Category: Customers

Forum Communications Expands Viafoura Across NewsCenter1 to Deepen Community Engagement

We’re excited to announce that NewsCenter1.tv, a leading source for local news and storytelling in Rapid City, South Dakota, is now live with Viafoura’s suite of community engagement tools. As part of the broader Forum Communications Network – home to more than 20 trusted news brands – this expansion marks another bold step in Forum’s mission to empower audience connection, loyalty, and growth through meaningful digital experiences.

“Initially, we were looking into Viafoura as a live blog solution but once we saw the broader engagement features, we knew it was a smart opportunity to more deeply connect with our audience. We’ve since expanded Viafoura across all of our news sites, including NewsCenter1.”

Steve WagnerDirector of Content Operations

The launch includes Conversations, Engagement Starter, Auto Moderation, all seamlessly integrated into the NewsCenter1 CMS. With the newsroom quickly trained and up to speed, implementation was straightforward and efficient.

“Visitors to the site have been very receptive,” adds Wagner. “We anticipate commenting will take off in the first few months. Features like polls and notifications will also help improve engagement, recirculation, and ultimately, conversions.”

Forum Communications selected Viafoura to help address key business goals:

  • Drive registrations and subscriptions
  • Increase return visits and session duration
  • Deliver safe, scalable moderation
  • Enhance monetization opportunities

Dalia Vainer, Vice President of Customer Experience at Viafoura, shared her excitement about the partnership:

“Forum Communications is leading the charge in building modern digital communities around trusted journalism. We’re thrilled to support NewsCenter1 as they bring more voices into the conversation and turn passive readers into active participants.”

We’re proud to power the next chapter of engagement and growth at NewsCenter1.tv, and to continue supporting Forum Communications as they transform the audience experience across their entire network.

The Tampa Bay Times Launches Viafoura to Power Community Engagement and Subscription Growth

The Tampa Bay Times, Florida’s most respected news organization and a 14-time Pulitzer Prize winner, has officially gone live with Viafoura’s industry-leading community engagement tools. As a national model for fearless investigative reporting and enterprise journalism, the Tampa Bay Times continues to set the standard for meaningful public service journalism. Now, with Viafoura, it’s doubling down on its mission to build stronger digital relationships with its community.

Mark Katches, Editor and Vice President at the Tampa Bay Times, shared that Viafoura was selected due to its strong reputation across the media landscape and its proven ability to drive meaningful user engagement.

“Viafoura has a strong reputation working with lots of respected news organizations and offers lots of opportunities to build engagement.

It will definitely provide more opportunities for readers to engage with us and with our journalism.”

Mark KatchesEditor and Vice President at the Tampa Bay Times

The decision to implement Viafoura was part of a broader strategy to:

  • Drive subscription growth and retention
  • Boost on-site community engagement: Extend session durations and encourage return visits
  • Enable safe and scalable moderation
  • Increase ad revenue by improving audience loyalty and time on site

Viafoura tools now live on tampabay.com include Conversations, Full-Service Moderation, Community Chat & Engagement Starter.

With the platform fully implemented, Katches and the Tampa Bay Times team are optimistic about what’s ahead. “We’re hoping this will help drive time on site metrics higher as well as articles viewed per visit,” he says. “And we are hopeful it will help with subscription growth and retention.”

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with the Tampa Bay Times -not only for its excellence in journalism, but for its deep-rooted commitment to its community,” says Dalia Vainer, Vice President of Customer Experience at Viafoura. “Together, we’re building a stronger digital experience where meaningful conversations thrive, returning visitors feel at home, and quality journalism remains at the center.”

News-Press Gazette Expands Its Digital Community with Viafoura

We’re proud to announce the launch of Viafoura’s community engagement solutions on NewsPressNow.com, an exciting expansion under News-Press & Gazette Company (NPG). With deep roots in American journalism — dating back to 1845 with the St. Joseph Gazette — News-Press NOW continues its legacy of trusted local reporting by boldly stepping into the future of digital community building.

Viafoura’s full suite of tools including Conversations, Community Chat, Engagement Starter, and Full-Service Moderation is now live across NewsPressNow.com. This expansion empowers NPG’s digital team to boost registration, drive deeper community engagement, unlock new monetization opportunities, and meaningfully grow their first-party data strategy.

