Washington Post App Lets Readers Interact With News On TV

The Washington Post has launched an app that lets consumers read and interact with news stories on smart TVs.

The app — which can also be downloaded to computers or smart phones — offers The Post’s “most important and interesting news and analysis in an easy-to-read, uninterrupted browsing experience,” according to the publisher.

Readers can scroll through the full-screen graphic images to explore headlines and go deeper into a story by clicking through to read articles, watch video, or listen to audio. The content is curated by the publication’s emerging news product team.

Although videos are part of the offering, “This isn’t a video product,” said Kat Downs Mulder, the publication’s vice president, product and design. “We have created a forward-looking experience that lets readers access our journalism in a convenient way and discover a different role that news can play in their lives.” 

Available free on Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV, the app is sponsored by SAP, which works with media agency PHD. 

During the app concept development, The Post’s in-house research team used experience management solutions from Qualtrics, acquired by SAP in January, to collect and analyze feedback about Fire TV owners’ habits and preferences..

The Post also used the SAP Qualtrics Core XM platform to conduct tests of the app and collect reactions to help shape product iterations and features. “Hearing directly from customers was vital to developing a new navigation system based on TV remotes rather than touch screens,” said Downs Mulder.

Next story loading loading..