The Huffington Post is now shorter, angrier
Overhauling itself to keep up with the changing times, The Huffington Post has undergone a total redesign, complete with a splashy new home page, a “bold, splashy style,” splashy new “splash cards” for stories that are designed to have an “almost meme-like quality,” and a splashy-splash new splash-name. Say goodbye to The Huffington Post, musty, multisyllabic relic of a stodgier age, and welcome the almost meme-like reign of HuffPost, a moniker that recently installed editor-in-chief Lydia Polgreen says is “shorter,” “snappier,” and reflects “what our readers call us anyway.” Of course, most readers actually call it “HuffPo.” But consider this a dignified compromise, aimed at fostering the populist, egalitarian relationship with its audience that Polgreen declares will be its new mission going forward. Also, please stop calling it “HuffPo.”
In a letter announcing the site’s new look and direction, Polgreen—who took over HuffPo(st) after leaving The New York Times—frames the site’s redesign in terms of the growing cynicism toward the media, noting that today’s readers no longer trust journalists to deliver the news accurately and fairly. Hoping to combat all that, Polgreen says she will begin emphasizing more original reporting, as well as making sure that reporting isn’t just dry, accurate facts:
Facts and truth are basic elements of the news. But they alone are not enough. Emotion, humor and empathy are also essential ingredients of journalism that helps you know what’s real. It’s no wonder so many people these days get their news from comedy shows.