Albritton Communications will launch its much-anticipated, multi-media political news source today. The Politico and Politico.com will use a multi-pronged approach — with content on its Web site, in its newspaper and on News Channel 8 — that the company hopes will set it apart in an already crowded field.

“People want their news faster and more conversationally,” said Jim VandeHei, Politico’s executive editor. “Waiting for a story that breaks at 10 a.m. and writing for the next day’s paper is over.”