IAC Unveils New City Guide Service

IAC today is launching a new local search service, Ask City, that will include local information about business listings, events, maps, and movies. The site, which will rely heavily on other IAC properties including Citysearch and Ticketmaster, won't carry any ads at launch.

With the service, users will be able to search for a variety of businesses and events, such as particular types of restaurants and music concerts. Users also will be able to make reservations or purchase tickets to events by clicking on links at the Ask City site.

"We wanted to make it really easy for people to use the information that they found," Ryan Massie, IAC director of product management, said. "If you want to buy a ticket, we're providing a link for people to buy a ticket right away."

In addition to partnerships with IAC siblings like Citysearch, the site also will draw content from the Tribune Company, which will provide movie reviews from The Chicago Tribune, per a deal between that company and IAC.

The new Ask City service will better position IAC to compete in the online guidebook arena against local search powerhouses Google and Yahoo, said Greg Sterling, principal of Sterling Marketing Intelligence. "It's a top tier product now--in contrast to their old local product, which was basically just repackaging the Citysearch listings with a map."

But the new product will also potentially compete against the 10-year-old Citysearch--among the better-known brands in the online city guide arena. "If this product really takes off, there's a possibility that it will take off at the expense of Citysearch," Sterling said.

While the Ask City site won't carry ads at launch, Massie said it might do so in the future.

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