Snapchat signs up TV partners for Discover launch

Mobile messaging service Snapchat has partnered with a host of major TV broadcasters and publishers to launch a new in-app feature called Snapchat Discover.

Discover will let Snapchat users explore stories from different professional editorial teams, with media partners already signed up to the service including National Geographic, Vice Media, Yahoo News, Comedy Central, CNN, ESPN and Scripps.

Partners are able to post editions of content to their own individual channels, with Snapchat Discover supporting photos, videos, long-form text and advertising.

Announcing the launch, Snapchat said that Discover will allow media companies to “build a storytelling format that puts the narrative first”, claiming that the service is built with creatives in mind.

“This is not social media. Social media companies tell us what to read based on what’s most recent or most popular. We see it differently. We count on editors and artists, not clicks and shares, to determine what’s important,” said Snapchat.

CNN, one of the initial launch partners, said that it will deliver a new Discover edition on Snapchat every 24 hours, featuring five or more global news stories that are picked and published by its editorial and design teams “specifically for the Snapchat community.”

Each story will be headlined by a top ‘Snap’ – a ten-second video or animated teaser – with users able to swipe up for more in-depth reporting or swipe left for the next story.

“We’re always seeking out new audiences and advertisers, and it’s more important than ever to tailor content to suit the platform,” said Andrew Morse, senior vice-president and general manager of CNN Digital.

Scripps-owned TV channel Food Network is also launching a daily edition on Snapchat Discover, featuring five to ten stories based around seasonal and topical food themes, tips and recipes, cooking basics and food news.

“Audiences are more food-conscious than ever before and the Discover Food Network channel on Snapchat will provide users with the great content they love, designed specifically for their mobile devices,” said Brooke Johnson, president of Food Network and Cooking Channel.