For its new goal in becoming the "first TV home for the social media generation," news network HLN is following in the footsteps of big sister CNN and rebranding itself as more than a news network by attempting to connect with a younger audience who spends more time with handheld devices than sitting in front of televisions.

To bolster this plan, HLN has partnered with Twitter in hopes to "visualize Twitter data in new ways on-air." Twitter feeds and trending topics can be visualized on-screen and will help guide the programming content. Anchors will be able to see viewers interests and cater stories towards them -- changing as trends change.

The hope is to create a "two-way conversation with the audience." Jane Velez-Mitchell, who has her own show on HLN, told TVNewser:

Television is changing, and people don’t just sit there passively…they want to participate.