March 27, 2013
The Washington Post has revamped its flagship iPad application to incorporate digital replicas of print content besides Web articles.
The Washington Post app packages multimedia, news and social media right into a digital hub of content. Norfolk Southern Corporation is the launch sponsor of the app.
“We desired to create a customised experience for our users, as a way to experience Post content in a lot of ways—a replica of the newspaper, dynamic content through the day, real-time social media, live videos and discussions and more,” said Cory Haik, executive producer for digital news at Washington Post, Washington.
Read on mobile
The app combines the Washington Post’s Website – which includes breaking news and blogs – with a digital replica of the daily print newspaper.
Additionally, the app archives two weeks’ worth of digital print replicas and 40 comic strips.
Washington Post digital replicas
The goal behind aggregating both online and print content is to succeed in two different reader demographics – people who prefer an everyday paper and those that want real-time news.
The app is decided up in order that consumers swipe from the left side of the screen to the correct to access stories.
Consumers can save articles to read later or share content via email, Facebook and Twitter.
Readers can watch live video, flick thru photo galleries and think about sports scores.
Another one of several app’s sections – The Forum – lets consumers customize news via Twitter. Readers can flick through categories which include politics or sports find hubs of tweeted content from journalists, athletes or local media.
Banner ads for Norfolk Southern Corporation direct users to page where they could learn more concerning the company by clicking on content around a city scene.
The Norfolk Southern Corporation ads
Washington Post will offer free access to the app until this summer. Then, the iPad app will fall in keeping with the Washington Post’s launch of metered subscriptions.
The Washington Post will launch a metered paywall this summer that limits non-subscribers to twenty digital articles every week. Print subscribers have full access to the app, but prices for digital-only content haven’t been released by the corporate yet.
Mobile past
The Washington Post was active in mobile with some time now.
Last summer, the publisher launched a city guide iPhone app to assist consumers discover town (see story).
Additionally, the Washington Post launched an iPad app for election season last year as an interactive hub for political-themed content (see story).
“Mobile users are among our fastest growing, and we’re committed to serving that audience,” Mr. Haik said.
Final Take
Lauren Johnson is associate reporter on Mobile Marketer, New York
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