BurdaForward launches “News to be Good” App

A news app that deliberately conveys news in such a way that its readers do not feel negatively burdened - that is the core of the new free offer from BurdaForward (including FOCUS online, BUNTE.de, CHIP, TV Spielfilm). The "News to be Good" app is intended to inform without alarming and to reach people who have limited their news consumption for these reasons.

One in two avoids news because they are a burden

A growing number of people deliberately avoid consuming news in order not to be dragged down by it. In a survey representative of the German-speaking population aged 18 and over commissioned by BurdaForward, more than 50 percent said they sometimes consciously avoid news in order not to feel burdened. The results of the Reuters Institute's Digital News Report show that the proportion of so-called news avoiders:inside has risen worldwide in recent years: in 2023, it was 36 percent (2017: 29 percent). 
 
"These are alarming figures that show that we no longer reach a significant part of society with relevant news," says journalist and former FOCUS online deputy editor-in-chief Linda Hinz. She developed the idea for the "News to be Good" app together with news editor Vivica Wilkens. "In our job, we've always been guided by the question of what a less negative and more solutions-focused news experience could look like," Wilkens says. What emerged was a startup within BurdaForward that worked with a small team to design and launch the new news app. 
 
To get to the bottom of consumers' negative feelings, the journalists conducted in-depth interviews with users. The team validated the findings in quantitative surveys and obtained expert opinions from brain researchers and psychologists. The research result: The majority of those who consciously limit their news consumption feel burdened or even panicked by it. This withdrawal in information behavior is also accompanied by a feeling of helplessness, of not being able to contribute anything to improving the situation.

This target group wants to be in the know about all the important developments in the world. But the familiar mechanisms for generating attention are counterproductive for them. They make them turn away, because the alternative offers are missing.“

All news, free from alarmism

The basis of the new "News to be Good" app is a factual and compact news overview without unnecessary "triggers," such as alarmist headlines, attention-grabbing images or tendentious wording. To this end, it briefly summarizes the most important ten news items in each case so that they can be read on one cell phone screen. The aim is to ensure coverage of the most important developments - both positive and negative - in world affairs.  "We don't leave out any important negative news, we just convey it in a new way," Wilkens makes clear. 
 
The app also includes a "pause" button. With this, it is possible to briefly step away from news consumption and receive tips on how to use it for a little time out or a treat for oneself.

Moving from powerlessness to action

In addition to the "panic-free" news overview, the new app has another essential component: so-called "Good Challenges," with the help of which it is possible in a simple way to make a difference together with others. "The desire to be self-effective and do something for oneself and others was something we encountered in almost every one of our interviews," Hinz explains. That's why she integrated Good Challenges into the new platform. Through them, people can more easily implement small changes in their everyday lives and motivate each other - always with the goal of being effective not only for themselves, but also for society. 
 
The basic idea behind the "News to be Good" app is to make a positive impact together. For this reason, the app contains a special donation mechanism: Through certain activities (for example, by watching video ads or inviting friends to the app), users collect a virtual currency in the form of clovers. They can then use this currency within the app to make donations to selected aid organizations without using their own money. These donations are financed by BurdaForward, which provides a portion of the advertising revenue generated by the app. The app is free of charge for users.