Farhi's Don't Blame the Journalism.
Yes, Craig really exists
And I talked to him (left) on occasion when I was a USA Today reporter. Founder Craig Newmark and CEO Jim Buckmaster run the giant free-classifieds site in San Francisco. And they reject assertions that Craigslist is mostly to blame for the industry's problems: "There are bigger things that have been more problematic for newspapers," Buckmaster told The New York Times in May; he cited circulation losses and basic mismanagement. "Newspapers have an enormous amount of debt. That is not something that can be laid at our doorstep."
Which begs a question. How many newspaper people reading this site feel obligated to put their money where their mouths are and help the industry, not to mention their own employer, by using classified ads when they want to sell their used cars?
ReplyDeleteOr do newspaper people vote with their wallets and purses by using Craigslist as so many others are? Who will 'fess up?
Me? I don't work in the industry at all. I'd use Craigslist in a heartbeat. Free, instant and widely read. (Did I mention free?) What's not to like?
I don't Blame Craigslist...they had an idea that met a consumer need. The newspaper industry should have done it first! But to say Craigslist is not responsible is naiive. They totally destroyed the classified print business, singularly and hands down.
ReplyDeleteI have used classifieds in the paper. I've never used eBay or craigslist -- I just worry about the risks involved. I should point out that I do plenty of business online -- banking, bill pay etc -- I've just never been comfortable with something like craigslist. Which probably puts me in the minority, but there it is.
ReplyDeleteActually, we had a car to sell. We advertised in the classifieds, got a call within an hour of waking up on Sunday morning, and had the car sold 5 hours later. Newspapers are not dead, people.
ReplyDeletemy assistant , a recent college graduate found his roommate in NY city from craigslist.
ReplyDeleteHas any newspaper company tried to partner with Craigslist?
ReplyDeleteCraigslist is now one of the first absolutely free venues teenagers learn about when their hormones send them looking for nude photos. Deny it!
ReplyDeleteIf newspapers wouldn't of got so greedy with the skyrocketing costs of classified ads over the last few years I dont think people would of bailed so quickly to craigslist.
ReplyDeleteClassified ads in newsprint do work, but at what expense? Most realtors and "dirt lot" auto dealers admit that they cant afford print classifieds anymore.
I compare it to the greed on wall street right now. Gannett is out of touch with middle America, therefore they find that their bread and butter classifieds advertisers are simply tapped out and just cant afford to line the pockets of greedy CEO's at Gannett and Exxon too!
Back when people were hiring and CareerBuilder was still a joke, our middle of the country paper was charging over $155 an inch for employment ads while open rate was less than $40.
ReplyDeleteSmall wonder other avenues opened up - but it was fun while it lasted.