BLOX Digital

BLOX Digital
Company type	Private
Industry	Online publishing
Predecessor	International Newspaper Network
Founded	1989; 36 years ago in Bigfork, Montana, U.S.
Founders	Marc Wilson; Virginia R. Wilson; Robert P. Dalton;
Headquarters	East Moline, Illinois, U.S.
Key people	Marc Wilson (chairman); Brad Ward (CEO);
Products	BLOX NXT Content Management System
Website	www.bloxdigital.com
	Footnotes / references;

BLOX Digital (formerly TownNews.com) is a digital media and online publishing company based in East Moline, Illinois. The company's products include the BLOX NXT Content Management System, which is commonly used by American newspaper websites. In February 2023, TownNews rebranded as BLOX Digital.^[2] As of 2025, Lee Enterprises has a "82.5% interest in INN Partners, L.C. ('BLOX Digital' formerly 'TownNews')",^[3] and labels it as its "Software as a Service ('SaaS') division".^[4]

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.^[1] As of 2025,^[update] over 2,000 newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and TV stations use BLOX Digital's products.^[5]

Products

The company's lead product is the BLOX NXT content management system (CMS), launched in April 2025.^[6] As the company’s flagship platform, it replaces the original BLOX Content Management System and is designed to meet the needs of media organizations, newspaper publishers, broadcasters of television and radio, and other content-driven businesses. BLOX NXT integrates tools for content creation, audience engagement, data analytics, and digital advertising into a unified system.

The BLOX NXT platform features AI-powered content creation assistance, providing real-time feedback on SEO, headline optimization, and content scoring, as well as audience engagement tools to enhance user targeting and retention.^[7]

Acquisitions

Over the years, BLOX Digital has acquired various organizations, most notably Field59,^[8] ZWire,^[9] AdQuest,^[9]^[10] Anytime News,^[11] and DotConnect Media (formerly AdOne and PowerOne Media).^[12]^[13]

References

^ ^a ^b "About Us". TownNews.com. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
^ Ward, Brad (27 January 2023). "A message to our customers regarding our rebrand to BLOX Digital". BLOX Digital. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
^ Millage, Timothy R. (February 7, 2025) [For The Quarterly Period Ended December 29, 2024]. "FORM 10-Q: QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934". SEC.gov. Washington, D.C.: UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. LEE ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.: 42-0823980). Commission File Number 1-6227. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
^ BLOX Digital; Lee Enterprises (February 6, 2023). "TownNews, top digital content management system (CMS) provider for media organizations, rebrands as BLOX Digital: Change reflects rapid growth of the leading provider of digital solutions for media organizations and expansion into attractive new markets" (Press release). DAVENPORT, Iowa and EAST MOLINE, Ill. GlobeNewswire (GLOBE NEWSWIRE). COMTEX_423951103/2010/2023-02-06T08:00:02. Factiva PZON000020230206ej260002i. NewsBank 18F87A7A5497B698. Available from: Lee Enterprises, Inc. (HTML, PDF), Dow Jones Institutional News (Factiva DJDN000020230206ej26001yb, ProQuest 2773494747), NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel (ProQuest 2772968944), News Bites US - NASDAQ (ProQuest 2773333402).
^ Digital, BLOX. "About BLOX Digital". BLOX Digital. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
^ "BLOX NXT Unveiled: The future of content management is here". BLOX Digital. 2025-04-03. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
^ "Transform your content strategy with BLOX NXT's integrated AI". BLOX Digital. 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
^ "TownNews strengthens video offerings with Field59 acquisition". BLOX Digital. 2018-03-27. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
^ ^a ^b PowerOne Media; TownNews.com; Lee Enterprises (February 15, 2006). "TownNews.com Acquires ZWire and AdQuest" (Press release). MOLINE, Ill. Business Wire. Factiva BWR0000020060215e22f00cw2. Gale A142112247. NewsBank 10FD2922055A50C8. ProQuest 445280553. TownNews.com and PowerOne Media jointly announced today that TownNews.com is purchasing ZWire, AdQuest and a national advertising network from PowerOne Media. [...] Lee Enterprises is one of PowerOne Media's owners. Available from: Lee Enterprises, Inc. (HTML, PDF), The Quad-City Times (Feb 16, 2006).
^ "TownNews acquires additional businesses". Globe Gazette. Mason City, IA. Associated Press. 16 February 2006.
^ "TownNews.com Adds Anytime News to Network". Editor & Publisher. 2 March 2001.
^ The McClatchy Company (25 July 2007). "Real Cities Network and DotConnect Media Announce Partnership; Expanded Network of More Than 1,400 Local Newspaper Websites Will Reach 43 Million Unique Visitors Monthly" (Press release). RALEIGH, N.C. PR Newswire /PRNewswire-FirstCall/. 200707251622PR_NEWS_USPR_____AQW178.xml. Gale A166792794. Factiva PRN0000020070725e37p009f6. NewsBank 11AA26B99D15F7F8. ProQuest 453382882. Founded as AdOne in 1998 and acquired by Lee Enterprises in March 2006, DotConnect is the nation's oldest and most extensive network of local online media sites.
^ DotConnect Media (1 May 2006). "New National Advertising Network Will Link 1,550 Newspaper Websites from Coast to Coast" (Press release). Business Wire. Factiva BWR0000020060501e251009ko. Gale A145184339. NewsBank 1115DE66B4D2B480. ProQuest 445238844. DotConnect Media, an expansion of the former PowerOne Media advertising network by Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NYSE:LEE), uses a network of 1,100 daily and weekly newspapers hosted by its subsidiary TownNews, combined with 450 newspapers formerly hosted by ZWire. TownNews acquired ZWire from PowerOne Media in March.

