Hearst Television is making mobile a priority for election season by partnering with online publication PolitiFact to increase the amount of political coverage on the broadcaster?s mobile Web sites and a political season-themed application.

The Hearst, PolitiFact partnership is slated to run through 2012 and will equip Hearst?s network of local broadcaster mobile sites with the publication?s content. The broadcast network is also in the middle of developing an app that will be available to local broadcasters in all networks and feature political news coverage.

?In today?s world, in order to reach consumers and voters, you have to be available as a media entity on all platforms,? said Jacques Natz, directior of digital media content for Hearst Television, New York.

?Mobile is a piece of our strategy to make sure our users can get all local information, including political coverage digitally on Web, mobile and tablet,? he said.

Mobile debate
The Hearst political app is currently in development and will be included in the PolitiFact partnership once it is released later this year.

The political app will let users access relevant political coverage based on their location.

According to Mr. Natz, the app is slated to be launched in either mid-spring or summer.

PolitiFact content will begin appearing on Hearst?s mobile sites in the next week for election coverage.

New Hampshire?s local affiliate, WMUR, will be one of the first mobile sites to include the political content for the Jan. 10 caucus.

Hearst?s partnership with PolitiFact will be available to the broadcaster?s network of 29 local TV networks and individual stations can choose if they would like to use the content.

Under the partnership, PolitiFact will develop weekly content for Hearst?s properties.

Mobile first
In addition to the PolitiFact partnership, Hearst also partnered with LSN Media in 2010 to serve local content across its network of stations (see story).

Hearst?s mobile initiative is evidence of the important role that mobile plays with local broadcast networks.

For publishers, marketers and brands looking to target specific demographics, local TV mobile marketing can be effective because of the strong relationships that consumers have with their local broadcast networks.

Additionally, mobile local TV lets marketers target by region, making their efforts more tangible and data-driven.

With consumers accessing more content on their mobile device, it is vital that broadcast networks develop a multi-channel digital program beyond traditional TV.

?We specialize in news and information, and it is an important part of our strategy that we get consumers information on different platforms and devices,? Mr. Natz said.

?We go wherever our consumers go,? he said.