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Metrotimes.com
- Powered by Drillbit - Nominated for Prestigious EPpy Award
by
the Drillbit Staff 2/2/01
DETROIT,
MI -
For the second consecutive year, the Internet services of
Detroit's Metro Times alternative newsweekly have been nominated
for Editor
& Publisher's Best Directory Application EPpy award. This
year, What's
Happening - the Web site's interactive event guide - was
singled out for excellence. Metro Times' Restaurant
Metropolis Web site won the category at last year's awards.
What's
Happening was created by Drillbit, a Detroit-based consulting
firm that provides consulting and database tools to alternative
media. "Like all our products, the What's Happening site integrates
a paper's existing content with community-provided data,"
said Drillbit president Tom
Woodman, "With such deep community ties, alternative newspapers
are ideally suited to provide market-leading arts & entertainment
information."
Based
on Drillbit's Event Metropolis
product, What's Happening uses a Web interface that allows
users to easily drill-down to anything they might be interested
in - from poetry readings to techno concerts. "It's far and
away the most comprehensive and user-friendly event guide
available in our market," says Drillbit VP of Product Innovation
Adam Druckman.
"Plus, it's truly fun to use."
With
the help of a colorful cube icon, the site automatically recommends
events by using the accumulated knowledge of Metro Times writers
and editors. "The Web site knows which events, bands, and
even locations Metro Times' writers like," says Druckman.
"For example, if you're searching for theater, it instantly
recommends a play they think you'd enjoy."
Adds
Woodman, "This allows readers to not only see a simple event
listing, but to learn valuable information on why you would
WANT to do something." Since launching the directory strategy,
metrotimes.com's traffic has increased by 500%. "The community
takes a tremendous amount of ownership in the site," says
Woodman," The feedback has been tremendous."
Visit
the What's Happening site at whatshappening.metrotimes.com.
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