While Patch is aggressively growing its local news network, a Seattle-based company called Datasphere has already churned out 300 neighborhood sites. And today, it just landed another broadcasting client to add neighborhood networks in Atlanta, Washington DC, Tampa, Sacramento and six other markets.
Gannett has inked a deal with Datasphere to roll out sites in 10 of its local TV markets. It’s the latest local TV deal for Seattle-based Datasphere, which is powering sites for Raycom, Fisher, LocalTV and Hubbard Broadcasting. In the model, Datasphere powers the technology and sales, while the local stations provide the content.
“Providing neighborhood news and information is a vital part of our responsibility as local media companies,” said Dave Lougee, president of Gannett Broadcasting in a press release. “By partnering with DataSphere, we will be able to extend the services we offer to our viewers and advertisers, making use of our online presence to provide an easy way for them to keep up with local events and connect with each other.”