“News-Press NOW’s commitment to its audience is unmistakable, and we’re thrilled to support their mission with tools that elevate engagement, streamline moderation, and help build a more connected and loyal digital community.” says Dalia Vainer, Vice President of Customer Experience at Viafoura.

According to Michael Fabac, VP of Content and Station Promotion at NPG, the decision to partner with Viafoura was rooted in alignment, both in strategy and execution.

“Viafoura aligned nicely with NPG’s audience engagement strategies and workflow. We especially liked the AI-driven moderation component that helps our digital producers prioritize their time to take advantage of Viafoura’s other engagement tools, such as the Editor’s Pick and Engagement Starter.

Onboarding and ongoing support has been exceptional; the Viafoura team has been responsive and helpful at every step of our partnership.”

Michael FabacVP of Content and Station Promotion

The Baltimore Banner Launches New Era of Community Engagement with Viafoura Tools!

We are thrilled to announce that The Baltimore Banner has officially launched Viafoura’s suite of community engagement tools, bringing a transformative new experience to its loyal readers. With a rich history of delivering trusted, quality journalism that strengthens and unites the Baltimore community, The Baltimore Banner is now doubling down on its mission by fostering deeper, more meaningful interactions between its readers.

Eric Ulken, VP of Product at The Baltimore Banner, shares his excitement about the launch:

“We’ve been searching for a solution that not only supports commenting and live blogging but also integrates with our app vendor, Pugpig. Viafoura ticked those boxes for us. With their platform, we’re confident that we can create a thriving community where subscribers feel valued and engaged. We believe that community conversations will become an indispensable part of our subscriber experience. As this community grows, we expect non-subscribers to feel the pull of FOMO, while subscribers derive such value from their connectedness that canceling will be out of the question.”

Eric UlkenVP of Product

The Baltimore Banner’s commitment to enhancing local news aligns perfectly with Viafoura’s mission to create safe and secure digital communities. With the launch of Conversations, Live Blogs, Live Chat, AI Moderation, and Mobile SDK, The Baltimore Banner’s team now has the tools they need to offer exclusive, interactive experiences for subscribers while building stronger connections with their audience.

Dalia Vainer, Vice President of Customer Experience at Viafoura, adds:

 “The strategic alignment between The Baltimore Banner and Viafoura is rooted in our shared vision of empowering local journalism and building a loyal community. By leveraging our platform, The Baltimore Banner is set to deliver an exceptional digital experience, where meaningful conversations thrive and readers feel like they’re a part of something bigger. Together, we’re creating a space where the voices of Baltimore are heard and celebrated.”

This partnership is all about creating a safe, engaging space for community-driven discussions, offering exclusive perks for subscribers, and supporting the growth of The Baltimore Banner’s loyal readership. As The Baltimore Banner moves forward, the team will be closely monitoring key metrics, including: 

  • Increased subscription conversions
  • Higher engagement rates, and 
  • Streamlined moderation efforts

The future of community at The Baltimore Banner looks bright, and we couldn’t be more excited to help fuel that growth. Stay tuned for more live blogs, interactive conversations, and deeper connections—all powered by Viafoura!

Building a Thriving Tech Community: Authority Media Goes Live with Viafoura!

Authority Media’s Android Authority and SoundGuys are now powered by Viafoura’s community engagement tools, bringing real-time interaction, AI moderation, and personalized experiences to their audience. As a leader in tech reviews, Authority Media is committed to building deeper connections for its over 18 million monthly users while leveraging first-party data to refine content strategy and drive growth.

“We chose Viafoura for its seamless integration, AI-powered moderation, and audience analytics.
The platform aligns perfectly with our goal of building a loyal, active community.”

Derek ScottCo-founder/CEO

The onboarding process was smooth, with Viafoura’s team providing hands-on support. Derek adds:  

“It was among the best we’ve experienced”

Viafoura’s suite—including Conversations, AI Moderation, Author & Topic Follows, and Custom Badges—is designed to drive tangible results. Authority Media anticipates:

    • Higher engagement: More user interactions and longer time on-site
    • Efficient moderation: AI-powered tools reducing manual effort
    • Deeper audience insights: Data-driven content strategy optimization
    • Growth in registrations & subscriptions

“We’re thrilled to partner with Authority Media as they double down on community engagement,” says Dalia Vainer, Vice President of Customer Experience at Viafoura. “With our tools, they can create a dynamic, interactive space where users feel heard, valued, and connected—while also unlocking the power of first-party data to drive strategic growth.”

