Snapchat is rolling out a dedicated news channel ahead of the 2020 debates, according to a report from Axios.
The channel is set to launch Thursday as the top-polling Democrats meet in Houston, Texas, for the third debate of the primary season, per Axios. As of this week, they all have a presence on the video- and photo-sharing application and are using its features to promote their campaigns.
Snapchat has gotten into the business of the news before. In 2015, it announced its new Discover channel that allowed high-profile media companies like CNN to program their own channels. Snapchat’s own news program, “Good Luck America,” is hosted by former CNN-er Peter Hamby.
In September 2018, Snapchat gave 20-plus well-known media partners — such as CNN and NowThis — the ability to curate Our Stories covering areas of editorial expertise using public posts. This move allows them to aggregate public posts into the mix while monetizing the content, the company announced.
According to Axios, the curated Democratic Primary Debate Channel will be will live on the “Discover” page, and will be live on Sept. 12 during the debate, as well as the following morning. All of this, the report says, is happening as Snapchat readies for a bigger push into news.
A representative for Snapchat did not immediately return a request for comment.