NETWORK‘s commitment to storytelling, utilizing VR, sets us apart in the news media space,” said Kevin Gentzel chief revenue officer. “We are equally focused on connecting our readers to brands in VR. Within GET Creative, our branded content studio, we have talented and experienced VR videographers who are working hard to help invent this new advertising medium.”

“USA TODAY NETWORK has been a pioneer in virtual reality storytelling and a leader in the news space with award winning VR content,” said Joanne Lipman, Gannett’s chief content officer. “We are proud of the groundbreaking VR reporting we have done across the NETWORK, including the Edward R. Murrow award-winning ‘Harvest of Change’ and  Presidential Soapbox with the Des Moines Register;  skiing with the U.S. Olympic ski team in Colorado; and a piece that caught Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg’s eye,  flying with the Blue Angels in Florida.”

For more information on VRtually There, visit  usatoday.com/vrstories/.

About USA TODAY NETWORK

The USA TODAY NETWORK is the largest local to national media network in the country. Powered by integrated and award-winning news organizations with deep roots in 92 local communities, plus USA TODAY, the multiplatform news network informs and engages more than 100 million people every month through its diverse portfolio of digital, mobile, and publishing products.

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