Fox Interactive Media (NYSE: NWS) is working with digital publishing company Lin TV to build up parent News Corp.‘s local broadcast sites. So far, the FIM and Lin TV have launched two sites, for Rhode Island’s www.wpri.com and Florida’s www.fox10tv.com. Over the next few weeks, an unspecified number of other local TV sites will be rolled out. As part of the arrangement, FIM is delivering both back-end and front-end publishing services to LIN TV’s stable of web properties, including content management, video, contextual search and social networking. On its end, Lin TV is creating customized video players, weather map and social net tools.

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This is the first time FIM has turned to an outside publisher. As Peter Levinsohn, FIM’s president, said in a statement, the Digital Publishing Group is one of FIM’s three pillars, along with the FIM Audience Network and the unit’s portfolio of web brands, which include MySpace, Fox Sports and IGN Entertainment. FIM’s deal with Lin TV follows the moves taken by NBC Universal (NYSE: GE) to apply greater focus on local media, and also resembles some of the deals the Turner has done with its sports coverage, including JVs with the NBA and NASCAR.