• by July 11, 2007

IAC's Citysearch and AOL's CityGuides are getting a major new competitor in the local entertainment guide business as Tribune Company's Tribune Interactive has begun rolling out its Metromix guide in all its newspaper markets, including Los Angeles and New York. The new Metromix sites will also compete against such local mainstays as laweekly.com and Time Out New York's Web site.

Metromix, which debuted a decade ago in Chicago, and later in Baltimore and Orlando, has just launched in Los Angeles, with New York about to come on board and then other Tribune newspaper markets.

To promote Metromix's expansion, Tribune has retained Leo Burnett for digital marketing, as well as TV, print and cinema advertising.

Tim Langdon, president of Tribune Interactive, said the goal is for Metromix, to become a national brand "with very engaged local audiences." The target demographic for advertisers is 18- to-34-year-olds with high disposable income.

Metromix L.A. announced its editorial staff, which includes LA Weekly and Variety veteran Deborah Vankin as editor, as well as editors for the site's bars/clubs, events, music, restaurants and style sections. Juliana Jaoudi, managing director, sales and marketing, for latimes.com, will be in charge of ad sales.

The New York site will draw from the resources of both Newsday and amNewYork.