E! Network to Produce Daily Online Show

Variety announced today that E! is boosting its online news efforts, greenlighting a new broadband skein dubbed "E! News Now."

Cabler will produce at least 12 daily editions of the online skein, which will be hosted by thesp Valery Ortiz ("What About Brian?") and former MSNBC reporter Ashlan Gorse ("The Hot List"). Each seg will run between one and two minutes in length and focus on a single breaking story or general topic.

In addition to distributing the segs via its own website, "E! News Now" will be available via mobile phones and yet-to-be announced distribution partners.

"'E! News Now' will allow us to bring (breaking) stories to our users as quickly as possible," said John Najarian, senior VP of new media and business development for E! parent Comcast Entertainment Group.