KOMO-TV and KOMO Radio parent company Fisher Communications this afternoon launched 43 "hyperlocal" neighborhood websites -- attempting to challenge practically all of the region's grassroots community news blogs, in addition to SeattlePI.com and others.

In a news release, Fisher describes the "KOMO Communities" initiative as "the largest hyperlocal system in any one region in the country." The network will use a new advertising system from Bellevue-based DataSphere Technologies, dubbed LocalNet, to let small businesses advertise. Many of the new KOMO sites already feature thumbnail ads for neighborhood restaurants and retailers.

Fisher says the sites will focus on news, events, entertainment and personalities. Content will be provided by KOMO reporters, along with user-generated material from viewers and readers, in addition to information from Windermere Real Estate. Fisher said KOMO will restructure its Seattle newsroom to make it easier for reporters to quickly post news from communities.

KOMO isn't the only company making a new push into hyperlocal news. Msnbc.com, the joint venture of Microsoft and NBC Universal, today announced the acquisition of EveryBlock, a Chicago-based site that offers neighborhood news and information in 15 cities. SeattlePI.com, the online venture of the former Seattle P-I newspaper, is also looking to build out its network of neighborhood blogs.

The new KOMO neighborhood sites include blogs for Ballard and West Seattle, home of two of the most active neighborhood news blogs in the Seattle region, MyBallard.com and West Seattle Blog. So far, at least, the KOMO initiative is getting attention from existing neighborhood news blogs, but it doesn't seem to be causing much alarm.

"It's cookie-cutter and templated, so it’s a lot different than the business that we’re trying to build," said veteran neighborhood blogger Justin Carder, of the Capitol Hill Seattle Blog, who is also vice president of business development at Instivate, which offers a blogging and advertising platform called Neighborlogs. Carder added, "It is interesting to have them muscle in ... and for me it’s kinda fun to have the competition around."

Scott Durham, the founder and president of Instivate, also runs Central District News, where he posted on the KOMO initiative.

"The new competition validates the long hours we've spent building this platform," he wrote. "The attempt to duplicate our features is especially flattering. But unlike these centrally-driven groups, we actually live in the communities we cover. We hear when sirens go flying down 23rd Ave, get out and go to neighborhood meetings, and discover local news when we're just out walking around with the Newshound."

Update, 5:15 p.m.: In an interview, Troy McGuire, vice president of news and general manager of Fisher Interactive Network, downplayed the notion that the KOMO Communities initiative is competing with the region's existing neighborhood blogs.

"We think that, just like in media, the more voices you have, the better," McGuire said. "MyBallard.com, the West Seattle Blog, they're all very good sites. If you look at our site, if you click on the beta, we talk about those sites. We think they're great. But we think we can also add something."

From a business standpoint, McGuire pointed out that the new KOMO neighborhood blogs give it an inroad into advertising for small businesses in a way that television and radio advertising doesn't provide.

Gary Cowan of DataSphere noted that, over time, Fisher would like to work out arrangements for the KOMO Communities sites to draw information from other sites, as well, to further supplement the information provided by the KOMO news staff.

Via email, Cory Bergman of MyBallard.com declined to comment on the KOMO initiative.