Let’s talk printed classifieds for a bit, and specifically design. Here’s an issue worth pondering:
Given that newspaper print-edition readers are aging (average age is now north of 50), is it time to increase the type size of classified liners to accommodate the deteriorating vision that we all get as we grow older?

Bad: narrow columns, centered […]

Long-time newspaper journalist turned interactive media expert Joe Michaud recently left his post as president of MaineToday.com (part of the Portland Press-Herald in Maine) and joined the AIM Group/Classified Intelligence as senior analyst. Now that he’s settled into his home office outside Portland to work for AIM and consult for several New England newspaper clients, […]

Thanks to Henry Pollson for his comment here pointing out an article of interest to anyone who has to compete against Craigslist in their local market:
“Angie’s List: A better alternative to Craiglist for finding local contractors.”

Writer Henry Grimes points out his experience with finding local contractors to do work around his house. When he used […]

I’m working on a white paper / report about how to redesign print classifieds sections for the modern world. (I’ll keep you posted on my progress and when it might be available.) And I have to say: It’s disturbing how slowly that’s happening, especially at U.S. newspapers.
If you look around at newspaper classifieds sections, most […]

With newspapers in deep trouble, it’s unlikely that they can climb out of their holes by themselves (especially as the holes keep getting deeper). If a solution or solutions are to be found, it will be in concert with other companies.

Google CEO Dr. Eric Schmidt is worried about the state of investigative reporting.
Text version of […]