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The New York Times is making audio a big part of its future. The newspaper is now working to incorporate all of its audio journalism into its digital experiences. Today The Times is recruiting testers to participate in a new app it’s creating. Note: the survey you have to fill out to be considered a tester is very lengthy. We gave up after ten minutes.
Curated by Times journalists and editors, “New York Times Audio” is an app the company says will help listeners engage with the latest news, ideas, criticism and stories that matter to them.
From the company press release: “New York Times Audio” will provide an accessible and authoritative way to understand the world, pulling from Times podcasts, Times articles, premier magazine publishers like New York magazine and Rolling Stone, new audio formats from The Times newsroom and more. The product will also feature the archive of “This American Life,” encompassing 25 years worth of episodes from the iconic show that pioneered a new form of audio narrative journalism.
At the same time, The Times has begun experimenting with programming more signature audio stories into the core news app, adding a new dimension to the Times news experience. Last month, The Times began experimenting with “Listen,” a tab in its news app that features a selection of signature Times stories read aloud by the reporters who wrote them.
“New York Times Audio” will be available as an iPhone app in a private beta. Starting today, The Times is inviting a number of users to sign up for a chance to participate in the private beta. Those interested in testing the beta may request an invitation here.