TV Stations offer mini-newscasts to grab attention-deficient viewers

While some might wonder just how much punch a newscast the size of a commercial pod might pack, programs running from 2½ to 12 minutes are finding viewers from Detroit to Knoxville to San Diego. The "snackable" programs hit home at a time when consuming short clips on YouTube and station sites is part of life for many, and may be just the right size for those intent on getting the next day's weather before turning in for the night. The bite-sized local programs are a way for a station to get into the news game without shelling out millions to launch a full newsroom, or a means for extending their news brand into a new time slot. For others, a shorter newscast effectively captures a sleepy market's modest amount of breaking news, or helps avoid cannibalizing the newscast put out by a news partner in the market.