NowThis News Review

The stuffy old news anchor is dead: long live the young, suitless, standing, enthusiastic, sarcastic, pally presenter like we see all over NowThis News. This app allows users to browse recent news stories from around the world (though mainly America), and watch brief, minute-or-so-long video pieces on said stories brought to them by said presenters. It’s a recipe for disaster, truth be told, but it manages to hold it all together well on pretty much every front. The stories on offer cover numerous topics, which you can filter. Events aren’t just US-centric, so it does have wider appeal. Stories can be easily browsed and shared, meaning it’s a well-made app at a basic level. And what’s more, it’s actually pretty entertaining at times, with solid production values showing it’s not just an amateur effort. All of this – and a few other elements – combines to make NowThis News the perfect news app for those who dislike reading or just don’t have the time, and don’t want to watch the output from the BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera or any of the other traditional news outlets.

The snappy, MTV-style presentation will not appeal to everyone, and there may be questions raised about NowThis News’ credentials as a news organisation when compared to the big guns, but they are moot points. This is an excellent app that is perfectly formed – worth our recommendation.