FoxHiLites.com – The High School Market is Blowing Up

First High School Playbook then HS GameTime now Foxhilites.  High school sports coverage is hot online.

In the 23 cities where it owns and operates local television stations, Fox will launch a local high school sports Web site, MyFoxLocker.com, Mediaweek reports.  Login and you’ll be sent directly to you local site. 

###

Students are encouraged to share videos of their lives inside and outside the classroom. The site includes online editing tools, allowing visitors to incorporate sound and graphics in their posts. Social networking features facilitate information exchanges among students, parents, and administrators. Websites will be monitored and run by the local news stations.

“Foxhilites.com offers a robust online platform where [high school students] can showcase their videos and talent,” said Ron Stitt, vp of digital media for Fox Interactive Media.

With a sudden surge of competition for the high school sports market, success will come to the product that provides the best user-experience through a lucid combination of professional coverage and user submitted content.

These products emerge in a market where comprehensive coverage is strained due to limited air time and insufficient production resources.  Local news stations should recognize the opportunities  of dramatically decreased production costs and equip news teams to create comprehensive coverage for these websites.  Student submitted content alone won’t make the play.