WGCL-TV CBS Atlanta, a Meredith Corp. station, has rolled out a mobile video program that delivers news and weather alerts directly to consumers? mobile devices.

CBS Atlanta viewers can subscribe to the service by texting the keyword NEWS or WEATHER to 21534. Opted-in consumers receive video updates from news and weather anchors and reporters as soon as they are created.

"CBS Atlanta viewers use their mobile devices as a companion to local news and weather when they?re on the go, and the station wanted a solution that sends information instantly to viewers? mobile devices, so that consumers don?t need to go through the cumbersome process of using their mobile browser to search for the information they want,? said James Citron, CEO of Mogreet, Los Angeles.

CBS Atlanta?s video service leverages the Mogreet MMS platform, which delivers video, picture, and audio content to consumers' mobile devices.

The message consumers get when they opt-in

Opted in subscribers are connected to a video

By leveraging MMS, brands can reach 90 percent of mobile phone subscribers, because neither a smartphone, nor a data plan, is required to view multimedia content. This is significant, because only 23 percent of mobile phones today are smartphones, whereas nearly every phone shipped in the past three years in the U.S. comes pre-loaded with MMS capabilities integrated into the device.

CBS Atlanta will soon offer pre- and post-roll advertising opportunities to its advertisers within the alerts.

For example, a 30-second video alert might begin and end with a 5-second video ad that lets the viewer know this news or weather alert was sponsored by a specific advertiser.

For example, when it?s raining consumers could be served an ad for Home Depot to fix the roof.

Advertisers already sponsor news and weather alerts on television and radio, and they are interested in extending their reach to mobile video because of its high response rate, immediacy and high level of consumer engagement.

?This service, which is available now, is a great benefit to current CBS Atlanta viewers, and all folks living in Atlanta, since it helps WGCL-TV - the local CBS affiliate - to acquire new viewers and mobile subscribers, which increases their local market share and drives incremental advertising revenue,? Mr. Citron said.

Final take
What other mobile services does CBS Atlanta offer?