External links

Official website

[about-1] "About Us". TownNews.com. Retrieved 7 August 2017.

[2] Ward, Brad (27 January 2023). "A message to our customers regarding our rebrand to BLOX Digital". BLOX Digital. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 8 May 2023.

[3] Millage, Timothy R. (February 7, 2025) [For The Quarterly Period Ended December 29, 2024]. "FORM 10-Q: QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934". SEC.gov. Washington, D.C.: UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION. LEE ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.: 42-0823980). Commission File Number 1-6227. Retrieved 2025-09-26.

[4] BLOX Digital; Lee Enterprises (February 6, 2023). "TownNews, top digital content management system (CMS) provider for media organizations, rebrands as BLOX Digital: Change reflects rapid growth of the leading provider of digital solutions for media organizations and expansion into attractive new markets" (Press release). DAVENPORT, Iowa and EAST MOLINE, Ill. GlobeNewswire (GLOBE NEWSWIRE). COMTEX_423951103/2010/2023-02-06T08:00:02. Factiva PZON000020230206ej260002i. NewsBank 18F87A7A5497B698. Available from: Lee Enterprises, Inc. (HTML, PDF), Dow Jones Institutional News (Factiva DJDN000020230206ej26001yb, ProQuest 2773494747), NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel (ProQuest 2772968944), News Bites US - NASDAQ (ProQuest 2773333402).

[5] Digital, BLOX. "About BLOX Digital". BLOX Digital. Retrieved 2025-07-28.

[6] "BLOX NXT Unveiled: The future of content management is here". BLOX Digital. 2025-04-03. Retrieved 2025-07-28.

[7] "Transform your content strategy with BLOX NXT's integrated AI". BLOX Digital. 2025-07-23. Retrieved 2025-07-28.

[8] "TownNews strengthens video offerings with Field59 acquisition". BLOX Digital. 2018-03-27. Retrieved 2025-07-28.

[:0-9] PowerOne Media; TownNews.com; Lee Enterprises (February 15, 2006). "TownNews.com Acquires ZWire and AdQuest" (Press release). MOLINE, Ill. Business Wire. Factiva BWR0000020060215e22f00cw2. Gale A142112247. NewsBank 10FD2922055A50C8. ProQuest 445280553. TownNews.com and PowerOne Media jointly announced today that TownNews.com is purchasing ZWire, AdQuest and a national advertising network from PowerOne Media. [...] Lee Enterprises is one of PowerOne Media's owners. Available from: Lee Enterprises, Inc. (HTML, PDF), The Quad-City Times (Feb 16, 2006).

[10] "TownNews acquires additional businesses". Globe Gazette. Mason City, IA. Associated Press. 16 February 2006.

[11] "TownNews.com Adds Anytime News to Network". Editor & Publisher. 2 March 2001.

[12] The McClatchy Company (25 July 2007). "Real Cities Network and DotConnect Media Announce Partnership; Expanded Network of More Than 1,400 Local Newspaper Websites Will Reach 43 Million Unique Visitors Monthly" (Press release). RALEIGH, N.C. PR Newswire /PRNewswire-FirstCall/. 200707251622PR_NEWS_USPR_____AQW178.xml. Gale A166792794. Factiva PRN0000020070725e37p009f6. NewsBank 11AA26B99D15F7F8. ProQuest 453382882. Founded as AdOne in 1998 and acquired by Lee Enterprises in March 2006, DotConnect is the nation's oldest and most extensive network of local online media sites.

[13] DotConnect Media (1 May 2006). "New National Advertising Network Will Link 1,550 Newspaper Websites from Coast to Coast" (Press release). Business Wire. Factiva BWR0000020060501e251009ko. Gale A145184339. NewsBank 1115DE66B4D2B480. ProQuest 445238844. DotConnect Media, an expansion of the former PowerOne Media advertising network by Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NYSE:LEE), uses a network of 1,100 daily and weekly newspapers hosted by its subsidiary TownNews, combined with 450 newspapers formerly hosted by ZWire. TownNews acquired ZWire from PowerOne Media in March.

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