Franklin News Foundation, the nonprofit, nonpartisan news-media organization that publishes The Center Square newswire service, announced Friday it has acquired Advanced Digital Media, operators of BlueRoomStream.com.
ADM live streams unedited coverage of countless government proceedings across the state of Illinois, such as legislative hearings and other taxpayer-funded government activities, news conferences involving elected officials and other newsmakers, and more. Through Blue Room Stream, it makes the live streams available to subscribers including both in-state and national broadcast media partners.
“Under the direction of Tony and Lisa Yuscius, ADM has built a 20-year reputation for providing dependable, unbiased, and unedited streaming coverage to its customers in Illinois and the television industry at large,” Franklin News Foundation said in a news release. The Yusciuses will remain in their current roles with the company.
By joining forces with ADM, Franklin assumes the responsibility of fostering the future growth and development of the platform, Chris Krug, president of Franklin, said in a statement.
“We are excited to have the opportunity to grow again and to take on the responsibility for the future of Advanced Digital Media and Blue Room Stream,” Krug, who also is publisher of The Center Square, said. “We are excited for Tony and Lisa to join us. ADM consistently delivers reliable, unbiased, and unedited streaming coverage to its customers here in Illinois as well as nationally to the television industry. ADM is a terrific match for our organization.
“Franklin has established a national reputation for providing the highest-quality straight news and information from state capitols, across the states, and through our reporting from Washington, D.C. Our team of journalists and digital producers will continue to maintain the quality of the products ADM creates, serve our customers, and innovate new and expanded offerings in the future that will bring value to our customers and the marketplace as a whole.”
As part of the acquisition, Franklin said it “will provide free access to select streams while the legislature is in session, and will explore allowing all college journalists in the state to receive free access to the streams we will produce.”