As Authority Media continues to grow its community, Viafoura is proud to support their mission of fostering deeper connections and meaningful engagement with their audience. Here’s to the next chapter of building a vibrant, engaged tech community!

Future Partners with Viafoura to Supercharge Community Engagement and Audience Connection

Viafoura, the leading digital experience platform for global media brands, is thrilled to announce the launch and rollout of the company’s community engagement solutions across Future’s portfolio of over 200 multimedia brands. This partnership marks a significant step in the digital publishing industry’s shift to prioritizing community engagement and delivering personalized user experiences. Future, the global leader in specialist media, is dedicated to connecting with passionate, high-intent audiences, which aligns with Viafoura’s mission to help brands build direct, loyal, and engaged communities.

Future selected Viafoura’s suite of community-building tools, including Conversations, and advanced AI moderation, to drive key business outcomes, including increasing authenticated users and driving engagement metrics. This initiative will enhance Future’s ability to foster deeper connections with its audiences.

”We are thrilled with the early response to commenting and community experiences on our pathfinder brands. We're looking forward to working with Viafoura on further embedding user engagement and interactions across our site experience

Simon CollisSenior Vice President, Content Strategy and Audience Development

Future anticipates three key outcomes from the partnership:

  • Increased registrations and subscriptions to build stronger audience connection and grow authenticated users.
  • Increased engagement with more time spent on site and higher page views.
  • Efficient moderation, saving time and ensuring positive experiences for users.

Mark Zohar, Chief Executive Officer of Viafoura, added:  

“We’re thrilled to partner with Future. Our team looks forward to helping Future drive deeper engagement and growth in authenticated users and transform the way Future interacts with their audiences.

This partnership reflects the digital media industry’s growing emphasis on community-driven experiences. “We’re excited to support Future’s success as they continue to innovate and connect with their audience in meaningful and impactful ways.”

Viafoura partners with over 800 global media brands, including Dotdash Meredith, Newsweek, McClatchy, The Associated Press, The Telegraph and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, to activate their audience. The company’s industry-leading digital experience platform drives audience engagement, increases registrations and subscriptions, and unlocks new revenue opportunities—enabling media organizations to build vibrant and thriving communities on their own digital properties.

www.viafoura.com | Request a demo with Viafoura here

Future is a leading global specialist media company offering trusted, expert content that builds engaged and valuable communities. Future is a prime destination for passionate people worldwide thanks to its specialist websites, magazines, events, newsletters and social spaces, all underpinned by data-driven insights and innovative technology that put the user experience first. 

Future’s diverse portfolio spans technology, games, fashion, beauty, home interest, finance, news, sports, music, entertainment and B2B. The company’s roster of market-leading brands includes Marie Claire, Tom’s Guide, PC Gamer, The Week, Go.Compare, Homes & Gardens, Who What Wear, TechRadar and more.

www.futureplc.com

We’re Live! Viafoura’s Community Engagement Tools Now Powering Planet Sport’s Network of Sites

We are thrilled to announce that Viafoura’s full suite of community engagement tools has officially gone live across all of Planet Sport‘s digital properties! This is a massive milestone in our partnership with the UK’s largest independent sports media business, and we couldn’t be more excited about the impact our solutions will have on their thriving community of over 25 million monthly fans.

Planet Sport’s portfolio, which includes fan-favorite sites like Football365, TEAMtalk, PlanetF1.com and Planet Rugby, is now equipped with the full power of Viafoura’s tools: Conversations, Liveblog & Engagement Starter. These tools are designed to supercharge user engagement, streamline content interaction, and foster a more connected and dynamic sports fan community.

Mark Holmes, Head of Publishing at Planet Sport, highlighted how our solutions will transform Planet Sport’s digital experience:

“We looked at a number of solutions that provided some of what we needed, but Viafoura offered everything we were looking for. This allows us to offer a more consistent experience for our users and improve UX while decreasing load times—a rare and beautiful combination. With Viafoura, we've seamlessly integrated user-generated content into our article pages, encouraging better, more civilized debate and enhancing our journalists' engagement with readers, which is crucial for growing our community.”

Mark HolmesHead of Publishing at Planet Sport

Our collaboration with Planet Sport is not just about integrating technology; it’s about strategic alignment and shared vision. Dalia Vainer, Director of Customer Experience at Viafoura, expressed how this partnership exemplifies our mission to empower media companies to thrive in the digital age:

“Partnering with Planet Sport is a testament to our commitment to delivering cutting-edge solutions that align with our clients’ goals of growing community engagement and enhancing user experience. This collaboration is a perfect example of how strategic alignment can lead to powerful, impactful results. We’re excited to see how our tools will elevate Planet Sport’s community to new heights.”

