Last February we spoke with HLN president Albie Hecht about the ‘new’ HLN – one that was going to be the new TV home for the social media generation. “I always look for the white space, a place where there’s an audience being underserved to try and build a brand around,” Hecht told us at the time. The audience Hecht was referring to is millennials; the white space, modern-day TV news.
Pretty lofty stuff, but it has since been a quiet year for HLN. Now, as reported by AdAge, HLN will be rolling out a new daytime talk show called ‘The Daily Share,’ which, according to Tim Mallon, Senior VP, Business Development and Operations at HLN, ‘will reflect what people are searching for, playing and creating online, aggregating the best social media news and lifestyle content of the day.’ Writes AdAge of the new format and the show’s deal with T-Mobile:
HLN is moving away from the traditional anchor desk on “The Daily Share” and replacing it with what it calls the “Social Circle.” This will be a place where the hosts and guests can talk, Mr. Mallon said, adding that the new format will better allow for spontaneous interaction and conversation in two directions. That echoes with the new premise of HLN: giving viewers a say in the news that the network airs.
AdvertisementThe set was designed to be a blend between a start-up and coffee house, Mr. Mallon said. The network intentionally steered away from a high-tech and futuristic design in favor of keeping the set warm and approachable.
As part of T-Mobile’s one-year deal, which Mr. DeLuca categorized as “bullish,” the company will receive prominent placement throughout “The Daily Share,” including the display of its name on the Social Circle. T-Mobile is also curating its own segment of user-generated content during the show.
Outside of ‘The Daily Share,’ HLN’s social-first strategy appears to be coming together quickly. ‘Jack Vale: Offline,’ a show that follows the YouTube star and his prank-led hijinks, premiered on Tuesday in primetime. Coming soon are shows with titles such as ‘The Social Life,’ ‘Beyond the Like,’ ‘Wkly M@shup,’ ‘America’s Most Liked,’ ‘Keywords,’ and ‘NewsToonz.’
HLN sister network CNN will be following the progress of the new HLN very closely as it continues to experience programming pains. Should HLN succeed with even one or two of these new social-first shows, CNN will likely then jump on the bandwagon with its own social programming.