New software provides flexible online and print options for classified customers.
Salt Lake City– December 15, 2005 – Twenty AAN members are among the first newspapers in the country to embrace a classified software program that allows customers to place ads online or into print via the Internet. Called Avenews Remote Classified Software, the program offers classified customers flexible online options that drives revenue online and to the print product. Newspapers can build online communities that cash in on the growing opportunity of online classifieds.
Salt Lake City Weekly began using Avenews Remote in June 2005. Since June, seven AAN papers have gone live with Avenews, including Santa Barbara Independent, Ventura County Reporter, NUVO (Indianapolis), Los Angeles CityBeat, Boston Phoenix, Providence Phoenix and the Portland Phoenix. Additionally, San Francisco Bay Guardian, Independent Weekly (Raleigh, N.C.), Metroland (Albany, NY), Missoula Independent, Tucson Weekly, Philadelphia City Paper, Boulder Weekly, Ithaca Times, Fort Worth Weekly, Honolulu Weekly, San Diego CityBeat and the Oklahoma Gazette will go live with the program in the coming weeks.
Avenews Remote is just one component of an entire suite of newspaper operations tools developed by Salt Lake City Weekly. These product offerings are the genesis of a new company, Avenews Software LLC. “Nearly every department at City Weekly uses an Avenews module specific to that department,” said John Saltas, former City Weekly publisher and current general manager of Avenews Software. “We started programming years ago and never quit. From ad bookings and invoicing, to editorial A&E and music listings, to production and business department data management, every employee at City Weekly uses Avenews.”
City Weekly Publisher Jim Rizzi also serves as operations director for Avenews Software. Rizzi knows firsthand how the industry is wrestling with the migration of classified ads to the Internet. “As we looked at the challenge,” he said, “we realized our existing Avenews tool could be easily adapted to keep pace with the evolving classified marketplace. Thus, Avenews became a very affordable solution that we could offer other papers in our industry.”
For AAN publishers, Avenews Remote Software is already regarded as a welcome alternative and dependable solution. “This program is exactly what publishers are looking for. It addresses both the need to create an online community as well as grow the print side of the business,” says Marc Brancaccio, sales director for Avenews Software. “Our close dialogue with our print partners allows us to develop the product and tailor it to their specific needs. Because we know the print side, we can quickly address issues that are of the utmost concern to each individual publisher.”
Saltas foresees offering additional Avenews components in the future. “Modules besides our remote classifieds are being tested at five newspapers. Much of the allure of Avenews is doing business with people who care about our industry and who understand on an intimate level the challenges that face publishers every day.”
To see Avenews Remote, go to:
www.cwlistings.com
For more information contact:
John Saltas, General Manager
john@avenews.com
Jim Rizzi, Operations Director
jrizzi@avenews.com
Marc Brancaccio, Sales Director
marc@avenews.com
Avenews Software, LLC
248 South Main, 2nd Floor
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Ofc: 801-575-7003
Fax: 801-519-9552
