Three competitive newspaper publishers in the Chicago metro area have formed
a partnership to collaborate on a regional classified advertising Web site
that will be powered by InfiNet.
The agreement involves Copley Chicago Newspapers, Hollinger International
Inc. and Paddock Publications Inc. For tech services, the partners selected
InfiNet, an application management and content delivery company for the
online publishing industry.
Financial arrangements were not disclosed.
Each of the three partners will offer aggregated classifieds on their
individual newspaper sites, as well as jointly offering the ads on a new Web
site, classifiedschicago.com.
More than 90 daily and weekly newspapers are involved in the aggregation,
including the Chicago Sun-Times, Daily Herald, and Herald News. The joint
site is expected to be fully functional by November.
InfiNet delivers content for more than 200 online newspapers and publishing
affiliates. InfiNet also provides Internet access branded locally and an
array of revenue-generating applications, including a full line of classified
products, auction software, ad-management tools, directories and chat
products.
It is the joint new media venture of Gannett Company Inc., Knight
Ridder, and Landmark Communications.