• by Wayne Friedman , April 22, 2009

Looking to get into the digital ad network game, Gannett Co. announced the formation of the Gannett Digital Media Network.

The company said it will tie together more than 100 digital communities with a combined reach of approximately 25 million people. This includes its big USAToday.com site from the USA Today national newspaper, as well as a number of local TV/newspaper-based sites, such as AZCentral.com and IndyStar.com.

In addition, Gannett will include MomsLikeMe.com, a new local social network for moms in 80 markets across the country, and HighSchoolSports.net, which Gannett says is the largest prep sports site in the country, reaching teens and parents.

Also included in the network group: Metromix.com, a local entertainment and nightlife destination, and BNQT.com, an action sports network.

Gannett says its sites rank higher on metrics that advertisers want most -- including education and household income, according to a recent Jupiter Research study.

In a statement, Josh Resnik, vice president and general manager of the Gannett Digital Media Network, said national advertisers would be "thrilled by the opportunities" the network presents. "We can combine the broad reach of our network with the engagement and affinity found on local sites to help marketers effectively reach their target customers."

Gannett says it will offer advertising PointRoll technology, where messaging can be exposed in many directions when a user rolls a mouse over digital ads. It will also utilize ShopLocal, a suite of retail marketing solutions, and Ripple6, a social media platform for users and publishers.