'Local' the new 'Social'?

Posted by Nestor Bailly on November 19, 2009 at 2:46 PM

Mercedez Bunz over at MediaGuardian sums up a rising trend in the US news media market with a single word: Local.

Apparently one of the driving forces for local information and news is the rise of smartphones and the delay of local trade and listings magazines to take up the demand.

AOL CEO Tim Armstrong announced plans to 'digitize' towns and serve community interests, something he perceives as a hole in the market. This initiative comes as part of AOL's massive restructuring, job cuts, and reporter hirings.

AOL will be using the Patch hyperlocal network it purchased last year. "Patch will go into stores, photograph everything and even tell consumers how many parking spaces there are," Armstrong said.

We recently reported on a new initiative by eBay founder Omidyar to start a local Hawaii online-only news service, something that is relatively unremarkable except of course for who the founder is and why he's doing it: local news for a profit.

Bunz also mentions the new social network Foursquare (which I would like to use but I can't afford an iPhone) which is all about local nightlife, cultural events and restaurants, who's been where and when.

Source: MediaGuardian