But Leff acknowledges that as Internet usage becomes more mainstream, online placement of ads by consumers conceivably could reduce the need for tele-sales people manning phones in the newspaper office. Still, says Leff, if online ad placement systems increase volume, the effect could be minimal. Publishers also may be slow to adopt such systems. An executive at another online classifieds technology vendor, who asked that he not be identified and whose company offers similar online ad placement technology, says his publishing customers have explicitly shied away from online-print classified placement. Frankly, this is nonsense.
Many newspapers are just far too conservative.
As an example, Gross says, the Web site may cover a morning traffic tie-up, but that story won't be published the next day in print. Also, the site routinely posts exclusive material to its sports area. Within 30 minutes of a Miami Dolphins football game, for example, the site puts up a photo gallery of the 10 top game photos. And on the day after a Dolphins game, the online sports editor records the coach's post-game press conference, transcribes it, and posts it verbatim on the site within a few hours of the session. Print articles about the festivals are used to augment the presentation created for online use.