NBC Stations Set LX News For Gen Z, Millennials

NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal that includes 42 local TV stations, today announced the launch of LX, its new digital news brand and soon-to-launch over-the-air and streaming network targeted to adults 18-45. LX stands for ‘Local X’ the ‘X’ signifying the “exponential abilities that LX has in telling our communities unique stories,” according to the company.

Rooted in NBC and Telemundo owned stations’ commitment to provide live, local news to bilingual audiences, LX will deliver what the station group says Gen Z and millennial audiences are looking for: “storytelling that is stirring, straightforward and helps them feel connected to our diverse society. LX’s Visual Storytellers will deliver in-depth and visually rich content that focuses on communities.”

Beginning today, audiences can watch LX news stories on YouTube at NBCLX, on LX.com and across social media platforms @NBCLX. In April 2020, LX will debut as an over-the-air and streaming network with live programming playing an important role. Click here to watch LX’s trailer video.

“Our younger audiences want stories that are relatable,” said Valari Staab, president, NBCUniversal Owned Television Stations. “They want to feel a connection with the people delivering the news to them. They want more context about what’s happening in their neighborhoods. LX will deliver this and more.

“Our team has been working hard to create a place that younger audiences can go to watch stories that are about them, and get the background about complex issues happening in their own backyard but still walk away feeling inspired about the power we all have to affect positive changes for our communities. We look forward to staying hyper-connected and engaged with our LX audiences to continue telling stories that enhance their news experience.”

Embedded in their local communities and charged with creating and delivering compelling visual news stories about the places they live in and work, LX’s visual storytellers are:

• Chase Cain (@ChaseCainNBC), LX’s Los Angeles-based Visual Storyteller. After working for Hulu and creating digitally native stories about original series like The Handmaid’s Tale, at LX, Cain delivers stories about the environment, spirituality topics and examines political issues through a new lens. He is using 360° video to explore some of the country’s most interesting places. A recipient of multiple Associated Press and regional Emmy Awards, and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award, Cain earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of Georgia.

• Ngozi Ekeledo (@NgoziEkeledo), LX’s Boston-based Visual Storyteller. After working as a studio host and reporter for the Big Ten Network in Chicago covering professional and college sports, and serving as a sports anchor/reporter for several local TV stations, at LX, Ekeledo examines society through the lens of culture and identity. She has written for the New York Times, Food & Wine, Chicago Tribune, NYLON, Vox and other outlets. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University.

• Clark Fouraker (@clarkfouraker), LX’s Dallas-based Visual Storyteller. With over a decade of experience working in local TV newsrooms, at LX Fouraker reports on technologies revolutionizing the way we live, efforts by companies and non-profits to do more social good and investigations impacting our way of life. He is the recipient of an Alfred I. duPont Award, a National Murrow Award, and two Emmy Awards. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunication and News from the University of Florida, and a master’s degree in Business Journalism from Columbia University.

• Bianca Graulau (@bgraulau), LX’s Miami-based Visual Storyteller. Graulau is a bilingual journalist and has extensive experience serving English, and Spanish-speaking audiences. At LX, Graulau delivers news stories about the environment, inequality and justice, among others. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she earned a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Syracuse University.

• Alexa Liautaud (@alexaliautaud), LX’s New York City-based Visual Storyteller. She joined LX after working for Vice News Tonight in VICE’s Washington, D.C. news bureau. At LX, Liautaud covers stories about social issues, politics, the military and national security, among others. She is fluent in French, is studying Arabic and earned a bachelor’s degree in History from Stanford University, and a master’s degree from Columbia University.

LX launches today with stories that focus on climate change and solutions with urban farming, a surfing program for black women, and a young female Asian chef and James Beard nominee who launched a successful restaurant in Boston without experience or training, with more stories set to publish on LX’s digital and social platforms.

Among LX’s launch stories:

• Fighting Rising Temperature with Urban Farming: Rural landscaping meets city planning to combat the rising temperatures in metropolitan areas in Dallas caused by too much concrete and not enough green.

• Surf: From Senegal to SoCal: A Venice, California surfing training program called ‘Black Girls Surf’ provides training for black women. The program was founded by a U.S. Coast Guard veteran after she noticed black women and girls, like her, didn’t surf.

• The Anti-Restaurant: The owner behind “Mei Mei” restaurant in Boston talks about the launch of her eatery, which some call the ‘anti-restaurant’ because she launched it without any official culinary experience or training. A Zagat “30 Under 30” and Forbes “30 Under 30” honoree and multiple-time James Beard Foundation nominee talks about the impact her culinary venture has had on her family and community.

The station group added: The launch of LX “extends the NBCUniversal Owned TV Stations’ commitment to local news by innovating within the local broadcast sphere by creating a news brand that is solely dedicated to serving younger audiences and reinventing their news experience. LX offers opportunities for local and national advertising through its dedicated digital site and social channels, and through its over-the-air linear TV and streaming network, once it launches next year. The LX ad model will respond to audience’s changing expectations, with fewer and shorter commercial breaks.”