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Apple continues focus on Apple News as it hires former Condé Nast executive

Chance Miller | Sep 6 2018 - 3:18 pm PT

As it continues to expand its focus on Apple News, Apple has hired a former Condé Nast executive to serve on its News team. The Information reports that Apple has hired Liz Schimel, who was a former president of Condé Nast in China.

Schimel’s role at Apple, according to her LinkedIn page, is the “head of news business.” Her LinkedIn page also indicates that he joined Apple in July.

Prior to joining Apple, Schimel was a president of Condé Nast China, as well as an “entrepreneur-in-residence” at Comcast Ventures. Further, she served as the chief digital officer for the media conglomerate Meredith Corporation.

The Information reports:

The hiring is another sign of the increasing importance of Apple’s news operation, which has become a significant source of traffic for many media organizations at a time when Facebook is placing less emphasis on news. Ms. Schimel, a former president of Condé Nast China, lists her title at Apple as “head of news business” on her LinkedIn page, along with a July start date.

Schimel’s hiring comes as Apple has clearly started to ramp up its focus on Apple News. Earlier this year, we noted of how Apple’s hiring trends signaled its growing interest in editorial content. The company also recently acquired digital magazine service Texture, while a separate report suggested Apple plans to launch a premium magazine and news subscription service within the next year.

Apple is seemingly differentiating Apple News from other similar services by focusing on hand-curated editorial. For instance, the company is featuring a dedicated section for the 2018 mid-term elections, focusing on “fact-based” news.