Vocus acquires PRWeb -- direct to consumer news release pioneer teams up with media communications leader

I just heard the news that Vocus, a company that provides software tools for PR pros to manage relationships with the media has acquired PRWeb, a pioneer in direct-to-consumer news release distribution.

I don't know much about the deal yet, but this is certainly confirmation that news releases are an increasingly important way to deliver news directly to buyers via Google News, Yahoo! News, RSS feeds and industry portals.

I find it fascinating that Vocus, a company with strength in the media relations aspect of communications services is bringing a direct to consumer news service into the fold. I'd suggest that this confirms what many of us have been saying on this and other blogs about the lines between communicating with the media and communicating directly with buyers (The New Rules of PR) is blurring.

Congratulations to the team at Vocus for picking up such a great company. PRWeb has innovated from the start with useful ways to distribute, tag, and add value to news releases. I hope to have a chance to speak with PRWeb CEO David McInnis in the coming weeks to get his take on the deal.

The deal was announced via press release on PRWeb (duh!) as having been for $28 million in cash and stock. Congratulations to the smart people at PRWeb for building such value in their company in a short period of time.