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"IAC-owned local guide network Citysearch is expanding its local listings ad service CityGrid through a partnership with search marketer OrangeSoda. Citysearch is also providing an investment in Utah-based OrangeSoda, the amount of which is undisclosed. The move is part of a more aggressive effort by Citysearch to attract more ad dollars from local businesses. While Citysearch has been around for 15 years and has often catered to local online advertisers across a dozen city-centric sites, many other outlets are similarly stepping up their outreach to small marketers too. With CityGrid, Citysearch isn't trying to beat those other directory and local blog sites; it believes it can get those competitors to join them."

Discussion of Comcast and NBC Merger, including opening promises from Comcast to preserve local over-the-air broadcasting and increase programming for children and minorities.

This article talks about how local news programming shouldn't blame Jay Leno for losing viewers, but instead to look at their programming and realize that local news has "become a faceless commodity."

Article predicts a steady increase in spending on digital advertisers by local companies through 2014, as well as a decrease in money spent on traditional ads.

Several broadcast companies that reported earnings the past few weeks have pointed out that TV station revenues were down due to the lack of political ad spending in 2009. Since 2010 is a banner year for major Congressional races, local media researcher Borrell Associates expects that TV broadcasters will have something to cheer about. The same can't be said for online media, which will hardly see a fraction of the total $42 billion Borrell says will be spent on political campaigns.

If they Comcast-NBC merger goes through, the conglomerate could gain serious clout in negotiations between local station owners and local cable systems for the right to retransmit broadcast tv signals.

ABC tracks IP addresses and places logos for local affiliates in the bottom left corner of their Hulu content.

google putting in place the resources to expand its local services. poses a problem, however, as google expands beyond research to content. its reputation rests on impartial search, but with as the slowing growth of revenues from search advertising, it needs to find new growth markets.

"Online news has become more popular than reading newspapers in the US, according to a Pew Research survey. It is the third most popular form of news, behind local and national TV stations, the Pew Research Center said."

"People wanted to know whether their kids were going to school, whether their work was going to be closed," Wharton said. "That's the type of intensely local programming that only broadcasters can provide on these sorts of handheld devices. We've got a great franchise there."

MediaNews is testing a paid-content model at two of its newspapers. The company says it creating new types of content for users, including geo-targeted, personalized, user-generated and aggregated content, and will include classifieds and local directories.

Local musicians in countries like Spain, which does not regulate the downloading of music and movies, are really hurting. Such countries run the risk of becoming "cultural deserts," because the only reason people make music is the money.

The Federal Communications Commission voted to close a "loophole" that allowed cable operators to withhold local sports programming from competitors. In a 4-1 vote, the commissioners ended the "terrestrial loophole," which prevents satellite TV providers and new TV providers, such as AT&T and Verizon Communications, from offering some live sports channels in certain areas of the country.

The impact of the Supreme Court's recent ruling on political advertising and corporations could be an increase in revenues for local TV news stations.

"They have the chutzpah to say that the new venture will boost quantity, quality, diversity and "local focus." I would think that "surely they jest" but, indeed, they are serious. They have filed with both the Justice Department, as well as the FCC. The $30 billion deal will also be examined on Capitol Hill in hearings beginning next week."

Cuban asks why readers would read their local newspaper if their feed shows up on Google News.

The NFL tried to send cease and desist letters to local shirt makers in Louisiana, who were printing shirts that say "Who Dat", in reference to the New Orleans saints. The NFL claimed the phrase "Who Dat" was under copyright. It was determined the NFL held no such copyright.

Congressional hearings for the Comcast/NBC case are scheduled for Feb. 4. There are many opponents to the deal, including consumer activists and media watchdogs, Local affiliates are concerned that Comcast could "gradually migrate some or all of the most compelling sports, news and entertainment programming and talent away from free, over-the-air distribution on NBC to its newly owned cable channels that are made available only to paying subscribers, such as Bravo and USA Network."

In his feisty opening statement, Franken said: "I worked for NBC for many years. And what I know from my previous career has given me reason to be concerned--let me rephrase that, very concerned--about the potential merger of Comcast and NBC Universal. The media are our source of entertainment, but they're also the way we get our information about the world. So when the same company that produces the programs runs the pipes that bring us those programs, we have a reason to be nervous.... You'll have to excuse me if I don't just trust their promises and that is from experience in this business." The former SNL star and entertainment industry insider-turned-Senator is dead on with his concerns. As Free Press--the media reform advocacy organization founded by The Nation's John Nichols, media scholar Robert McChesney, and current executive director Josh Silver-- points out, the merger would result in Comcast controlling one in every five television viewing hours. It would lead to fewer choices of what you can watch and how you can watch it. Those cable bills that continue to rise would rise even higher, and if you don't use Comcast you might have to pay a premium to get NBC's shows. There will be even less access to local and independent programming as Comcast would promote NBC's shows at their expense. And, finally, there's the even larger issue of concentrating power and limiting access to free public interest media.