ABC News Launches Verts for a New Way to Discover News

The new vertical video feed brings breaking news, analysis and original ABC News content to the mobile app.
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ABC News is giving audiences a new way to keep up with the stories making headlines, bringing short-form vertical video to its mobile app through a new experience called Verts.

What’s Happening:

  • Beginning today, users of the ABC News app can access Verts to discover breaking news, continuing coverage, analysis and other top stories through a swipeable vertical video feed. The launch marks the first phase of vertical video coming to ABC News as Disney continues to expand the format across its core products.
  • First announced during Disney’s 2026 Global Tech & Data Showcase, Verts is designed to provide viewers with straightforward context and analysis of the biggest stories throughout the day in a mobile-first format. The experience is built around the way audiences increasingly discover and consume video on their phones, allowing users to move from one story to the next with a simple swipe.

  • On the ABC News app, users will find a new Verts icon in the bottom navigation bar. Selecting it opens a vertical video feed featuring news reports from across ABC News’ linear, streaming and ABC Owned Television programming.
  • The feed will also feature original content from ABC News anchors, correspondents, analysts and other featured voices, giving viewers access to a variety of perspectives and formats within a single destination.

  • Verts is intended to make it easier for users to quickly find timely news while also encouraging them to explore stories in greater depth. Rather than simply serving as a stream of headlines, the experience connects viewers with coverage from across ABC News’ broader portfolio.
  • The launch builds on Disney’s existing experience with Verts. The format was first introduced on ESPN in August 2025, where it has become a major driver of short-form video consumption for the sports app. More than 26 million users have used Verts on mobile devices, generating more than 1.8 billion minutes of time spent in the ESPN App.
  • Verts now accounts for 65% of user-initiated short-form video starts on ESPN, surpassing the platform’s legacy video player. The format has also expanded to Disney+, where approximately 43% of mobile users have interacted with Verts.
  • ABC News’ launch represents the next step in bringing the vertical video experience to another major Disney platform, this time with a focus on news and information.
  • The rollout will eventually extend beyond the ABC News app. Disney plans to bring Verts to ABCNews.com across both mobile and web, expanding access to the vertical video experience.
  • The initial launch is focused on helping viewers navigate the news of the day and discover additional coverage across ABC News’ linear, streaming and digital platforms. Over time, the experience is expected to become increasingly personalized, with plans for more correspondent-driven content, additional formats and new types of programming.
  • As Verts continues to evolve, ABC News says the goal is to create a more customized experience for individual users while maintaining the speed and accessibility that makes vertical video particularly suited to mobile news discovery.

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