The launch of Mediahuis Noord’s new Stories App marked a significant advancement in journalism. It was a win-win for our readers and editorial staff, enabling us to concentrate on delivering distinctive journalism and serving as a trusted guide.

In the bustling environment of a newsroom, especially within a regional newspaper like ours, readers often face an overwhelming flood of information.

Mediahuis Noord, deeply embedded in the northern Netherlands, publishes three daily newspapers — Dagblad van het Noorden, Leeuwarder Courant, and Friesch Dagblad — along with eight bi-weekly paid newspapers and 33 free weeklies.

Despite the abundance of news, the challenge remains: Much of it is freely available on social media and local broadcasts, making traditional news less distinctive.

Our approach shifts focus from mere news delivery to providing context and relevance, explaining why events happen and what they mean for our readers. This strategy enhances the value of our journalism, drawing on deeper insights and analysis.

Always innovating 

During 2022, we initiated our “Eight of the Day,” where news editors pre-select topics for in-depth coverage, enriching them digitally with interactive elements for online specialisation. Our mantra, “Less is more,” aims to make these stories stand out and avoid getting lost in the regular news flow.

In 2023, we chose to prioritise our subscribers, adopting a data-driven approach, leveraging our unique identity, and fostering community interaction.

The Stories App highlights our signature stories, such as the Eight of the Day, in a full-screen, swipeable format reminiscent of TikTok, featuring top-notch photography and video reels. This format showcases our best stories and combats the FOMO, or fear of missing out, amongst our readers.

The team has expertly tailored the app to meet our journalistic needs. It integrates all our content offerings, including a native audio player for podcasts, the digital newspaper, and local news sections by municipality. The app also includes daily news puzzles and a moderated discussion platform powered by Rhetoric AI.

Meeting changing audience needs

Building the Stories App from scratch with a small, agile team in close collaboration with the editorial staff not only ensured rapid progress but also kept us within budget. This approach provided the flexibility to adapt to unexpected complexities and changing user needs efficiently.

The Stories App is a testament to the synergy between our product and journalistic missions. The best part? Our readers agree.

Since its soft launch, the app has seen a 36% increase in weekly active users, with a significant rise in average engagement time per session. And we’re just getting started; there are numerous plans to personalise the app further and secure its place in our readers’ daily news rituals.

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