Boston Globe Media has acquired InstaTrac, a Massachusetts-based government information company that has provided legislative and municipal tracking services to professionals, public officials, and organizations across the state for more than three decades. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Founded by former journalist Michael Segal in partnership with the now-defunct Phoenix Media Group, InstaTrac operates two core subscription products: MassTrac, a legislative tracking and government intelligence platform covering activity on Beacon Hill, and MuniTrac, a municipal service offering searchable access to local meeting agendas, minutes, and transcripts across Massachusetts. The company’s subscriber base spans government affairs professionals, nonprofit organizations, businesses, researchers, municipal leaders, and public officials who rely on the platform to monitor and interpret government activity.
For Boston Globe Media, the acquisition serves a dual purpose: it gives the Globe’s newsroom direct access to a structured, comprehensive dataset of state and local government activity, and it adds a revenue-generating B2B information business to its portfolio at a time when media companies are increasingly seeking to diversify beyond advertising and consumer subscriptions. The Globe’s journalists will be able to use InstaTrac’s tools to monitor legislative developments, surface emerging stories, and deepen coverage of municipalities across Massachusetts. Shira Center, Boston Globe Media’s vice president of innovation and strategic initiatives, will lead the integration.
Michael Segal will remain with the company following the acquisition, and the full InstaTrac team will transition to Boston Globe Media. The company stated that existing customers should expect no disruption to current services in the near term.
KEY QUOTES:
“InstaTrac has built something incredibly valuable over the last three decades. Michael and his team recognized early on that people don’t just need access to information — they need help understanding what it means. That philosophy aligns directly with our mission at Boston Globe Media. We see tremendous opportunity to invest in this platform, grow it, and explore new ways it can support both the customers who rely on it and the journalists who serve our communities.”
Linda Henry, CEO, Boston Globe Media
“What excites me about this partnership is that Boston Globe Media understands the value of trusted information. They believe in what we’ve built and are committed to helping us continue to grow.”
Michael Segal, Founder, InstaTrac
“In the near term, InstaTrac customers can expect the same commitment, the same expertise, and the same focus on helping them understand government activity. In the months ahead we’ll invest even more in the future of the platform to provide additional value to existing and new customers.”
Dhiraj Nayar, President, Boston Globe Media
