One of the great things about working in online news is that we are not restricted by limits on space or length or the number of pages we can have. This allows us the chance to experiment, be nimble, and keep on top of the latest new media trends and tech advances.
As a result, we are always looking for new and innovative ways to bring you great content. That's the animating idea behind our newest initiative: HuffPost Twitter editions.
More and more people are using Twitter to get their news and to share the news that touches them. Our Twitter editions are a mash-up of breaking tweets and HuffPost stories that are attracting interest on Twitter, a combination designed to bring you the most important information and liveliest discussions -- in real time -- for each of our sections.
The speed and immediacy that Twitter provides -- along with its great variety of voices -- is a great addition to what we are already doing: delivering a unique blend of news, opinion, and community... served up with our distinctive attitude and point of view, and super-charged for Twitter users.
This is also a natural extension of something else we've always done: help curate the news. The more information there is out there, the more important it is to have gatekeepers you can trust to bring you the news and fresh takes you need to stay informed.
We are launching Twitter editions for each of our 19 sections -- with a front page version slated to go live soon. In every section, our editors have hand-selected the most interesting Twitter accounts for that subject -- Comedy, Politics, Entertainment, Sports, etc, etc -- so you can be sure to get breaking news and on-target analysis as it comes in.
You can also see which HuffPost articles are spreading the fastest on Twitter via the "Hot on Twitter" section at the bottom of the Twitter edition pages, right under the constantly-refreshing tweets. These are the stories going viral on Twitter, so you can check them out and share your thoughts about them.
Our Twitter editions are great tools for those of you already using Twitter -- you can tweet, retweet, and reply to others directly from HuffPost. You will also be able to start following tweeters you like with one click -- and can see your own Twitter feeds. And if you are not yet a Twitter user, these pages are a great introduction to what Twitter has to offer.
Of course, this is just a first step down this path -- the first iteration of an idea we think is brimming with potential. We can't wait to get your feedback so we can continue to refine and expand on the concept. So check out our Twitter editions for your favorite sections -- there is a link to them on each section's masthead (see image above) -- then let us know what you like, what you don't like, and what you'd like to see changed.