TAPinto CEO Michael Shapiro Discusses the Growth of Hyperlocal News

TAP into Greater Olean

Michael Shapiro, chief executive officer of TAPinto.net, founded the hyperlocal news organization in 2008 when he launched an online news site dedicated to covering people and government in his town of residence, New Providence, New Jersey. After starting sites in two adjacent towns, he started a franchise, expanding throughout New Jersey and into New York State. Today, TAPinto has over 5.5 million readers, covers more than 100 towns and is "commited to all things local." In this podcast, Taylor Kickbush, a journalism and mass communication major in the Jandoli School at St. Bonaventure University and a writer for TAPinto Greater Olean, the first franchise operated by a journalism school, interviews Shapiro about the growth of TAPinto, its relevance, how social media has helped its growth and what he has in store for the future of TAPinto.net.