Al Jazeera English has refurbished its iPad app, adding what it terms a ‘social second screen’ alongside its subscription-free live TV feed. While watching live news, users will be able to view the channel’s official Twitter feeds, as well as their personal Twitter feeds and hashtags. Content can also be shared with friends, family and […]
Al Jazeera English has refurbished its iPad app, adding what it terms a ‘social second screen’ alongside its subscription-free live TV feed.
While watching live news, users will be able to view the channel’s official Twitter feeds, as well as their personal Twitter feeds and hashtags. Content can also be shared with friends, family and followers through Twitter, Facebook and email.
“We want to encourage ever more interaction with our content, and this development enables that interactivity to take place. This feature will especially come into its own during major breaking events,” said Moeed Ahmad, head of new media, Al Jazeera.
“We held workshops with viewers before building the apps. Twitter traffic went up exponentially during major events such as the Arab Spring and the Japanese earthquake where events were changing by the minute. Viewers were glued to TV coverage and social media. This app makes checking both so much easier,” he added.
Will Thorne, head of online, Al Jazeera English, said: “We’re especially pleased with the app’s user interface. Some news apps concentrate more on text, others on video. We think we’ve got the balance right. This new app takes advantage of the tendency to consume longer form content on the iPad in a more lean-back experience.”
The iPad enhancement follows the recent launch by Al Jazeera English of an Android tablet app.
