'Cincinnati Enquirer' Unveils City-Specific Social Net

Porkappolis

In a move that represents a potential threat to Foursquare and other location-based social networks, the Cincinnati Enquirer has partnered with DoubleDutch to launch a new mobile, location-based social app specific to Cincinnati called Porkappolis -- a reference to the city's glorious history as a hog farming hub.

While offering the usual suite of location-based network features, including check-ins, digital badges and leaderboards, Porkappolis hopes to differentiate itself from Foursquare with a superior understanding of the local urban landscape. That is demonstrated in an extra level of geotargeted information about local businesses and landmarks called "Bacon."

Where services like Foursquare rely on users to register and fill in information about local businesses, the Cincinnati Enquirer populated Porkappolis with data from the newspaper's directory and archives -- along with an array of badges customized to appeal to Cincinnati pride.

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For example, describing Porkappolis, the Cincinnati.com Web site said bargoers might use the app to find establishments offering the nearest, cheapest, or longest happy hour. The app is currently available for the iPhone, with HTML versions in the works for Android and Blackberry devices.

Back in 2007, Gannett -- which owns the Cincinnati Enquirer -- bulked up its local business information and mobile directory services by acquiring a stake in Text4Info, which allows mobile users to search for local businesses via SMS codes. Also in 2007, the company launched mobile sites for over 100 newspapers and related Web properties around the country, delivering breaking news, sports, and weather while opening up new opportunities for mobile advertising.

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