Fisher invests in DataSphere |
Register here for our next TechFlash Live networking event, March 23, featuring an expert panel discussing the future of online advertising.
Fisher invests in DataSphere
The relationship between Fisher Communications and Bellevue-based DataSphere Technologies just got a little tighter. The Seattle-based broadcasting company, parent of KOMO-TV and radio, announced today that it has invested $1.5 million in DataSphere, its partner in the rollout of more than 100 "hyperlocal" news sites.
It turns out that Fisher was one of the "undisclosed strategic investors" in the $10.8 million venture round announced by DataSphere in September, so this latest news doesn't represent additional financing beyond what DataSphere has already announced. However, it suggests that Fisher at least encouraged by the "LocalNet" advertising system that DataSphere has built up in support of Fisher's push into nitty-gritty community news.
Fisher's President and CEO, Colleen Brown, joined DataSphere's board in conjunction with the deal.
Fisher launched the first of its sites in August, targeting specific neighborhoods around the Seattle region. DataSphere provides underlying technology for the initiatives and uses its own outbound call center to sell advertising to businesses in the neighborhood served by the blogs. Fisher announced last week that its hyperlocal sites had signed up more than 1,000 advertisers.
The companies have also been syndicating the platform to broadcast stations in other parts of the country.
After the initial launch, some neighborhood bloggers in the Seattle region accused Fisher of using or rewriting their content without proper credit, and they questioned DataSphere's practice of offering free, unsolicited advertising as a way of interesting businesses in their advertising spots.
About John Cook
John Cook is co-founder and executive editor of TechFlash. He has been covering the technology beat for nearly a decade, writing about startups, entrepreneurs and venture capital, most recently serving as a reporter/blogger at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
READ FULL BIOGRAPHYRecent Sponsor Posts
Seattle University Software Engineering
Chinwe Okeke (MSE’08) pursued her graduate degree while working as a developer and technical analyst for the Boeing Company. She picked the SU-MSE program for small class sizes and real world learning opportunities offered through the academic service-learning and capstone projects.
The MSE program at Seattle University is geared for working professionals with classes offered in the evenings. The program builds upon the computing experience of its students and offers courses in a variety of technical and management areas of software engineering, with an emphasis on teamwork and a disciplined approach to problem solving.
Marchex is one of Seattle’s largest ad technology companies with 300+ employees providing call and click based performance marketing products, and managing over $100m in ad budget for tens of thousands of advertisers. Our customers range from local businesses to the Fortune 500.
Our talented and creative product engineering group is hiring.
If you are an innovative software design engineer interested in solving difficult problems at scale, across a wide array of technologies from Lucene to Hadoop to Asterisk and SIP then we’d love to hear from you!
Apply now.
Technology Tax Planning – Did You Take The Deduction?
Technology companies require professional advisors who can assist in all aspects of the business. The BDO Technology Practice provides a full range of services tailored to help address the changing needs of domestic and international companies. In addition to core audit and tax services, BDO professionals can assist technology companies with:
· Revenue recognition
· Business combination accounting
· R&D tax credits
· Compensation and benefits
· Business valuations
Backed by 38 national offices and an international network in 110 countries, we have the domestic and global footprint to serve growing technology companies. Contact sphilpott@bdo.com (audit partner), mreeves@bdo.com (audit partner), psmith@bdo.com (tax partner), tzambito@bdovaluation.us.com (valuation), tfiscus@bdo.com, Director, 206.624.2020
Job Listings
- Software Development Engineer - Display Advertising
- Business Services Company
- Director Enterprise Architecture - IT
- Starbucks Coffee Company
- Senior Program Manager - External - 713665
- Microsoft Corporation
- Quality Improvement Specialist
- HCR ManorCare
- Senior Software Development Engineer - eXtreme Computing Group - 708427
- Microsoft Corporation
