BLOX Digital
{{short description|Digital media and online publishing company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = BLOX Digital
| logo =
| type = Private
| industry = Online publishing
| predecessor = International Newspaper Network
| founded = {{Start date and age|1989}} in Bigfork, Montana, U.S.
| founders = {{Unbulleted list|Marc Wilson|Virginia R. Wilson|Robert P. Dalton}}
| defunct =
| hq_location_city = Moline, Illinois
| hq_location_country = U.S.
| area_served =
| key_people = {{Unbulleted list|Marc Wilson (chairman)|Brad Ward (CEO)}}
| products = BLOX Content Management System
| owner =
| num_employees =
| num_employees_year =
| parent =
| website = {{URL|www.bloxdigital.com}}
}}
BLOX Digital (formerly TownNews.com) is a digital media and online publishing company based in Moline, Illinois. The company's products include the BLOX Content Management System, which is commonly used by American newspaper websites. In February 2023, TownNews rebranded as BLOX Digital.{{cite web |title=A message to our customers regarding our rebrand to BLOX Digital |url=https://www.bloxdigital.com/resources/news/a-message-to-our-customers-regarding-our-rebrand-to-blox-digital/article_621a7dfe-a185-11ed-85c9-272fb41bcd30.html |website=BLOX Digital |date=27 January 2023 |access-date=8 May 2023 |language=en}}
History
The company was founded by Marc Wilson, Virginia R. Wilson, and Robert P. Dalton as the International Newspaper Network (INN) in 1989 to help newspapers deal with developing technology.{{cite web |title=About Us |website=TownNews.com |url=https://www.townnews365.com/about/ |access-date=7 August 2017 }} {{As of|2017|post=,}} over 1,600 newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and TV stations use TownNews.com's products.
Products
The company's lead product is the BLOX CMS (content management system), which is widely used to produce online and print products. Customers include Lee Enterprises,{{cite web |date=28 May 2010 |title=Congrats to five award-winning sites |website=TownNews.com |url=https://www.townnews365.com/content_management_solutions/news/congrats-to-five-award-winning-sites/article_7e67a906-6a92-11df-b4e7-001cc4c03286.html }} Berkshire-Hathaway Media, Digital First Media,{{cite web |date=1 December 2016 |title= Connecticut Magazine |website=TownNews.com |url=https://www.townnews365.com/site/site_launches/connecticut-magazine/article_e94bec58-b808-11e6-b60e-d3418307a788.html }} Adams Publishing Group,{{cite web |date=12 June 2017 |title=Pilot-Independent |website=TownNews.com |url=https://www.townnews365.com/site/site_launches/pilot-independent/article_d743e400-4fb8-11e7-9984-dfc0abc79faa.html }} Pioneer Newspaper Group,{{cite web |last=Kolp |first=Brandon |date=23 May 2003 |title=TownNews.com provides online solution for Pioneer Newspaper Group |website=TownNews.com |url=https://www.townnews365.com/content_management_solutions/news/townnews-com-provides-online-solution-for-pioneer-newspaper-group/article_bf3cb1f4-d894-5dfd-a505-36803a0dfd17.html }} the Evening Post Publishing,{{cite web |date=27 October 2016 |title=South Strand News |website=TownNews.com |url=https://www.townnews365.com/site/site_launches/south-strand-news/article_a5b14f58-9c4f-11e6-8722-df6c484b05eb.html }} and many other groups and independent publications.
Organization
BLOX Digital is headquartered in Moline, Illinois. Executives added since 2000 include CEO Brad Ward, head programmer Patrick O'lone, systems chief Chris Murley, controller Darcy Heist,{{cite web |date=30 June 2011 |title=From typewriters to terabytes – the TownNews.com story |website=TownNews.com |url=https://www.townnews365.com/content_management_solutions/blogs/from-typewriters-to-terabytes-the-townnews-com-story/article_7e03b3dc-a354-11e0-bdf4-001cc4c03286.html }} and national sales VP Rick Rogers.{{cite press release |date=13 June 2016 |title=TownNews.com tags Rick Rogers as new VP of sales |publisher=TownNews.com |location=Moline, IL |url=https://www.townnews365.com/news_room/townnews-com-tags-rick-rogers-as-new-vp-of-sales/article_b401c6ac-3195-11e6-aa77-8769db2ad412.html }} Marc Wilson became executive chairman in October 2016 after serving as chief executive since the company's founding.
Lee Enterprises, the fourth-largest newspaper group in the United States is an 82.5% stakeholder of BLOX Digital.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}} The Wilsons {{citation needed span|date=August 2017 |text=and Keenan}} remain minority partners. Lee Enterprises became the majority partner in 1996.
Acquisitions
Over the years, TownNews.com has acquired various organizations, most notably ZWire,{{Cite web |last=Times |first=Quad-City |date=2006-02-16 |title=Lee EnterprisesTownNews.com acquires ZWire and AdQuest |url=https://qctimes.com/business/article_8e27fbdf-9e96-53e6-afd6-02cca3abe022.html |access-date=2025-04-21 |website=The Quad-City Times |language=en}} AdQuest,{{cite news |date=16 February 2006 |agency=Associated Press |title= TownNews acquires additional businesses |newspaper=Globe Gazette |location=Mason City, IA |url=http://globegazette.com/business/townnews-acquires-additional-businesses/article_cffd4de1-0f64-563b-942d-55a50e09e334.html }} Anytime News,{{cite magazine |date=2 March 2001 |title=TownNews.com Adds Anytime News to Network |magazine=Editor & Publisher |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/news/townnews-com-adds-anytime-news-to-network/ }} and DotConnect Media.{{citation needed|date=August 2017}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.bloxdigital.com/}}
Category:Publishing companies established in 1989
Category:Online publishing companies of the United States
Category:Newspaper companies of the United States
Category:Software companies based in Illinois
Category:Business software companies