The paradox is obvious: newspapers are watching advertising revenues decline and are slashing local news staffs at the same time as “hyperlocal” websites are trying to gain traction.
Can hyperlocal succeed? Only by re-creating the “feet on the street” that generate economic incentives for local content!
Perhaps the most ambitious model also is the most likely to make it.
A new venture named OurTown.com has launched more than 70,000 websites – including every U.S. ZIP code. (Check any ZIP by entering the number: xxxxx.ourtown.com or a city name e.g., Cincinnati.ourtown.com ). OurTown.com is a nationally branded interactive and hyperlocal platform.
Editors are being recruited in local areas and the company expects to have 1,000 local editors licensed by the end of April.
OurTown includes an economic model through which editors can sell local advertising and receive 100% of the revenues, plus receive 40% of national advertising revenues.
Why Hyperlocal news in 70,000 locations It Might Be A Killer
OurTown is not limited to hyperlocal news. The OurTown.com sites include content from Newser, Oodle and Yelp; state, national and international news from the New York Times, RSS feeds and more. Weather, lottery and other news are focused on local areas. Free classified advertising is expected to bring additional traffic. Local search, calendars and other features add interactivity.
