CNN Politics Unveils New App 1

Courtesy CNN

CNN Politics has unveiled a new app for iOS devices that features a daily edition of political news. The app’s design and functionality is similar to Snapchat Discover where news outlets put out one edition each day. Sliding left and right features headlines and sliding downward can access additional information about the headline.

Juana Summers, who recently joined CNN after Mashable shed its news division, will be in charge of the app, choosing content and serving as senior editor.

The app also has an emphasis on political data, like polling and delegate counts. “From polling to fundraising to delegate counts, who is tracking well and who isn’t, there is a wealth of data associated with this historic campaign,” said Matthew Drooker, CNN’s vice president of app development and technology.

The app is powered by CA Technologies, an API management and mobile analytics company. CA Technologies helps to sponsor the technology on CNN’s election coverage and is the sole sponsor of the new app.

“The application economy has pushed the political discussion online and mobile. There is tremendous appetite to know what’s happening right now in this election, and the CNN Politics app satisfies that voter appetite with the tap of a single icon,” said Otto Berkes, the chief technology officer for CA Technologies.

The new app comes as CNN continues its digital push. The CNNPolitics webpage was revamped and there has been a hiring spree for digital journalists. Many of those journalists also contribute on television and Summers appeared on The Lead on Thursday to announce the app. CNN has also been adding new newsletters, such as the Nightcap and Reliable Sources, in an effort to spread its digital footprint. CNN also developed a chat bot for Facebook’s Messenger.