Rumors that AOL’s hyperlocal franchise, Patch.com, will be expanding in a very big way continue to swirl. Meanwhile, Yahoo, Datasphere, Allvoices, OurTown and a handful of others are looking to compete on the local level in a national way, too. So what does the competitive landscape look like?
Apart from the local newspaper and TV news operations in each market, the range of independent news outlets varies greatly, according to Michele McLellan, a fellow at the Reynolds Institute for Journalism. McLellan is cataloging and classifying as many independent news websites, blogs and companies as she can find. Not surprisingly, she has identified hundreds already and is hoping you will help her find more.
Unfortunately, many of the sites she found on various other lists are “defunct or fairly inactive.” So an updated list will help all of us get a more accurate sense of exactly what the news ecosystem looks like. (Then, of course, it will all change.) The question is who will win in each market? The legacy news operation, the organic startup or some newfangled local outlet of a corporate franchise? Or is there room for all of them?
Most, but not all, of the independent startups McLellan is focusing on are considered local. And most will not be in competition with one another for audience or ad dollars. But when you add in the existing newspapers and local TV operations, there will be plenty of competition, which I think will lead to loads of innovation. Why do you think legacy news brands failed to innovate from the 1970s to 2000? There wasn’t any competition to push them. That’s what makes all this so exciting – you know some very cool stuff is about to emerge.