CBC Revenue Group

CBC News unveiled its new online look this week, and debuted a new mobile app alongside.

The new app, which is available for free on iPhone, iPad, BlackBerry and Android devices, emphasizes breaking and local news, weather, photos and videos, Rachel Nixon, director of digital media for CBC News, tells MiC.

"We know almost 40% of Canadians are using their mobile devices to keep up with the news every single day, so as Canada's national broadcaster it's really important we are there on the devices they're using to serve their needs," she says.

Michka Mancini, director, digital sales, CBC media sales and marketing, tells MiC that there will be "more integrated and strategic" ad products and placements online and in the app.

"We are very excited about the fresh and new look of CBCNews.ca," she says. "The redesigned CBCNews.ca offers advertisers new ad products and placements across our web and mobile platforms, which can be customized to suit a variety of budgets and marketing objectives."

To promote the app and redesign, CBC News has a two-week campaign running online, on TV and in print, across the country.

The creative was done in-house and media was handled by M2 in Toronto. Xtreme Labs, also in Toronto, developed the app.

The purpose of the redesign of the website, the look of which hadn't been changed in two years, was to make the site more easily navigable while increasing the focus on breaking news.

"Our mandate is a broad one, being the public broadcaster, so it's really important we retain our current audience and also attract new audiences," says Nixon. "What we're trying to do, particularly, is to reach people where it's relevant to them, and that's what people have told us - we've got to be where they are."