The New York Times has announced the full launch of its new audio journalism and storytelling app, following an invite-only beta version released nearly a year and a half ago.
New York Times Audio is currently only available on iOS, and only for subscribers to its news service or 'all-access' plan.
The service is based on longform journalism application Audm, which the publication previously acquired in 2020. With the launch of New York Times Audio, the stand-alone Audm app will be terminated and all existing iOS subscribers will automatically transition to the NYT audio app for the same monthly or annual rate.
This launch is part of The New York Times’ wider expansion into the audio market, with a successful podcast portfolio which includes shows such as current affairs podcast The Daily, Modern Love which transformed its 18-year-old written column into audio, technology podcast Hard Fork, and more.
“We’re thrilled to introduce more people to a new way of experiencing The New York Times,” said The New York Times senior vice president and general manager Stephanie Preiss. “Audio journalism has the power to bring stories to life, and our app now allows our audience to take The Times with them — on dog walks, while commuting — in moments when reading isn’t an option. Offering New York Times Audio to news subscribers is just one way we’re adding more value to a Times subscription, in more moments throughout their day.”
The application includes a number of new exclusive podcasts, alongside its existing ones, such as The Headlines, which is a daily 10-minute morning news show hosted by veteran reporter Annie Correal, and short-form series Shorts which offers listeners a range of recipe, TV, and book recommendations from Times reporters, editors, and critics.
Listeners will also gain one-day early access to episodes from hit weekly radio and podcast program This American Life with Ira Glass, as well as a “Best of This American Life” section with highlights from the show available to listen to in bite-sized packages.
Shows from true-crime podcast network Serial, old and new, will be available to listen to on the app including collaborations with the New York Times like The Trojan Horse Affairand The Coldest Case in Laramie, as well as sports talk shows from The Athletic, a sports publication which was bought by the company last year. The New York Times also acquired the production studio behind Serial in 2020 which was roughly valued at $25 million at the time, as reported in The New York Times itself.
For people who prefer to listen to editorial content, there will also be audio shows such as Reporter Reads, with Times articles read aloud by journalists, as well as The Magazine Stand - a section that already existed in the Audm application - which features narrated versions of longform journalism from top publishers. There will also be a daily playlist that’s no more than an hour long, which has a mix of things to listen to on weekday mornings, from top stories to recommendations on what to cook.
“With the launch of The Daily in 2017, The Times fundamentally changed the podcast world, inventing a new form of audio journalism,” said The New York Times audio director Paula Szuchman. “Our new app is reordering the status quo yet again. A daily front page, told in audio, curated by Times editors and powered by the Times newsroom. I couldn’t be more excited to share what we’ve been working on, including our first new daily show since The Daily and surprising, delightful, inspiring stories from our critics and writers across culture, lifestyle, food and beyond.”
