AppleInsider:

Apple has introduced audio versions of select feature stories from Apple News+, a daily audio news briefing hosted by Apple News editors, and the beginning of curated local news collections in select areas.

Beginning on Wednesday, Apple News will produce audio stories, narrated by professional voice actors. Apple says that they are developed from some of the best feature reporting and long-form pieces published by Esquire, Essence, Fast Company, GQ, New York magazine, Sports Illustrated, Time, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and Wired. Audio stories are now available to Apple News+ subscribers in the US.

The new “Apple News Today” daily audio news briefing is hosted by humita Basu and Duarte Geraldino. Apple News Today is free to all listeners in the US, can be found in the new Audio tab in Apple News or the Podcasts app, and will be available mornings Monday through Friday.

Along with deals from Verizon and Best Buy, as well as their own in-app offers, Apple seems to really be pushing to get more users for Apple News and subscribers to News+. Personally, I don’t think it’s going to work without an overhaul of the app and service.