Michael Shapiro hosted our meeting to introduce us to his company, TAPinto.net, a group of local news outlets on the web. TAPinto supports local news by providing the business-side services every news business needs – administration including web know-how and training, for example. TAPinto sites are run by people local to the area the site covers and the news is always local in nature. Michael said that while TAPinto covers virtually all town news, editors stress positive stories, the local events and the accomplishments of individuals and organizations. TAPinto remains politically neutral – an essential element of its success. And TAPinto appears to be succeeding where others have failed. According to TAPinto’s website, the company has “80 franchised online local and subject matter newspapers in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, and South Carolina, with more than 8,000,000 readers during the past year.”
The Ocean County Mayors’ Association has been found tax exempt by the IRS. Donations are deductible. Documentation of this determination and related financial disclosure documents are available for public examination. cir