| Metro Networks | |
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| Headquarters | Houston, Texas |
Metro Networks is a broadcasting outsourcing company based in Houston, Texas. It was a subsidiary of Westwood One until its sale to Clear Channel Communications in 2011. The company operates a number of local and regional news and traffic operations that provide regular reports to affiliates, together with its sister company Shadow Broadcast Services. At last count, Metro Networks had approximately 2,300 radio affiliates and 170 television affiliates operating in nearly every major radio and television market of the United States, as well as 700+ websites.
In addition to offering live and recorded broadcasting reports, Metro Networks operates its own news wire service, Metro Source. Metro Source, created by software writer Ken Dichter, was started in 1997 to compete with other wire services, such as the Associated Press and Reuters. Its National News Center is based in Phoenix, Arizona. Metro Source operates 24/7 and provides hundreds of radio stations and websites with national, state, feature and local stories, including audio and photos. Over its ten year existence in the marketplace, Metro Source has been able to take away many large market radio stations from the once dominant AP wire. Despite its success, Metro Source is scarcely known outside of the continental United States.
On April 29, 2011, Westwood One sold Metro Networks to Clear Channel Communications for $119.25 million so it can concentrate on their other properties. Clear Channel also owns Metro's rival, Total Traffic Networks. Plans call for both Metro and TTN to be combined into one network and is expected to retain the Metro Networks name once the transition is completed.[1][2]
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