Brookfield-based Shorewest Realtors Inc. believes it is the first real estate agency in the nation to create its own 24-hour cable digital television channel.
Shorewest TV debuted earlier this month on Time Warner Digital Cable channel 139 in the Milwaukee market. The channel has round-the-clock programming on home buying and selling, mortgage management and decorating tips.
"It's a really robust channel, not just a flat real estate listings channel," said Shorewest president Joseph Horning.
The channel has new programming for a 24-hour time period, and then repeats programs the following day at different times, said Wendy Norem, Shorewest's marketing director.
Shorewest TV is different than other new channels, such the channel provided by HomeSale Realty, Norem said.
"HomeSale Realty has Video On Demand, where you go to the station and select what you want to see," she said. "Shorewest TV has actual programming on all day long."
Horning said he expects many viewers to watch Shorewest TV on a regular basis, regardless of whether or not they're interested in buying and selling a home.
"You can see the inside of $1 million homes, get decorating ideas," he said.
The channel has a half-hour show on high end-homes that Shorewest plans to air four times a day.
Horning expects digital cable to become a significant advertising tool for Shorewest.
"It's one more way to bring more buyers and sellers to the table," he said. "More people have cable than have Internet access, and this may have a higher impact on the community, reach a demographic that may not have online access.
