'Sun' Sets On Classified Ads
We got an e-mail earlier this afternoon from a disgruntled employee of The New York Sun, a periodical whose policy of sending unsolicited subscriptions to any city resident who applies for a driver's license has made it one of New York's most recycled newspapers, claiming that the organization had disbanded its classified department. Sun mouthpiece Maggie Shnayerson confirmed the substance of the rumor, but noted that legal, real estate, and employment ads would still be part of the paper, albeit as a segment of the business section. While Shnayerson asserted that the move put the paper "ahead of the curve" in terms of advertising strategies in the industry, we're not sure how eliminating an obvious source of revenue gets the Sun any closer to profitability. On the other hand, these are the guys who thought our invasion of Iraq was a good idea; we're sure they know what they're doing.