WRAL launches on Kapang powered by View TV to expand revenues and international reach

Capitol Broadcasting’s WRAL-TV  Joins Kapang Platform to Expand Its Revenue and International Reach 

Capitol Broadcasting Company (CBC), the owner and operator of WRAL-TV, the NBC affiliate for the Research Triangle area in North Carolina, has announced a new partnership with Kapang, a connected TV platform owned and operated by View TV, to launch its service as a Kapang FAST channel in the UK and USA. 

FAST channels, or free ad-supported streaming TV channels, are a new form of online video content that offers viewers a variety of programming without any subscription fees or sign-ups. 

FAST channels can be either linear or on-demand, but the main difference from traditional TV channels is that they are delivered over the internet and supported by ads. 

WRAL-TV is the flagship station of CBC, which has been a pioneer and leader in the broadcast industry for more than 65 years. WRAL-TV offers  top-rated news, weather, sports, and documentary content to its viewers, as well as original programming and special events. WRAL-TV was the first to broadcast its newscasts in HD, 4K, and ATSC 3.0 in the US. 

By joining Kapang as a FAST channel, WRAL-TV will be able to reach and monetize millions of connected TV (CTV) users across the UK and USA, who are more engaged and loyal than traditional TV viewers. Kapang provides end-to-end solutions for creating and distributing FAST channels, from content ingestion and encoding to playout and distribution to ad insertion and monetization to analytics and reporting. 

Kapang also provides unique features and benefits for broadcasters and content owners, such as: 

• Access to a large and global audience of CTV users, who are expected to grow to over 1.3 billion by 2024. 
• Ability to leverage existing content libraries and create curated channels that cater to different viewer preferences and interests. 
• Opportunity to monetize content through various ad revenue models, such as dynamic ad insertion (DAI), server-side ad insertion (SSAI), programmatic advertising, etc. 
• Use of broadcast-grade technology that ensures high quality, reliability, and security of the FAST channels. 
• Compliance with the different laws and regulations of each country where the FAST channels operate, as well as protection of the content from piracy and unauthorized use. 

The launch of WRAL-TV on Kapang as a FAST channel is expected to generate millions of hours of additional viewership and additional channel revenues for CBC. It will also provide more choice, flexibility, and convenience for viewers who want to watch their favourite content online. 

WRAL-TV is one of the first major US local broadcasters to join Kapang as a FAST channel. In 2017, it was also the first US broadcaster to deliver content using ATSC 3.0 technology. This demonstrates CBC’s commitment to innovation and excellence in the broadcast industry. 

Jon Accarrino, CBC’s VP of Transformation & Strategic Initiatives said: “We are excited to partner with Kapang to help bring our WRAL News+ channel to new audiences in the United Kingdom as well as strengthen our audience growth in the United States.” 

Kapang’s CEO Jamie Branson said: “We are delighted to welcome WRAL TV to our platform as a FAST channel. We are impressed by their quality of content and their leadership in the broadcast industry. We are looking forward to working with them to create a successful FAST channel that will attract and retain CTV users in the UK and USA.” 

WRAL-TV is expected to launch on Kapang as a FAST channel in early November 2023. Until then, interested users from across the UK and USA can sign up for an opportunity for early access by visiting the Kapang website. 

About Capitol Broadcasting Company: 
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAZ-TV, WRAL-FM, WRAL-HD2, WNGT-CD, WCMC-FM, WCMC-HD1, WDNC-AM, WCMC-HD2, WCMC-HD3, WCLY-AM, WCMC-HD4, Microspace, WRAL Digital and Wolfpack Sports Properties (a joint venture with Learfield) in Raleigh, NC; WILM-TV, WILT-LD and Sunrise Broadcasting in Wilmington, NC; The Durham Bulls Baseball Club, Bull City Hospitality, the American Underground startup hub in Durham, NC; and real estate interests including the American Tobacco Historic District in Durham, NC, and Rocky Mount Mills in Rocky Mount, NC.