By Charles Lefebvre

CHAT News Today launches

Feb 9, 2017 | 4:14 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Jim Pattison Broadcast Group launched its newest venture Thursday evening.

CHATNewsToday.ca, a new online platform dedicated to informing Medicine Hat and area about the latest news and community information, officially went live during a gathering at The Beveridge Landmark Events Centre in front of nearly 200 people.

“CHATNewsToday.ca is a gateway for Hatters to access news and information about our community and the world, and it will constantly be evolving to suit the community’s needs,” said Dave Sherwood, general manager of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group in Medicine Hat.

The centrepiece of the platform is the news section, powered by the award-winning CHAT Television newsroom. CHATNewsToday.ca will report local news and sports 24 hours a day, updating stories when new developments occur.

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“Hatters have shown a demand for online news content,” said Michael Popove, CHAT Television news anchor. “With over 25,000 likes on Facebook, our company is the most successful in town in terms of numbers connecting with our news content digitally.”

CHATNewsToday.ca will feature more in-depth stories that can’t fit on television, including web exclusive stories. The CHAT Television Newscast will also be available to view on the website if viewers miss it.

“Working with our broadcast properties, CHATNewsToday.ca is a game changer,” added Popove.

CHATNewsToday.ca will also feature opinions and columns, community news and events, flyers, classified ads, a dedicated section for automobile and real estate listings, and obituaries provided by local funeral homes.

“We’re very excited,” said Tim Weinberger, general sales manager with Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.  “Not only because CHATNewsToday.ca is new, but because we’ve got a new direction, new people, and new partners.”

Among the partners are the Medicine Hat Police Service, who will contribute a monthly column entitled “Beyond the Badge.”

And, most importantly, CHATNewsToday.ca is free to access.

There is no paywall, no limited number of stories you can read a month and no extra cost for premium content. All areas of CHATNewsToday.ca are free to access, wherever you are in the world.

“If you’re a member of the public and you want to put in a classified ad, or a community event, it’s free,” said Sherwood. “If you’re in real estate or the auto industry, and you want to show the public what you have to offer, it’s free.”

Visit www.CHATnewstoday.ca and follow us on Twitter @CHATNewsToday