Have you met Kate? She’s a married mother of two and she’s the latest addition to the Grimsby Telegraph newsroom… virtually speaking!

Kate Carter is no ordinary reporter – she’s a virtual newsreader who talks from the computer screen, reporting the latest headlines and breaking news.

Known as a “newsbot”, Kate is an animated character who reads news to visitors at the website, www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk, from in front of Grimsby’s most iconic landmark – the Dock Tower.

She follows in the footsteps of Ananova, thought to be the world’s first ever virtual newscaster.

And her arrival is the latest technological step on thisisgrimsby, following the introduction of video reports, 24-hour breaking news, picture slideshows and much more.

Telegraph editor Michelle Lalor said: “Technology in the media industry has moved on in leaps and bounds, and now the internet is a major part of what we do.

“We have been running video reports every day now – and sometimes up to three or four videos a day – for more than a year.

“Breaking news 24-hours-a-day has been the norm for at least two years, and we have consistently been adding more interactive content to the site.

“We have done so much to it, we were left scratching our heads a little about what more we could do – and then the idea of the newsbot was born.

“They are a great example of how differently news can be reported – it’s all about novelty and fun.

“Of course, Kate is only virtual, but we wanted to give her a personality to make her what she effectively is – a new member of the reporting team.”

So they decided that she is a 35-year-old mum of two, who would like to be stuck in a lift with David Tennant or Johnny Depp but has rather dodgy tastes in music (her ring tone is Tight Fit’s The Lion Sleeps Tonight…)

Comments

Paul Lagan (16/05/2008 15:34:26)
Bet she’s paid virtually nothing – just like most over-worked journalists