Broadcasting and Cable’s Mike Malone wrote a solid cover story on how local TV is working to improve its online competitiveness, including examples from KTVZ, WMTV, WTTG, WJAR, KPIX, WMUR, WKRN, WNYW and KTBS. “TV has been its own worst enemy,†says Steve Safran, SVP at AR&D, about the industry’s tentative steps toward the web. “If it can change and play by web rules, there’s multiples more money to be made.†While most of the online moves are welcome, but still conservative by my book, NBC11.com has an interesting venture called NBC11Hometown.com. It’s a hyperlocal effort that allows users to post news in their neighborhood — dozens of them across the Bay Area — as well as restaurant and business reviews. While the platform is in place, my early assessment is NBC11.com is facing the same challenge as many hyperlocal sites across the country: getting a critical mass of submissions in each neighborhood to provide a compelling content experience. But, it’s still early, so stay tuned…
