The new reality is about results. Newspapers sold on circulation or general readership can not make the transition into results based advertising sales. While the vertical Dot Com businesses are constructed around results based listing databases.The newspaper’s attempts to copy/ produce their own “national trend like” listing database site has been weak. With most newspaper companies attempting to find a hybrid solution that coleuses with their general readership based business model.

Newspapers must introduce a results based measurement mechanism that connects advertising placement to outcome. Especially in the Classifieds. Perhaps in-bedding ad codes or dedicated phone numbers need to be added to ad content. As well as the creation of a measuring classification traffic tool to be used for both print and on-line advertising.

As Lou Heldman said, ” Advertisers should be sold eyeballs, not platforms”.

It is time for dramatic changes in the last of the true mass media companies, but it doesn’t have to be following current national trends.

Not to long ago these trends were simple disruptive models. An accurate measurement mechanism will give any advertising platform an advantage, more so one with an inherent audience.

As Mr Heldman noted, investments in technology and people are the answer. Newspapers may end up delivering the next disruptive business model.

I beg to differ. It’s exactly the opposite. Papers still pretend that people are buying primarily for print to make their print product look better than it really is.

And please DON’T stop obsessing about the national trends. Craigslist, realtor.com. autotrader.com, etc., etc., might have made less difference in Wichita than in some other markets, but their effect is bigger than Mr. Heldman realizes and it’s getting bigger all the time.

Publishers who become complacent in Wichita, Paducah, Peoria or Podunk will get swamped by the same tsunami that already has hit some markets. Stand up and fight.