Tribune Digital Ventures buying TV by the Numbers, relaunches Zap2it

Tribune Digital Ventures, the technology and innovation arm of Tribune Co., has agreed to acquire TV by the Numbers, a source of television ratings analysis and programming news, the company said Thursday.

Tribune Digital Ventures is also relaunching its entertainment website Zap2it to focus on helping consumers discover programming to watch on traditional TV and streaming services, including Netflix, Amazon and Hulu.

Financial details were not disclosed. Tribune Co. is the parent of the Los Angeles Times.

The acquisition of the independent TV by the Numbers, which has powered Zap2it’s TV ratings coverage since 2010, will bolster Tribune’s entertainment data business, said Shashi Seth, president of Tribune Digital Ventures.

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“It allows us to become a voice in the industry when it comes to data and analytics around the entertainment space,� Seth said.

Tribune plans to take advantage of TV by the Numbers’ use of traditional Nielsen ratings statistics, along with the growing trove of data generated by Internet search engines and social media sites, Seth said.

The acquisition and the Zap2it digital face-lift will help make the site a premier resource for TV fans and entertainment industry insiders, Seth said.

“This is first in a series of steps to become the go-to site for when people ask, ‘What do I want to watch tonight?’� Seth said.

Tribune Digital Ventures launched in 2013 and acquired Gracenote, a music technology and data company, in December.

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