CURRENT TV... AL GORE'S NEW THING

I put this on the backburner for the week, but decided to post about Current TV. Since it was the annoying Al Gore's new venture I was contemplating to scrap it, but it's an interesting play so here it is:

Gore Invents Current TV

Al Gore’s new Current TV channel premieres on cable, with submissions solicited from the Internet and independent video makers.

August 1, 2005

He may not have really invented the Internet, but former Vice President Al Gore has founded a new cable TV channel, Current, which debuted on cable systems Monday.

Featuring content produced by independent video makers and soliciting video content uploaded to its web site, Current.tv, the company presents its news reports in short segments that it calls "pods," and aims for an Internet-ready look that will appeal to young people.

The San Francisco-based channel is taking over the slot formerly occupied on cable systems by Newsworld International, a Canadian cable network that Mr. Gore and a group of investors acquired in 2004 for a reported $70 million.

Investors include Joel Hyatt, a former finance chairman for the Democratic National Committee. Mr. Gore is the chairman of the new network, and Mr. Hyatt is chief executive.

"We’re creating a powerful new brand of television that doesn’t treat audiences as mere viewers, but as collaborators," said Mr. Gore when plans for the network were announced in April. (full article)

Heather Green has some more info on it and her take on getting scooped by The New York Times here.