The New York Times has embarked¹ on a new form of storytelling to enhance its coverage² of the Summer Olympics: Two-way text-messaging.

 

《纽约时报》为吸引读者独辟蹊径，推出新型新闻产品——以双向短信形式直击夏季奥运现场。

 

For two weeks, deputy sports editor Sam Manchester will be sending text messages from the Olympic Games in Rio to readers who sign up for the service.

 

Unlike email alerts or push notifications, these texts will give readers an informal, behind-the-scenes look at the Games, almost as if they had a friend texting them directly. Readers can also write back to Manchester. And while he won't be able to reply to each message, the responses can be used to personalize each reader's experience.

 

The innovation is an effort to reach readers on the platforms that are central to their lives, Andrew Phelps, the Times' Director of Personalization, told CNNMoney.

 

"For a lot of users, messaging apps are the new homescreen," said Phelps, who came up with the idea. "We've spent a lot of time thinking about how we might tell stories through that lens and bring readers closer to the journalism³ and to the journalists."

 

"People have asked, 'Couldn't you just do this on Twitter,'" Phelps continued. "We could, except this is a much more personal relationship. We can show up in the same place as your friend, your mom and your work colleague."

 

Readers who sign up for the service receive a text that reads, "Hey. Sam here from the NYT sports desk. I'll be your personal guide to the Rio Olympics (so you don't have to go)...." (Manchester also makes liberal use of emojis.)

 

For now, Manchester said he plans to send three to four texts a day. Along with texts, he'll send photos, GIFs, motion graphics⁴ and videos, he said.

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