We learned that fewer news stories get listened to more

We’ve been building an audio-first way to consume news.

Early on, we optimized for coverage:- more sources, more stories, more updates.

What surprised us was usage. People didn’t finish longer briefings. They skipped around. They left.

When we switched to fewer stories, calmer tone, and predictable length, completion rates went up.

That led us to experiment with curated, single-purpose channels (morning focus, ADHD-friendly audio, short reflections).

It’s still early, but the lesson for us has been: reducing choice and urgency mattered more than adding features.

Curious if others building content or media products have seen something similar.