Reports Of TV’s Death Greatly Exaggerated

The message today from Troy McGuire, VP of digital content for Seattle-based Fisher Communications, to the room of local online media executives attending BIA/Kelsey’s Interactive Local Media 2010 in Santa Clara, Calif., was short: “We are trying to get the message out that TV is not dead.”

Sure, there’s growing competition from startups like AOL’s Patch, McGuire admits. But Fisher is fighting back by building up its own 125 community websites in smaller communities that are gaining popularity. During a recent rare snowstorm that hit Seattle, for example, news and photos about street closures and other weather-related developments led to 10 million more page views than usual.

“The community sites were a huge driver in that,” McGuire said. “It doesn’t matter how small the market, these neighborhood sites have value.”

The media company’s Web operation has 1.5 million unique visitors a month and 2,000 paid advertisers, McGuire said. “We are profitable but we continue to invest in the business.”

Fisher licenses The Daily Buzz television show from Acme Communications, which McGuire describes as “part CNN, part Daily Show, part TMZ.com and part Talk Soup.” That program is now in 165 markets.

Griffin Communications, a small media company focused solely on Oklahoma, is turning to content creation to spark growth. The owner of CBS affiliates in Oklahoma City and Tulsa also runs two traditional news websites. The stations produce news segments that run online and on the air. “I think there’s going to be a blending of those two things in local news,” said Steve Foerster, Griffin’s VP of corporate development.

Another unique offering from Griffin: its nationally syndicated Moneysavingqueen.com website, which features coupons, discounts and shopping passes.

The site’s host, blogger Sarah Roe, “is a homegrown gal for the lack of a better word,” said Foerster. “She really comes off as down to heart and people can relate to her. She’s not a polished journalist and so on the air, she plays great.” Griffin also features Roe several times a week on newscasts at its KOTV Tulsa and KWTV Oklahoma City.

Indiana-based radio, TV, cable and newspaper group Schurz Communications is betting big on mobile. That’s the fastest growing advertising category, says Kerry Oslund, Schurz’ corporate VP of digital media.

“More people text than talk” on their mobile devices, Oslund says, so the company is responding by creating mobile feeds of its content.

The company’s strategy to leverage the growing popularity of mobile devices also includes building 50 new apps next year, adding to the 12 programs the company already offers.