The Huffington Post is calling its new creation Highline.
While we don't know yet how high it will be, to me it is another example of how publications handle the two tempos for presenting and consuming information in the era of the media quintet. It is also a very specific example on the issue of frequency, something we discuss often in this blog.
As Huffington executive editors Rachel Morris and Greg Veis introduced the new product, we notice the references to time:
It’s a new digital home for an old journalistic tradition. Think of it as a magazine that only runs cover stories—big, ambitious pieces intended to change the way you see the world or influence the course of policy. Investigations will take months, essays will be finely considered, the subjects we choose to write about will feel urgent and essential. At the same time, we’ll be experimenting with the many tools that become available when no paper or staples are involved. Our goal is as straightforward as it is difficult: We want to publish stories that stay with you.
Notice the reference to investigations taking months to complete, a sure handshake to traditional journalism, but difficult for a newsroom crew to imagine in the days of the instant flow of information on those mobile devices. I applaud Highline before I even tap into it. It is a way for The Huffington Post to acknowledge the importance of that second tempo, the relaxing one, where the more traditional narrative styles gain a sure footing, something that I am convinced all those mobile-addicted members of our audience crave for in their down time.
I found it interesting to read that editors Morris and Veis are aware of this, encouraging their audience to support Highline.
You’re only imperiling the future of long form journalism if you don’t.
