iWorld
Facebook introduces Instant Articles for interactivity among publishers
NEW DELHI: Facebook has introduced a new product for publishers called Instant Articles to create fast, interactive articles on the social networking website.
Facebook product manager Michael Reckhow said, “As more people get their news on mobile devices, we want to make the experience faster and richer on Facebook. People share a lot of articles on Facebook, particularly on our mobile app. To date, however, these stories take an average of eight seconds to load, by far the slowest single content type on Facebook. Instant Articles makes the reading experience as much as ten times faster than standard mobile web articles.”
Along with a faster experience, Instant Articles introduced a suite of interactive features that allow publishers to bring their stories to life in new ways including zoom in and exploring high-resolution photos by tilting the smartphone. Auto-play videos will come alive as one scrolls through stories. One can explore interactive maps, listen to audio captions, and even like and comment on individual parts of an article in-line.
Reckhow added, “We designed Instant Articles to give publishers control over their stories, brand experience and monetization opportunities. Publishers can sell ads in their articles and keep the revenue, or they can choose to use Facebook’s Audience Network to monetize unsold inventory. Publishers will also have the ability to track data and traffic through comScore and other analytics tools.”
“Fundamentally, this is a tool that enables publishers to provide a better experience for their readers on Facebook. Instant Articles lets them deliver fast, interactive articles while maintaining control of their content and business models,” said Facebook chief product officer Chris Cox.
Facebook is working with nine launch partners for Instant Articles: The New York Times, National Geographic, BuzzFeed, NBC, The Atlantic, The Guardian, BBC, Spiegel and Bild.
The New York Times Company president and CEO Mark Thompson said, “The New York Times already has a significant and growing audience on Facebook. We’re participating in Instant Articles to explore ways of growing the number of Times users on Facebook, improving their experience of our journalism and deepening their engagement. We have a long tradition of meeting readers where they are and that means being available not just on our own sites, but on the social platforms frequented by many current and potential Times users.”
“It is great to see Facebook trailing new ways for quality journalism to flourish on mobile. The Guardian is keen to test how the new platform can provide an even more engaging experience for our readers. It is then vital that, over time, Instant Articles delivers recurring benefit for publishers, whose continued investment in original content underpins its success,” added Guardian News & Media international directorTony Danker.
Instant Articles launched with a special set of stories published by The New York Times, BuzzFeed, National Geographic, NBC and The Atlantic. Facebook will continue developing Instant Articles with its partners over the coming months and listening to feedback from readers to help improve the experience.
iWorld
Prime Video drops explosive trailer for The Boys Season 5
Final season premieres 8 April 2026 with weekly episodes ending 20 May.
MUMBAI: The Boys just dropped a trailer that hits harder than Homelander on a bad hair day because when the world’s most unhinged Supe finally gets his own planet, the only thing left is the endgame. Prime Video unveiled the official trailer for the fifth and final season of The Boys on Thursday, teasing an explosive conclusion to the multi-Emmy-winning satirical superhero series. Season 5 premieres globally on 8 April 2026 with two episodes, followed by weekly releases, culminating in the series finale on 20 May 2026, streaming exclusively on Prime Video in over 240 countries and territories.
The trailer reunites the iconic ensemble as they face Homelander’s unchecked, egomaniacal rule. Hughie, Mother’s Milk and Frenchie are locked in a “Freedom Camp,” Annie fights to spark resistance against overwhelming Supe forces, and Kimiko has vanished. Butcher’s return with a virus capable of wiping out all Supes ignites a chain reaction that promises to reshape the world forever. The footage builds relentless tension toward the ultimate confrontation, hinting at massive stakes and irreversible consequences.
The season is based on Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s New York Times best-selling comic, developed by showrunner Eric Kripke, who also serves as executive producer alongside Ennis, Robertson, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty, Phil Sgriccia, Michaela Starr, Paul Grellong, David Reed, Judalina Neira, Jessica Chou, Gabriel Garcia, Ori Marmur, Ken F. Levin and Jason Netter. Produced by Sony Pictures Television, Amazon MGM Studios, Kripke Enterprises, Original Film and Point Grey Pictures.
In a show that’s spent four seasons tearing down superheroes, the final chapter isn’t pulling punches, it’s loading the cannon. With Homelander ruling and Butcher armed with extinction-level revenge, The Boys isn’t ending quietly; it’s going out with the kind of bang that leaves craters.
