Local stations continue to increasingly devote resources to engaging viewers online. Advertising Age examines how some local stations have been successful with social media — and the impact that can have on advertisers:

Social media helped a local NBC affiliate push past the dominant station in the market during Hurricane Irene, said Valari Staab, president of NBC Owned Television Stations.

“We were watching the Facebook page, and it just lit up. … The conversation got bigger and bigger, and more people became involved,” Ms. Staab said. “The station went on-air live at 3 p.m. instead of 6 p.m. and stayed on. We slaughtered our competition on the coverage.”

Local advertisers in turn can benefit from TV’s social extensions. “Local broadcasters, through their social presence, can build large audiences, but it’s difficult for local advertisers to cultivate audiences to news,” said Dunia Shive, president-CEO of Belo Corp.