GoLocal24 Makes First Acquisition - Launches 4th City

Thursday, May 28, 2015

GoLocalPDX Announcement

GoLocalPDX Launched in September of 2014

The 4th Market for the start-up

Providence, RI and Portland, OR – GoLocal24, a rapidly growing digital local news and information company, is acquiring the hyper-local digital media company WhatsUpNewp.com – the site dedicated to everything Newport, RI. The site generates more than 50,000 unique visitors per month.

The move marks GoLocal24’s first acquisition and comes just a few months after expanding to the West Coast and launching in Portland, OR.

In addition, GoLocal24 has named Ryan Belmore Vice President of New England Partnerships. Belmore will be responsible for expanding GoLocal’s network of partnerships and content. He also is an experienced expert in social media and event management. He recently managed Digital and social media for the 2015 Volvo Ocean Race Newport Stopover, an event that was visited by over 125,000.

“Ryan Belmore is one of the most talented people in digital media in the region. He has built a digital company that both thrives with content and has successfully driven revenue,” said Josh Fenton, CEO and Co-Founder of GoLocal24. “Ryan is the rare blend of content and commerce – he really understands how consumers get their information and how businesses need to reach them.”

Ryan Belmore, VP of Partnerships

GoLocal24 has been delivering news and information to Rhode Island consumers since the company was founded in 2010. The company launched GoLocalWorcester in 2012. Combined, the three platforms now deliver in excess of 11.9 million page views per month and over 1.1 million unique visitors monthly.

For GoLocal24, the acquisition marks the third site in New England – GoLocalProv, GoLocalWorcester and now the Newport site. Newport has been a strategic focus for GoLocal and an advertising hub. This acquisition expands GoLocal’s focus on Newport and Southern Rhode Island.

“GoLocal24 is one of the most dynamic digital companies in the United States. Their ability to drive the news cycle is unmatched,” said Belmore. “We are excited to be a bigger and bigger part of being the primary news source for New Englanders.”

ABOUT GOLOCAL24

GoLocal24 is driven to deliver the highest quality journalism – enterprise investigative stories, top-flight lifestyle features and local sports supplied by the best journalists in the region. More than 70 reporters, editors, experts and MINDSETTERS™ contribute to the GoLocal24 sites.

Building on the success of its two sites initial cities - Providence, RI and Worcester, MA –GoLocalPDX, which launched in September of 2014, offers a source of news to Oregon, and specifically Portland. GoLocal does not aggregate other media’s content or run wire stories from Associated Press or other news services.

Fenton launched the first site, GoLocalProv, with co-founder Paul Krasinski in mid-2010. The two started GoLocalWorcester in mid-2012. “We are seeing unprecedented growth and behavioral change by readers and viewers. The GoLocal brand is becoming a primary source of news and we are seeing national news organizations, as well as local TV and radio, depend on GoLocal’s reporting,” said Fenton.

GoLocal24’s original content has been picked up by Politico, the New York Times, Daily Mail, New York Post, Huffington Post, CBS Radio, ESPN, Yahoo Sports, Clear Channel, Deadspin, Cumulus, Entercom’s WEEI, Boston Globe, Fox News, Boston Herald, Oregonian, and dozens of other news organizations.

Related Slideshow: Slideshow: The 14 Biggest Business Stories of 2014

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