Newspapers strike back with free classifieds
Watch out, Craigslist: Topix.net, a startup owned in part by newspaper chains Gannett, McClatchy, and Tribune, has launched free online classified ads alongside its local newsfeeds. The ads show up on local pages keyed to specific ZIP codes. PR expert Steve Rubel notes that the move "does convolute this market," since Topix's free online classifieds compete with paid newspaper classifieds, as well as with online job listings provided by CareerBuilder, a company owned by the same partners who own a stake in Topix.
Chris Tolles, Topix's VP for sales and marketing, argues on his company's blog that "it's clear that a 'free' classifieds system is going to be part of an overall listings strategy" for newspapers. Indeed, Topix's move follows the Bakersfield Californian's creation last year of Bakotopia, a free listings site which launched shortly after Craigslist entered the Bakersfield market. 
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