WSJ launches two new social media accounts

The Wall Street Journal announced Monday the launch of two new social media accounts, on LINE and WeChat, making the Journal one of the first major international news organizations to have official global accounts on both platforms.

“We’re delighted to be the first major international media organization to have an official LINE account in Japanese, in addition to our new global English account,” said Adam Najberg, digital editor, in a statement. “LINE’s phenomenal growth in Japan over recent years has been well documented, but we are now seeing the platform grow in popularity in many regions internationally. The growth potential is exponential.

“We’re also excited to be one of the first international news organizations to have an official WeChat account outside of mainland China. Though the majority of WeChat’s 468 million active monthly users are in mainland China, we view this as a great opportunity to connect with a new base of users on this dynamic social platform.”

LINE users can add The Journal’s account in English or Japanese to receive a daily message that contains a selection of headlines, and can comment on stories on its “Home” page.

The Journal’s WeChat account, which was launched with support from digital agency Curiosity China, provides users with a daily message that contains a selection of top stories, along with access to additional stories at wsj.com, which is a built-in option in the navigation menu.