HLN's executive vice president Albie Hecht isn't looking to get millennials to put down their mobile phones and watch his channel. He's counting on them tweeting, blogging and broadcasting to help dictate programming.
"When you see such tremendous talent in the social media space… You see that there’s such energy there that you want to tap into and you also see a growing audience," Hecht told Mashable.
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HLN announced on Monday that the channel, best known for its aggressive coverage of high-profile court cases, would undergo a reformatting to become "the first TV network for the social media generation."
"Headlines will be ripped from the most 'plugged-in' sites and blogs, and HLN will make it its mission to share the trending news, viral events and stories that have viewers most obsessed, plus discover emerging social stars," according to a company press release.
The move by HLN, formerly known as "Headline News," is the most recent in an ongoing television battle to capture the viewership of the ever-elusive millennial, consumers born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s.
"These are people who have disposable income, are looking to make brand decisions that will become part of their brand choices for the rest of their lives," Hecht said. "We do know this is an audience that advertisers want to reach."
The changes will not be wholesale. Many of the channel's current personalities including Nancy Grace, Robin Meade and Dr. Drew Pinksy will remain. The court-case coverage that the channel is known for will not disappear. Instead, existing shows will change with the introduction of a new "filter," as Hecht calls it, that will embrace the social media realm.
HLN has acquired one new program for the rebrand — RightThisMinute, which features online videos and the stories behind them. The company is also operating with a new slogan: We're Not the New Network. You Are.
The rewards for success could be sizable. The current generation of young adults have proven to be difficult to entice or even reach with advertising. And they don't watch nearly as much television as previous generations.

Image: New York Times Video Study
Millennials do, however, consume news, and they do so primarily through social media.
"That audience is being served but not on television," Hecht said. "So anytime you can find a growing audience and address an undeserved need, you have a chance for great success."
HLN is far from the only network trying to draw the attention of young adults. FXX, Adult Swim, and ABC Family are just some of the channels that have taken steps to attract younger viewers. HLN is not even the only news channel that has been going after millennials. Fusion, which launched in late 2013, is also seeking to attract younger news viewers.
There is also little if any track record for success in appealing to millennials. Young-adult channels focused on the digital generation have either collapsed (see G4, Current TV) or pivoted programming entirely. MTV has moved to embrace even younger viewers as the channel has struggled to attract young adults.
The notion of appealing to a younger audience is also a risky move considering HLN's viewership has traditionally been older. In chasing millennials, HLN could alienate its existing viewers while courting an audience that will never come.
Hecht said he is prepared for tough times in the near term as the shift takes place.
"I think there’s definitely going to be some growing pains in transition, but I think for us the idea is that it’s not a light switch," he said. "We’re going to transition this over time and were going to build elements around this."
The risk as he sees is it a necessary one for a news industry that is changing. While HLN's ratings in 2013 were up, its trial-reliant coverage did little to attract advertisers.
When discussing the motivations behind HLN's strategy, Hecht quoted ice hockey star Wayne Gretzky: "We want to go where the puck is going, not where it is."
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