Gore Group to Start Cable Channel as Youth Forum

[NVMojo]

April 4, 2005; Page B6

A cable channel recently acquired by an investment group led by Al Gore is to relaunch Aug. 1 under the name Current, hoping to generate much of its content from viewers.

The former vice president and his partners, including entrepreneur Joel Hyatt, are taking an unconventional approach to TV programming in hopes of attracting viewers aged 18 to 34. That demographic, heavily sought by advertisers, has become difficult for TV networks and newspapers to reach.

Messrs. Gore and Hyatt say they hope young people will use the channel as a forum to express their opinions on news and current events. Viewers will be invited to submit short films, documentaries and home videos to be aired on the channel. Mr. Gore's group also has struck a deal with Google Inc. to use information from Google in its programming.

Now called Newsworld International, the channel was acquired from Vivendi Universal SA last year for about $70 million. Mr. Gore is chairman of the investment group, while Mr. Hyatt is chief executive. The two will unveil their plans for the channel today at a cable-industry convention in San Francisco.

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http://online.wsj.com/article_email/0,,SB111257989467896817-IZje4NolaZ4o5uuaICGbqmEm5,00.html

[patricia92243]

1. Content from viewers will not be of lasting interest I'm afraid.

[The Devils Advocate]

2. Content from executive decision-makers has been terrible.

So lets hear what the people want to hear about.

Edited grammer