• by Sara Guaglione , October 20, 2020

Content aggregation platform Flipboard has launched a new series called “Truth Seekers,” which aims to “highlight thoughtful, objective voices to provide insights on the divisive issues of the day,” according to the description.

“In a world where everything seems to be politicized, there are still experts whose primary motivation is to seek the truth.”

A selection of experts curated their picks for the must-read articles, on topics such as the impact of COVID-19, the economy and climate.

They are packaged as Flipboard Storyboards, a featured that launched in June.

The curators include Dan Vallone, U.S. director of nonprofit organization More in Common; Margaret Sullivan, media columnist for The Washington Post; Andrew Ross Sorkin, financial columnist for The New York Times and co-anchor of CNBC’s “Squawk Box”; Dr. Marshall Shepherd, weather and climate expert; Alan Miller, president and CEO of The News Literacy Project, a nonprofit media literacy organization; Dr. Howard Henderson, founding director of the Center for Justice Research; Margaret Grennan, moderator of CBS News’ “Face the Nation”; and Helen Branswell, STAT's infectious diseases and global health reporter, among others.

Flipboard plans to add more curators over the coming weeks and months.

The company has collaborated with a number of guest curators over the years on various topics. Its "Politics Rundown" newsletters, for example, are curated by guest editors, such as Charlie Mahtesian, senior politics editor at Politico, and Louie Villalobos, Politics Now editor at USA Today.

Flipboard’s Storyboards allow curators to package new and archival articles, images and videos using the Curator Pro tool, to provide context and background on a timely issue or event. 

(Last week, Flipboard expanded Curator Pro to all users — not just publishers and verified bloggers.)

Storyboards serve as “published collections of content,” Flipboard vice president of content and communications Marci McCue told Publishers Daily this summer.

Aggregated content on Flipboard is typically curated into magazine-like packages. The magazines are updated in an “ongoing way” — users and publishers can continue to add articles and videos on specific topics of interest. There are currently more than 30 million Flipboard magazines.

Separately, Flipboard recently announced a new analytics dashboard that provides audience insights, such as impressions, open rate and time spent. The dashboard can help users gauge what type of content is most popular with their audiences.

“Previously, only publishers could see traffic from Flipboard through their own analytics and other curators had very limited insights,” stated Troy Brant, vice president of engineering at Flipboard. “This is our first step toward illuminating the value people get from the thoughtful and insightful magazines on Flipboard.”

Flipboard added three new features to expand its discovery and sharing opportunities.

“Today’s Picks” is a daily selection of Flipboard magazines and Storyboards chosen by its editors, around timely or inspiring topics.  Users’ “For You” feed now surfaces relevant magazines and Storyboards curated by the community, under “Recommended Magazines.” A “Featured Magazines” carousel now pulls up magazines and Storyboards specific to a topic feed.