AOL CEO Tim Armstrong announced this morning that AOL had acquired “hyper-local” news site Patch (Armstrong is an investor) and Going.com, which began as a travel site but has turned into something like a combination of Yelp and Zvents.
I would say these acquisitions represent AOL’s increasing commitment to the local segment (or the relationship between online and the real world, shall we say). The company has an extremely strong portfolio of local content and sites MapQuest (+Local), AOL Cityguide, When (Zvents), yellow pages, City’s Best, moviefone, etc. It also has strength in mobile as well. Many of these properties will eventually show up there. MapQuest has been on mobile for a long time and continues to improve and increase its presence on mobile devices.
TechCrunch has a copy of Armstrong’s “letter to the troops” announcing the acquisitions.
Screenwerk 
June 12, 2009 at 12:19 pm
[…] AOL Buys Local Properties: Patch, Going « Screenwerk […]
June 12, 2009 at 12:47 pm
My original response…was outrage vis a vis Armstrong’s investment in Patch…and that AOL is going independent and public. W/out further insights I would never touch the investment when the CEO would benefit from AOL buying a company in which he had an initial investment.
Further detail from the TechCrunch article explains that situation in full. Armstrong recused himself from negotiations and took his return in “future” AOL stock….an investment or gamble in AOL doing well.
That is a far more positive perspective. I think those details are critically important…especially today in this environment with corporate whackiness prevailing.
June 12, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Armstrong did the right thing, but I don’t think that AOL would have bought the company but for Armstrong’s connection.