SAN FRANCISCO, March 13, 2017 /CNW/ -- Frankly Inc. (TSX VENTURE: TLK) (Frankly), a leader in transforming local TV broadcast and media companies by enabling them to publish and monetize their digital content onto multiscreen devices, has appointed Tom Rogers as its new Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective immediately. Rogers, who has been a board member since October 2016, assumes the chairman role from Steve Chung, while Chung will continue to lead the company as the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director. This change represents the separation of the role of Chairman and CEO, in accordance with best practices of public company corporate governance as part of its internal preparation for its NASDAQ application.

Frankly principally works with hundreds of local TV station news organizations across the country to drive more use of their local content on digital and mobile devices by upgrading the look, feel and content appeal of their news sites. "From our first meeting, Tom and I have always shared the same goal of helping traditional media companies not only broadcast their stories to an increasingly mobile and digital audience, but also promote greater consumer engagement with differentiated local content," commented Chung. "He has been an incredible asset for us from strategy to customer acquisition even during his short tenure as our independent director, and I am ecstatic that he has agreed to take on further responsibility as our new Chairman. Tom's enhanced role will enable us to further leverage his thought leadership and operational experience to accelerate the disruption we've already created in the multi-billion-dollar traditional broadcasting market."

Rogers brings 30+ years of experience developing and transforming a wide range of companies within the media and cable industries. Formerly President and CEO of TiVo, he cemented himself as a visionary executive over the years, known widely for his strategic decision-making and industry clout. Rogers was also the President of NBC Cable, where he founded CNBC, one of the nation's leading business news channel, and established the NBC/Microsoft cable channel and Internet joint venture, MSNBC. He is a member of the Broadcasting Hall of Fame, the Cable Hall of Fame, and has received Emmy Awards for his numerous contributions to the development of advanced television. Rogers has served as chairman or director of a number of public companies over his career. He is currently Executive Chairman of WinView, Inc., which provides a unique offering at the intersection of gaming and live TV sports.

Rogers received a B.A. in government from Wesleyan University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

"Prior to and since my appointment to Frankly's Board, I have been impressed with the company's ability to revitalize the local news industry," added Rogers. "As national media providers increasingly struggle to grasp the pulse of their audience, local broadcasters now have more opportunities to grow and influence their communities by taking advantage of their first-rate video assets just as digital and mobile distribution of top notch video content has become more valuable than ever. Being an innovator in multi-screen content management, Frankly empowers local TV stations and other media companies to reach and grow their audiences through a great user experience, along with insights from digital data to drive further optimization of their news offerings. I'm eager to help the company build on its market share in the local media space and leverage its footprint to expand into other verticals in order to transform its role in the broader media landscape."     

Separately, Rogers and Steve Zenz, the Chair of the Company's Audit Committee, are each entitled to receive 7,058 Company RSUs pursuant to their Director agreements with the Company, and 1,764 of these RSUs were previously issued to each in November of 2016. Effective today, the Company has issued Rogers and Zenz the remaining 5,294 RSUs and has granted each an additional 3,529 RSUs as compensation for their services. Each RSU entitles the holder thereof to receive one Frankly common share. These RSUs are scheduled to be fully vested by the end of 2017.

About Frankly
Frankly (TSX VENTURE: TLK) builds an integrated software platform for media companies to create, distribute, analyze and monetize their content across all of their digital properties on web, mobile and TV.  Its customers include NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX affiliates, as well as other leading media organizations. Collectively, Frankly reaches nearly 60 million monthly users in the United States. The company is headquartered in San Francisco with major offices in New York. To learn more, visit www.franklyinc.com.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Frankly and their respective businesses.  Forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release, may not occur by certain specified dates or at all and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the parties.  No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed.  Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Frankly undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

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SOURCE Frankly Inc.

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