WaPo shelves hyperlocal initiative

The Washington Post folded LoudounExtra.com, its hyperlocal Web site. The paper launched the site two years ago, joining dozens of other papers seeking to grow their overall audiences by offering local coverage of community events. LoudounExtra.com served the northern Virginia community about 25 miles north of Washington, D.C. It combined Post reporters with community journalists who contributed local news and information.
The paper said the high costs associated with assigning reporters dedicated to the site contributed to the decision to shut it down.
Loudoun news will now be available through washingtonpost.com, editors said in a note to subscribers. The paper also said it will soon launch a new home page.
When LoudounExtra was first launched, the paper said it planned to roll out similar sites engineered for other areas surrounding the District. Those plans are now on hold.