Sunline lists these in an online directory organized in zones for four communities, corresponding to the newspaper's zoned editions. The Sun Herald went online in October 1996 with news, ads, archives, polls, reader reviews and an offer to e-mail certain features to those requesting them. Dupont, now at the St. Petersburg Times, acknowledges that online-advertising sales required a learning curve. Additional execs may join soon. Sunline also provides special services.
Some advertisers appear in as many as five locations.
The business plan calls for first creating volume, then charging for these ads. Parent World Co. owns the local cable-television company, which provides Internet service. A separate, profitable Geeks on Wheels business answers computer users' prayers. Geeks now operates from multiple offices and offers a toll-free, nationwide phone line. Geeks represented a natural business extension as well as a great pool of skills to support the Web site.