HLN aims to become the TV home for the social media generation, network President Albie Hecht announced today.
As part its full rebranding, the network will be curating its news from across social platforms and blogs, and highlight the most trending, viral stories while pointing out those social users creating the most buzz.
“While others report on the conversation, HLN will be a part of it,” said @AlbieHechtHLN. “Just as MTV was adopted by a disconnected target audience that was underserved by television, HLN will be the first TV home to embrace the social media generation and champion its interests.”
That quote right from the channel’s chief provides a subtle hint: when is the last time you’ve seen a press release identify a network president by Twitter handle?
The first show built off the new social storytelling will be “RightThisMinute,” premiering tonight at 10pmET. The network dubs it as the first broadcast show dedicated solely to spotlighting the most captivating web videos and the stories behind them before they go viral. As we’ve covered before, the show has been making waves as a partnership between Cox Media Group, Raycom Media, E.W. Scripps Company and MagicDust Television.
Viewers can expect new shows featuring animation, gaming, and clips to premiere throughout the year with new hosts.
And as to the current HLN hosts: the network’s new social media DNA will be filtered into shows like “Morning Express with Robin Meade,” “News Now,” Jane Velez-Mitchell, Nancy Grace, and “Dr. Drew On Call” gradually.
This is certainly a bold move by HLN to turn the traditional cable news format on its head and see if social generated storytelling can rate. The network has scored big during huge crime stories like the Casey Anthony, Jodi Arias, and George Zimmerman trial, which certainly generate their fare share of social chatter and viral videos.
We’ll be covering HLN’s social conversion as it develops.