At newspapers, revenue from personals is down 50 percent since 1996, estimates Michael James of Minneapolis-based MicroVoice, which provides personal ad services to more than 400 daily and weekly papers. The ads are even disappearing from alternative weeklies. It's easy to see why. Posting and answering personals is free on popular Internet sites such as Yahoo and America Online. Online sites let users post photos, and offer cautious singles the chance to communicate without revealing home e-mail addresses or phone numbers.
Screen names serve as aliases.
There is a large pool of people out there who are isolated in their work, or in terms of geography, and have come to the end of their social network. He's dated five women he's met through Metrodate, though none long-term. Basically, I'm looking for a woman to sail into the sunset with me. That is a niche thing. And there is no shortage of niche services for online dating.