Yet Another Key Executive Leaves Patch, AOL's Local News Play

Mark Josephson, svp/marketing and revenue at AOL's Patch, has resigned, according to Buzzfeed.

He's the fourth member of Patch management to bail on the troubled local news organization in recent months.

Patch has cost AOL north of $200 million to create — it's a network or 850 sites devoted to news-you-can-use from local communities that are ill-served by newspapers — and yet it has struggled to break 12 million unique visitors monthly.

Last month, Patch CTO Rob Platzer left the company. AOL COO Artie Minson bailed after butting heads with CEO Tim Armstrong on Patch. Last year, PR boss Janine Iamunno disappeared.

Some people believe Armstrong needs to make a big decision about Patch: Close it and stop the losses; or double down and make it truly national — attracting the big ad budgets that want huge audiences.

AOL told Buzzfeed in a statement: “We thank Mark for his dedication and contributions to Patch and wish him well as he embarks on a new chapter in his career.”