Masslive, a news website affiliated with the Springfield Republican, is trying to expand its brand beyond western Massachusetts by offering coverage originating from Boston and Worcester.
Readers can upload videos, photos, and short bios on Masslive, as well as link to their blogs, post comments on news stories, and take part in live chats. But it’s high school sports that dominate the digital real estate and help drive clicks from the next generation of online news consumers.
News
A SPRINGFIELD-BASED NEWS outlet is taking a run at being the go-to source for state news. MassLive, a website affiliated with the Springfield Republican, is trying to expand its brand beyond western Massachusetts by offering news coverage statewide, with a special emphasis on Worcester and Boston.
Advance Local, a unit of Advance Publications, operates MassLive along with the Springfield Republican and other media and entertainment companies. The site has a young and non-union staff, and is trying to create a purely digital workplace culture separate from the Republican. The news on the site is geared toward western Massachusetts, but it also has a strong push statewide, covering the governor’s race and a federal corruption trial in Boston. High school varsity sports from around the state also make prime real estate on the site, with readers able to download apps, share links, participate in live chats and post comments alongside reporters’ stories.
Sports
One of the biggest draws at MassLive is sports coverage, both in terms of the news and the sheer amount of content available. The site features high school varsity games from around the state in its coverage rotation and also boasts a dedicated sports section, complete with a state-of-the-art mobile app. It also has the state’s largest staff of sports writers, covering all levels from the local club to the NCAA. But the most impressive gimmick of all is the way it gets readers involved in its coverage.
Politics
As part of its push to reposition itself as the primary statewide news source, the Springfield-based MassLive has been expanding its coverage beyond western Massachusetts. While high school varsity sports remain a core area of the website’s digital content, political stories, crime, celebrity comings and goings, and photo galleries are also hot topics. And with a staff of seven regular reporters, MassLive’s focus is on breaking news, particularly around the Boston and Worcester areas. The influx of content from these regions is causing some locals to worry that the site’s digital presence might be a signal of a larger shift away from newspapers.
Entertainment
The entertainment on the statewide digital news site masslive is big, and it’s not all about sports. The news website, which is owned by Advance Local, a New England newspaper company, has a lot of shiny things to show off, from a big-ticket statewide event to a snazzy mobile app that allows users to post videos, photos, and short bios.
The biggest draw on masslive is high school varsity sports coverage from around the state, which occupies prime real estate on the site.
