Single Destination for Local News and Content to Help You Live Your Life
The Washington Post is expanding and rebranding its popular local home page. The enhanced site, now known as PostLocal.com, is the premier source for breaking local news, area politics, original journalism and more. It builds on the work of the biggest news team in the District, Maryland and Virginia to deliver the best reporting and video coverage of local issues, while creating a unique experience for the local community.
"This is just the first of several initiatives as we continue to develop the site and create tools that are useful to our audience," said Emilio Garcia-Ruiz, The Post's Local Editor. "Our aim is to use the expertise of Post reporters to provide readers with credible reporting and up-to-date information that affects their daily lives."
New features on the site include the following:
- New Local Politics Blog: The "DeBonis" blog debuts where local political expert Mike DeBonis will regularly break news, analyze the political scene and hold local leaders accountable. DeBonis will also write a column that will be published early online Thursdays and in print Fridays.
- The Daily Gripe: Local residents can report problems in their neighborhoods and get a direct line to local officials who can fix those problems.
- Lori's A.M. Buzz: This weekday blog by Local Reporter Lori Aratani will provide readers with a digest of the newsiest stories of the morning and a look ahead to the day's local coverage.
- New Transportation Page: New features include a construction projects calendar, transportation tips for getting around the area and a Metro fare calculator. The Get There blog will also relaunch as Dr. Gridlock's blog.
- News Reload: Using The Post's popular TimeSpace program, News Reload makes it simple to find local news, day by day. If you've been out of town or skipped a few days of news, News Reload allows you to easily find the top local stories for each day you missed.
- Campaign Wikis: This feature provides the latest news on local elections and ways to participate in the races, starting with coverage of the D.C. mayoral race and the Md. governor's race. Like any other Wiki, readers can also participate in the way The Post covers campaigns by contributing to and commenting on the entries for these campaigns.
- D.C. Wire Blog: The District blog presents news you can count on that's more conversational and where residents live, including a Thursday online chat hosted by Marc Fisher and other Post staffers and Friday videos with Hamil Harris holding the mic.
- DataPost: A collection of the most interesting, searchable databases developed by The Post and other local and national organizations and agencies. Explore traffic data, census figures and poverty rates, crime statistics, detailed results from past elections, and much more.
- All Opinions Are Local: A network of independent bloggers around the region who weigh in on important local issues.
"We'll build on successful personalities and brands that are exclusive to the Post, such as the Capital Weather Gang, which established itself as the go-to source for weather news and analysis during last winter's snowstorms; Dr. Gridlock, the top authority on traffic and commuting issues; and the Going Out Gurus, who tell Post readers what's the latest, hottest, best entertainment and dining in town," said Jane Elizabeth, PostLocal's news editor. "We want to give our readers the very best information available by creating a one-stop destination for anyone interested in what's happening in the D.C. metro area."
Though the local homepage is out of its beta phase, content on PostLocal.com will constantly evolve, reinforcing The Post's commitment to covering and serving the local area. The new site fosters a richer and more engaging experience for users seeking content such as breaking news around the clock, which can be found on the PostNow blog. PostLocal creates a community allowing readers to be a part of the conversation by participating in live discussions directly with reporters and an opportunity to help drive coverage in a feature called Story Lab. It also offers readers tools to help them make the best decisions for their life and family through extensive reporting on local entertainment, neighborhoods, schools, and crime as featured in The Crime Scene blog. In addition, PostLocal.com links through to The Post's market-leading local sports coverage, including prep sports at AllMetSports.com and local swimming at ReachForTheWall.com.
As the region's news leader, PostLocal.com will continue to provide in-depth and timely reporting and develop new features aimed at serving neighborhoods, communities and others better. Beginning tomorrow, page B2 of the print edition from Tuesday through Friday will give readers a platform to share ideas and react to stories allowing for constant interaction on the Web and in the paper.
PostLocal.com comes five weeks after the launch of PostPolitics.com, which is The Post's ultimate homepage for political news.
About The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com)
The Washington Post provides award-winning news and understanding about the politics, policies, personalities and institutions that make Washington, D.C. the world's seat of power, and is a critical tool and information source for those who call Washington, D.C. home. In digital form, The Washington Post combines its world-class journalism with the latest technology and tools, and encourages participation and customization across all platforms so readers can engage with The Washington Post anytime, anywhere. The Washington Post is owned by The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO), a diversified education and media company.
Contacts:
The Washington Post
Jennifer Lee, 202-334-5207
jennifer.lee@wpost.com