Snapchat continually strives to set itself up as a media platform for sharing stories and building revenue. It first started doing this via the Discover section, which hosted content from Buzzfeed, Comedy Central and Vice. However, the Discover platform didn't catch on with its core market; the teenage user. Undeterred, Snapchat has continued to take steps towards becoming a viable platform for content. The latest development is its hiring of CNN's Peter Hamby for its Snapchat Stories section.
"Peter Hamby, widely recognized by Beltway insiders as one of CNN's best political reporters, is leaving the network to join Snapchat as Head of News.....The network is characterizing Hamby's move as a changing role within CNN, which is true insofar as the network's partnership with Snapchat will allow him to continue as a CNN contributor on air and online through 2016. But Hamby's official role will be with Snapchat," reports Politico's On Media blog.
Hamby has a long history of political reporting for CNN. Not only has Hamby written on political issues for CNN for eight years, but he also hosts the "Hambycast: a weekly series on the stories behind the campaigns," and spent two years producing "Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
While this move may seem unusual to some, Politico's Dylan Byers compares the move to Buzzfeed acquiring its Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith from Politico in 2011. "Like Smith, Hamby will be tasked with bringing credible news content to a social-facing organization that has pull with young audiences and hopes to broaden its appeal."
During an interview with Byers, Hamby said that he was very excited about the opportunity.
"Snapchat is one of the most exciting young companies in the world....They have a big and growing audience, and we've seen Discover is a huge success. Their live stories around big events, around places both here and abroad, the potential to take users to new places -- we can see some application of that with news."
When asked about CNN, Hamby had nothing but praise.
"It's bittersweet to leave. I love the place, I love the people."
