Home New York Times Launches Facebook App

New York Times Launches Facebook App

The New York Times takes a step into the social networking realm today by launching a Facebook application called the New York Times News Quiz. The simple application presents users with a daily (Monday-Friday) 5 question, multiple choice quiz about the top news stories as determined by the New York Times editorial staff.

Users are assigned a “Times IQ,” which is a numerical representation of how up-to-date they are on the current goings on in the world. Users of the Times app also get to compare their news knowledge with their friends and the rest of Facebook.

When Facebook released their platform earlier this year, the Washington Post was one of the first major print newspapers to jump on board with their wildly successful Political Compass application — a 10 question quiz to determine your approximate political leanings. Even though the Compass is listed in the “Just for Fun” category, it has garnered close to 350,000 users.

Unfortunately for the Washington Post, their application doesn’t do much to push users to the newspaper’s web site. The New York Times has taken a different tactic, however, and done a lot to nudge users toward their content. First, of course, by creating an app that seeks user engagement on a daily basis. Unlike the Post application, which you use once then wear as a badge on your profile, the NYT app encourages users to interact with it every day as fresh news quizzes arrive. This should not only get users more involved with the New York Times brand, but also play to Facebook’s new activity metrics and perhaps make the app more visible to Facebook at large.

Second, the application ties in current newspaper content very well. After taking the quiz, users are given links to corresponding stories in the Times, and also given an option to study for the next day’s quiz by reading up on today’s top 5 stories on the New York Times web site. Unlike the Post, the Times app is specifically aimed at turning Facebook users into NYT readers.

Whether it works will largely depend on Facebook’s appetite for current events. Turning news into a friendly competition with your friends, and making it easily digestible (i.e., just 5 stories per day, with multiple choice answers) were both good choices, in my opinion. And anything that raises the level of consciousness about current events among the world’s youth is a good thing.

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.