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For more than 30 years, John Kiesewetter has been the source for information about all things in local media — comings and goings, local people appearing on the big or small screen, special programs, and much more. Contact John at johnkiese@yahoo.com.

Alexa, What's The News?

WCPO-TV has found a new way for 9 to be on your side. If you have an Amazon voice-activated virtual assistant, getting local news headlines from Channel 9 will be as simple as asking, "Alexa, what's the news?"

Cincinnati-based E.W. Scripps Company has brought local TV news headlines in 23 Scripps local TV markets to users of Amazon Echo and all Alexa-enabled devices, the company announced Wednesday.

Local Scripps TV stations are adding their voices to other media organizations providing news updates to Alexa, including National Public Radio, CNN and Scripps' national Newsy network. The local news will be updated throughout the day, the company said.

“Through our broadcast, web and mobile products, and now through virtual assistants, our local TV stations are committed to delivering news in all the places where consumers are engaged,” said Brian Lawlor, Scripps senior vice president of broadcast, in the media release. “As connected devices surge in popularity, our stations are tailoring their news and information to those platforms in order to deliver it into the home.”

The company provided these instructions: The local headlines in Flash Briefing from Scripps stations can be enabled in the Skill Store of the Alexa app or on amazon.com. Once enabled, users can ask, “Alexa, what’s the news?” or “Alexa, what’s my flash briefing?” and Alexa will deliver audio of the latest headline news from the selected Scripps market.

Scripps launched Roku channels for each of its TV brands a few months ago.

John Kiesewetter, who has covered television and media for more than 35 years, has been working for Cincinnati Public Radio and WVXU-FM since 2015.