Ogden Web site buys NYC company

OGDEN — TopTenREVIEWS, the Ogden-based technology and consumer reviews Web site, announced Monday it has acquired a New York City company that will allow it to form a network of science and entertainment news sites.

Company officials say the move to purchase the Consumer Media Division of Imaginova, Inc., which includes the sites Space.com, LiveScience.com and Newsarama.com, also enhances the visibility of Utah’s space and technology research industries.

“Being a Utah-based company, we know what it feels like to be a fly-over state,” said TopTenREVIEWS President Stan Bassett. “This will hopefully highlight Utah companies. This allows us to give focus to other institutions in this area that otherwise wouldn’t have gotten attention.”

TopTenREVIEWS is one of the largest online technology news sites, offering millions of reviews for electronics, software, entertainment and Web services products. That site and the newly-acquired sites will form TechMediaNetwork properties.

The new company expects more than 12 million visitors each month to its chain of sites, making TechMediaNetwork one of the most-visited Utah-based companies on the Web. TechMediaNetwork will retain its New York City office, but will also keep its headquarters in Ogden.

“We decided to stay here in Ogden,” Bassett said. “We like being here.”

Company officials say consumers should not expect to see many immediate changes to the sites, which supply original content to popular news portals like Yahoo!, AOL, MSNBC, USA Today and FoxNews.com and are brand leaders in their markets.

The company does hope to soon expand coverage and plans to retain partnerships with the scientific community, including the National Science Foundation and NASA.

Utah Gov. Gary R. Herbert said in a written statement the deal is good news for the state.

“Utah’s high-tech and life sciences industries are continuing to grow, despite the current economic challenges,” Herbert said. “Today’s news reflects that continued growth. I am pleased to see our expanding high-tech industry getting the recognition it deserves. That’s good news for jobs, and for all of the state’s residents.”