NAKED NEWSCASTERS - To become TV show

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Naked Newscaster Site to Become TV Show

By Tom Cohen Associated Press Writer Thursday, September 6, 2001; 2:53 AM

TORONTO –– It begins like any other newscast, with the presenter in front of a blue backdrop, a tiny portable microphone curving in front of her mouth. A few minutes later, the microphone is all she wears.

Victoria Sinclair keeps a straight face as she reads the major stories of the day while stripping on NakedNews.com, the Internet site "with nothing to hide."

Launched just under two years ago with Sinclair as the single Webcaster, NakedNews.com today has 12 presenters – eight women and four men – to attract more than 6 million "unique visitors" a month, said Kathy Pinckert, vice president of Naked Broadcasting Network Inc., which produces NakedNews.com.

Unique visitors are only counted once, no matter how many times they click on, so the NakedNews.com figure is large in the Internet industry, almost two-thirds the more than 9 million a month registered by CNN, Pinckert explained.

Now NakedNews.com will increase its exposure by launching a 45-minute cable television news show on a pay-per-view station.

Naked News TV! debuts Friday on Viewer's Choice for $2.65 an episode. A new edition will become available each Friday.

Like the Web site, Naked News TV! will have nude presenters of both genders discussing news, business, sports, entertainment and other stories.

"Naked News is the first Internet news program to go from the Web to cable television," Pinckert said. "We are genuinely excited to play a role, along with Viewer's Choice, in leading the convergence of the virtual world with the tangible world."

William J. Clusters, the Viewers' Choice Canada director of programming and marketing, called NakedNews.com "breakthrough programming" on the Internet that would be equally powerful on cable television with its combination of news and entertainment.

On the Web site Wednesday, entertainment seemed to be the focus. Sinclair began unbuttoning the top of her two-piece gray outfit during the first item, on the U.N. racism conference in South Africa. Next went the skirt, revealing frilly, dark blue lingerie.

She clasped her hands in front to introduce another story, then reached behind to undo and remove her bra. Before sliding down her panties, she took out a pin and shook loose her long brown hair.

Other segments featured already nude presenters simply standing and talking. The camera panned back to provide a full frontal shot with nothing covered.

"They are simply doing their job naked," Pinckert said. "Clearly we have attractive people and clearly it is a draw. What keeps us alive and well, though, is the news content."

She said the breakdown of visitors is about 80 percent men, 20 percent women, with most in the 18-34 age group known to avoid news programs. Now the goal is to bring that interest to cable television.

"The Internet is a valuable incubator for projects," she said. "You can gain an instant audience."

–––––

On the Web:

NakedNews.com, http://www.nakednews.com

Viewer's Choice, http://www.viewerschoice.ca

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Answers

Old Git, why didn't you make that a "Hot" link? Hmmmmm?

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Naked News

Viewer's Choice

There ya go Gordon. LOL

[One wonders why you didn't either...]

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001


BBC Friday, 7 September, 2001, 14:45 GMT 15:45 UK Net news to bare all on TV The bulletin has been running since December 1999

A Canadian internet news bulletin, during which newsreaders take their clothes off, has proved so popular that it has won a regular slot on TV.

The show, Naked News, has been available to watch on the internet since 1999, and will now be screened every Friday on a Canadian pay-TV channel.

The bulletins feature presenters reading serious world news - but who begin to strip off shortly into the show and end the bulletin completely naked.

The internet show, which features male and female newsreaders, has been attracting six million viewers, according to its founders.

'Excited'

It will now be seen on TV channel Viewer's Choice, but there will be a charge of C$3.99 (£1.75) to watch.

"We are genuinely excited to play a role, along with Viewer's Choice, in leading the convergence of the virtual world with the tangible world," Kathy Pinckert, vice-president of Naked Broadcasting Network, told Canadian website Jam.

Naked News follows a similar TV show, the Naked Truth, which was a hit in Russia.

The Naked News internet site has been reported to be getting almost as many hits as the Wall Street Journal's site.

The show gets its information from news wires and uses professionally trained writers and directors to produce the bulletins - and is not pornography, Ms Pinckert has said.

Concentration

The BBC's Katty Kay described Naked News as "confusing" earlier this year.

"By the time we have finished the Middle East peace talks, [newsreader] Ms Russo is completely naked," she wrote.

"Maybe my brain lacks horsepower but I simply cannot concentrate on the intricacies of world affairs while watching a strip show."

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001


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