Tribune Media, Placecast partner for MatchAPI data

Less than six months into the marketplace and Placecast's location data platform is making new waves. Tribune Media Services has signed on to the platform to help provide accurate location based information for local businesses; Placecast's MatchAPI will clean location-based data for Tribune. The two are also partnering to give mobile app developers more options in the information provided through their apps.

by Kristina Knight

Placecast's MatchAPI works by cleaning up local business information available on the Internet. For example, a business may have their address written out as 102 S. Second St, 102 South 2nd Street or 102 S. 2nd street. This can be confusing for local, in-market consumers. By cleaning the data available local businesses can target messages, coupons or offers without worrying that the consumer may get lost on the way to the store. Once the data is 'cleaned', the system maps every relevant identification from the different online content providers to ensure that each listing points to the same physical location.

Tribune Media Services is one of the top resources for movie schedules throughout North America and the UK. By offering Tribune's movie listings, theatre listings and local showtimes, app developers can more accurately engage local consumers interested in entertainment options.

"Placecast's MatchAPI fully leverages our movie showtimes and solves the biggest challenges in working with location-based content today: it makes sure the listings always refer to the correct place in the real world, and makes it easy for developers to add Tribune Media Services showtimes to their offerings," said Jay Fehnel, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Tribune Media Services' Entertainment Products division.

The partnership is part of the new MatchAPI Partner Gallery, which helps app developers connect consumers to local businesses by providing unique geographically targeted content. The cleaned data can then be used through mobile apps or SMS campaigns to engage consumers in a specific neighborhood, town, region or state.

For instance, an app related to the upcoming "Eat, Pray, Love" film could access information for movie theatres in the Southwestern state of the US or the Northeastern corner of Canada from Tribune Media Services. Placecast's MatchAPI then integrates that information into the app so that consumers using it can obtain the best information about that film for their specific area.

Tags: local advertising, local businesses, location data, MatchAPI, online advertising, Placecast, Tribune Media Services