The Washington Post is experimenting with WhatsApp and other key messaging apps ahead of the German elections on September 24. Foreign reporter Rick Noack, on the ground in Berlin, will anchor an online community, bringing users into the reporting process and giving them a behind the scenes look at how stories come together. He’ll also share relevant Post content and solicit contributions from subscribers to the community to aid in his reporting.
“The Post’s foreign correspondents have built robust followings on their social channels, connecting readers with their reporting in a more personal way. We’re taking the same approach to this experiment with messaging apps, offering users an opportunity to interact directly with Rick around what will be Europe’s likely last major election this year,” said Jennifer Hassan, a social media editor embedded with the foreign team.
The Washington Post will use WhatsBroadcast to publish content to: WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Telegram.
Users can submit and receive information in both German and English.
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Subscribers should expect to receive 1-2 updates per day over the next three weeks.