Fox O&Os Launch Michael Jackson Doctor Trial App

App features live trial coverage from KTTV in Los Angeles

By George Winslow -- Broadcasting & Cable, 9/28/2011 4:42:07 PM

Fox Television Stations has launched a mobile app dedicated to the Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson doctor trial that the station group is billing as the first app exclusively dedicated to covering the trial.

The division released the Michael Jackson Doctor Trial app on Android on Friday, Sept. 23 and on the Apple platform on Monday, Sept. 26.

By Wednesday morning the $0.99 app was ranked as the number one paid news app in the Apple store.

The centerpiece of the app is live streaming coverage of the trial from KTTV, the Fox owned station in Los Angeles

The app also features timelines, photo galleries, court documents and extensive coverage, updates, highlights and expert commentary from from such KTTV reporters as Bob DeCastro, Hal Eisner, Phil Shuman and Susan Hirasuna.

Jose Rios, VP of digital news operations at the Fox Television Stations noted in an interview that the station group had set up an effort to develop news apps for all the owned and operated stations in June of this year and that the Michael Jackson Doctor Trial app was the first to come out of that effort.

"When I moved into this position in June and I knew that this trial was coming up and that it would be one of those high profile trials that would be a lot of interest to people," notes Rios.

At that time, it was also apparent that the judge in the case would likely be allowing cameras into the courtroom, which would make live streaming features particularly appealing.

Rios also credits KTTV -- which is providing both the live and ongoing coverage of the trial that is being used in the app -- for being particularly helpful in getting the idea off the ground.

"The whole news department has been very helpful in making this happen," he says.

The Fox stations worked with News Over Wireless to develop the app.