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The Henrico Citizen Monday launched a new app for smart phones, tablets and other related devices. The Henrico Citizen app will allow readers and other users to stay informed immediately about Henrico news of interest.
The app is available for Apple products on the Apple iTunes store and on the Android operating system through the Google Play store.
Users can set their notification preferences to receive immediate notifications each time a new article is posted within a specific category they designate (for example, government, COVID-19 or education, among many others). Notifications also will alert users when new editions of the Citizen's three podcasts have been posted.
Creation of the app was funded as part of the Citizen's recent Facebook Journalism Project COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program grant. The Citizen was one of three Virginia news organizations and 144 nationwide to receive grants through the project.
"One of our key goals in creating this app was to ensure that our news coverage is available to as many Henrico citizens as possible," Citizen Publisher Tom Lappas said. "We hope that its launch will help us engage with a wider variety of citizens – including more who live in underserved communities within the county, and more young people."
Eighty-one percent of U.S. households now have smartphones; as many as seven in 10 people who live in low-income households also own smartphones. Many of the latter group may not own or have regular access to computers, but they will still be able to read and listen to the Citizen's news coverage through the app, Lappas said.
"Since our inception in 2001, we've sought to provide a fair and accurate source of Henrico news for all county citizens, not just a select group," Lappas said. "We take that role seriously. During the past three months – perhaps more than ever before – we've all witnessed the importance and value of reliable local news and information. Our Facebook grant projects are designed in part to ensure equal accessibility for readers and listeners, regardless of their age, race, gender or economic status."
