BOSTON, Jun 11, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Boston.com, a regional online portal and Web site for The Boston Globe, announced today that it is adding the industry-leading geographic search and referencing technology of MetaCarta(R), Inc. to provide users with highly-localized content. The new solutions will further enhance the localization of Boston.com content, a key part of the site's strategy to deepen user engagement.

Hyperlocalization refers to delivery of news and information that is tightly focused on a limited geographical area. MetaCarta will geographically tag all Boston.com content as well as information from other Web sites that are included within Boston.com Local Search. The content can then be searched geographically and used to develop new localized services for Boston.com's audience, substantially increasing user frequency and pageview metrics.

"Our agreement with MetaCarta will help us bring our readers more relevant news and information by being able to zero in on locations that matter to them," said Bob Kempf, vice president of product at Boston.com. "We are committed to positioning content and offering functionality in ways that meet the needs of our audience and advertisers. We see that opportunity as increasingly local."

"Forward thinking media outlets like Boston.com are adopting MetaCarta's innovative geographic search solutions because they add more value to their already valuable content," said John Donnelly, vice president of global sales and field operations for MetaCarta. "Boston.com is well-positioned to deliver information geographically to anyone interested in what's really happening in the local area."

About Boston.com

Boston.com is one of the most visited regional portals in the U.S. and is wholly owned by The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT), a leading media company with 2007 revenues of $3.2 billion, which includes The New York Times, the International Herald Tribune, The Boston Globe, 16 other daily newspapers, WQXR-FM and more than 50 Web sites, including NYTimes.com, Boston.com and About.com. The Company's core purpose is to enhance society by creating, collecting and distributing high-quality news, information and entertainment.

About MetaCarta

MetaCarta, Inc., is the leading provider of geographic search and referencing solutions. MetaCarta products make data and unstructured content "location-aware" making that information geographically relevant. Using a map interface, these innovative solutions make it possible for customers to discover, visualize, and act on important location-based information. Founded by a team of MIT researchers in 2001, MetaCarta is privately held, with U.S. headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and offices in Vienna, Virginia, and Houston, Texas, and resellers worldwide. For more information, please visit www.metacarta.com MetaCarta Resource Center. MetaCarta is a trademark of MetaCarta, Incorporated. All other product or corporate references may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

SOURCE: Boston.com

Boston.com
Boston Globe Media
Bob Powers, 617-929-2270
powers@globe.com
or
MetaCarta
Red Javelin Communications, Inc.
Lisa Allocca, 978-470-2227
lisa@redjavelin.com