Comcast has expanded the reach of EveryBlock, a hyper-local news and information service, to the Boston area, including Brookline, Cambridge and Medford.
Comcast has already launched EveryBlock in Chicago, Denver and Philadelphia, and has plans to introduce it in Houston and Hialeah, Fla., “in the coming months.”
The free, neighborhood-level service provides an interactive, personalized feed of local news and information, including the ability for registered members to post information on their own or comment on postings made by other people.
In addition to area news, the service also provides access to info such as local crime and news reports, business and restaurant reviews from sources such as Yelp, events calendars, business license applications, and which homes in the area have gone on the market. According to Comcast, EveryBlock lets users personalize their data feeds form more than 500 local sources.
And users are encouraged to proactively contribute. “The more you share, the more you’ll know,” a short video about the service proclaims.
In addition to Web browsers, Comcast has launched Everyblock apps for iOS and Android devices.
As reported by Multichannel News contributor Gary Arlen in September, such a service (Comcast relaunched it this year after its original debut in 2007) could become a key conduit for local advertising dollars. But EveryBlock isn’t selling advertising, at least “not at this time,” according to the FAQ.
And posting ads or solicitations is one of the EveryBlock no-nos, alongside posting inappropriate content, violating someone’s privacy, posting gossip about neighbors, and setting up multiple accounts.
