New app will empower people to engage more in the political process

The E.W. Scripps Co. is arming the public with the power to stay informed and to influence their representatives in Washington. Its newest app, Podium, combines the company's mission to educate and inform with the convenience of mobile technology. 

Podium filters news and information specific to the politicians and the legislation in which a user is interested. Going beyond just informing people, the app leverages the power of social media to get them directly involved in the political process. 

"Podium is all about citizen empowerment," said Adam Symson, chief digital officer for Scripps. "Having information about what our elected representatives are doing in Washington is certainly important, but being able to directly take action at that moment to influence government and participate in our representative democracy makes Podium a game-changer." 

In Podium, users can follow congressional leaders based on their geography or the topics they find interesting. Once they understand a bill or issue, the app directly connects them to the politicians to express their opinions through Facebook, Twitter, email or phone. 

The app was designed for a broad base of users, from the most casual political observer to the most ardent political operative. Podium is now available for free in the iTunes App Store. 

Podium joins a growing portfolio of digital media products purchased and produced by Scripps, including Weathersphere, which it recently acquired, mobile video news service Newsy, which it bought in January; youth sports organization site Youthletic; the weather radio app Storm Shield; and political podcast service DecodeDC.