How BuzzFeed’s “AM to DM” Is Transforming Morning News

AM to DM isnamp8217t BuzzFeed Newsamp8217 first time at the live streaming rodeo Back in November BuzzFeed News and Twitter partnered up for election coverage amp160The success of the venture led to talks about regular programming amp160Morning news was amp8220so far away from anything weamp8217d ever doneamp8221 recalls BuzzFeedamp8217s Head of US News Shani Hilton who plays an advisory role for the show amp160amp8220But Twitter came to us and said thatamp8217s what they wanted to work on with us and we were like amp8216OK Letamp8217s tryamp8217amp8221A Balance of Topics and GuestsThe show airing at 10 am EST every day is executive produced by Cindy VanegasGesuale and hosted by cultural critic Saeed Jones pictured at top left and founding books editor Isaac Fitzgerald top right amp160Regular segments include roundups of popular tweets and viewersamp8217 responses to the show breakdowns of buzzy news stories the latest in politics and life advice from Jones amp160Guests who stop by for sitdown interviews run the gamut from highprofile celebrities to amp8220people who have earned their popularity on Twitteramp8221 as senior booking producer Edward WyckoffWilliams notes amp160Recent guests have included New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio Real Housewives star Bethenny Frankel also of Skinny Girl fameamp160Ryan Scott star of the recently viral Ciao videosamp160and Joe Gatto and James amp8220Murramp8221 Murphy the hosts of truTVamp8217s Impractical Jokers amp160Pictured below left to right Murphy Gatto and FitzgeraldEven the guests see the value of the show amp8220I love livestreaming directly to where people are on their phones all the timeamp8221 says Gatto amp160amp8220I think thatamp8217s a really smart move amp160People are on their phones and on Twitter all the time so AM to DM is going right to themamp8221Notably AM to DM knows how to balance pop culture and hard news amp160amp8220Thatamp8217s the spirit of BuzzFeed News we can debunk amp8216fake Melaniaamp8217 but also drop a really big investigationamp8221 says Hilton adding that BuzzFeed News stories are often broken on the air amp160amp8220It makes the show feel really urgentamp8221 she says amp160That urgency undoubtedly factors into the showamp8217s popularity among Millennials who make up 78 percent of the audience But thereamp8217s no explicit strategy for engaging with the demographic Itamp8217s an inherent connection that results from the delivery platform and the BuzzFeed staff being a mirror image of its viewersamp8220You canamp8217t fake the funk itamp8217s just who we areamp8221 says Jones who prefers to skirt labels like amp8220Millennialamp8221 amp160amp8220Weamp8217re trying to think genuinely like amp8216What are we wondering aboutamp8217 because chances are people out there are wondering too amp160I think if youamp8217re under the age of 35 if you are a queer person if you are a person of color then youamp8217re used to not seeing your questions honored or answered on certainly morning shows letamp8217s be real but in general a lot of shows amp160Itamp8217s exciting when you feel like your questions are being answered amp160Thatamp8217s a powerful momentamp8221The Content Is the ConversationCreating a show amp8220for a Twitter audienceamp8221 as Fitzgerald explains means that the hosts are a part of the conversation amp160amp8220Weamp8217re not explaining the conversation to you which is something you see on a lot of other outletsamp8221 he saysDiscussions on Twitter arenamp8217t amp8220on the sidelinesamp8221 adds Jones amp160amp8220Itamp8217s the gameamp8221 amp160The hosts and their colleagues in the setamp8217s adjoining conference room keep their eyes on their timelines as the show airs getting visual assets cleared and responding to viewer feedback with lightning speed a hassle thatamp8217s worth it says Jones amp160amp8220People watching the show are very savvy about news theyamp8217re passionate about news and theyamp8217re passionate about Twitteramp8221 he continuesEmbracing AdvertisersThis idea extends to the showamp8217s advertising as well amp160Populating AM to DM are commercials and sponsored segments the latter of which Hilton and VanegasGesuale create to feel 100 percent authentic amp160amp8220The requirement for us is does it feel like something we would do anyway that an advertiser can put their name next toamp8221 explains Hilton amp160amp8220The way that we think about it and I think advertisers feel the same is it39s only going to be good if it feels true to our voice and our spiritamp8221One such example is the Wendyamp8217ssponsored amp8220Science Saysamp8221 segment during which BuzzFeed News reporter Lam Vo revealed how to discern a Twitter bot from a human These segments are so seamlessly integrated with the rest of the show says Jones that the teleprompter will display amp8220WorkSafe Languageamp8221 to remind him to watch his tongue Beyond that the brands play no editorial role in the content amp160Neither does Twitter for that matter meaning that Jones and Fitzgerald can comfortably talk about issues such as harassment on the social media platform with hopes thatamp160founder and CEO Jack Dorsey will take note amp160amp8220Advertisers trust that we know what we39re doingamp8221 says Hilton amp160amp8220Weamp8217re really flattered by the advertiser interest amp160Itamp8217s been really cool having great partners see the potential in this thing that never existedamp8221The AM to DM team canamp8217t say for sure whether their show will mark a shift in live programming on Twitter but according to Hilton much can be learned from the ambitious endeavor like for media companies to try new things and for advertisers to amp8220trust the voice of whoever youamp8217re working withamp8221 amp160But at the end of the day the BuzzFeed team is simply having fun amp160amp8220It feels very much like early BuzzFeed daysamp8221 says Hilton amp8220Itamp8217s just making something completely new and having a great time doing itamp8221Top image by Drew ReynoldsClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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How BuzzFeed’s “AM to DM” Is Transforming Morning News

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Keryce Chelsi Henry

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