Time Warner’s AOL has acquired two companies. The New York-based Internet service provider announced Thursday the purchase of Patch Media, an online provider of local news and information, and Going, an online service enabling people to share information about cities and destination places.
AOL acquired the small businesses to extend its new online “local” network, which reaches more than 54 million unique visitors per month who are looking for information about their local neighborhood, according to the company.
“Local remains one of the most disaggregated experiences on the Web today — there’s a lot of information out there, but simply no way for consumers to find it quickly and easily,” said Tim Armstrong, AOL’s chairman and CEO. “Going forward, local will be a core area of focus and investment for AOL.”
The New York-based Patch brings together community-based content with localized community news. The community “patches” give access to event listings and news and lets users check out photos and videos from the specific town. The company currently has services in five communities, with more in development.
“We are excited to join the AOL family,” said Jon Brod, CEO of Patch. “AOL’s substantial network will help us extend the reach of Patch into more and more communities.”
Boston-based Going lets a specific demographic — twentysomethings — find things to do in various cities throughout the country and gives them the buzz about what events are cool and what is not. Going.com provides buzz about 30 cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and New York.
The company also gives local promoters and event organizers a service engine, allowing them to automatically manage ticketing, advertising and RSVPs for various events.
“Going allows young people in leading cities to discover upcoming events, parties and new hot spots — and most importantly, connect with others who share…