As Mark Holmes mentioned, “the onboarding process was smooth and stress-free, with our team ensuring a seamless transition to Viafoura’s tools without negative user feedback—no small feat when implementing changes of this scale!”

Since launch we’ve seen an impressive increase in engagement and registrations with 16% more engagement actions and 3.18x more community attributed registrations versus the previous vendor. This is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting journey together.

Welcome to the future of sports media engagement, Planet Sport! Let’s continue to build, engage, and grow—together.

Viafoura: A 13-Time G2 Winter 2025 Leader

We’re thrilled to announce that Viafoura has been recognized as a 13-time leader in community management by G2, the world’s leading software review platform. With 2 new reports and 13 awards, this Winter 2025 marks another significant milestone for Viafoura.

Key G2 Winter 2025 Awards:

  • Most Implementable (Online Community Management Results Index: Mid-Market): Acknowledged for our user-friendly and easy-to-implement platform.
  • Leader (Momentum Grid® Report for Commenting Systems): Recognized for our commitment to innovation and continuous improvement.

Leader (Enterprise Relationship Index for Online Community Management): Recognized for our ability to deliver high-quality solutions that meet the needs of large-scale organizations.

Best Relationship (Online Community Management Implementation Index: Mid-Market): Honored for our commitment to seamless integration and efficient deployment.

In addition to these specific awards, Viafoura has also been recognized as a leader in various other categories, including Grid® Report for Online Community Management Software and EMEA Grid® for Online Community Management Software.

These awards are a direct result of the positive feedback and reviews from our valued customers. Here are a few standout customer reviews:

  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Viafoura’s key role in enhancing The Independent’s comment community.” 
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Viafoura’s Moderation and Communication are Second to None.”
  • ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Viafoura is the gold standard in moderation and community engagement for digital publishers.”

A big thank you to all our customers for their continued support! We look forward to a successful next quarter.

To learn more about Viafoura’s award-winning solutions and explore why we’ve earned these prestigious G2 badges, visit our G2 profile. 

#G2Awards #CommunityManagement #OnlineCommunity #DigitalMarketing #SoftwareAwards

Viafoura’s Community Engagement Tools Now Live Across McClatchy Sites!

We’re excited to share that Viafoura’s full suite of community engagement tools is now live across McClatchy’s 29 daily newspapers. As a prominent American publishing company with a weekly circulation exceeding 10 million across 14 states, McClatchy is dedicated to empowering communities through quality journalism. This launch marks a transformative step in digital storytelling and community building for a company that remains steadfast in its commitment to the communities it serves.

Kat Sheplavy, Sr. Director of New Products & Experiences at McClatchy, shared her excitement about the partnership:

“We chose Viafoura because of their best-in-class suite of products, incredible team, excellent track record of human and AI moderators, and unwavering dedication to building community across online publishers. The Viafoura team is among the best I have ever worked with. They are super organized, incredibly responsive, and dedicated to ensuring we meet our goals. Viafoura has already changed the digital experience across McClatchy properties by giving our audience a platform for productive conversations and enabling our engagement editors to focus on meaningful interactions.”

Kat SheplavySr. Director of New Products & Experiences

As McClatchy continues to innovate in the digital space, the Viafoura tools will play a pivotal role in enhancing key areas of the business including: 

  • Increase in Registrations (Unknown → Known)
  • Improved Retention Rate
  • Time Saved on Moderation
  • Speed to Market to Publish Live Blogs
  • Increased Engagement (Time on Site + Return Visits)

Mark Zohar, CEO of Viafoura, highlighted the strategic alignment between the two companies:

“Our partnership with McClatchy is a perfect example of how strategic alignment can drive innovation and growth. By integrating Viafoura’s community engagement tools, McClatchy is not only enhancing its digital offerings but also fostering stronger, more meaningful connections with its readers, driving real business impact. We are proud to support McClatchy’s mission of strengthening communities through quality journalism.“

This launch is just the beginning. We are excited to continue working closely with McClatchy to build a vibrant, engaged, and safe online community that aligns with their high standards of moderation and safety.

Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to bring our community engagement solutions to life across McClatchy’s digital properties!

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