Here is a recap of posts from the last week in case you missed any. Click below to read each post in full.

The Examiner’s Free Metro Model; 2 Million Uniques
In light of BostonNow’s closure this week (apparently for investment-related reasons), I’ve been mulling over the future of free metro papers in the U.S. The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post and The San Diego Union-Tribune are among newspaper companies that have developed free (or discounted metros). Some have done so in response to a deep-pocketed effort by billionaire Philip Anschutz, and his Examiner papers, to storm their markets. (read more…)

Positive Evidence for Yellow Pages PR
The communications plan outlined by Neg Norton at the YPA convention last week is already paying dividends. Like most people in our industry, I have a Google Alert for the term “Yellow Pages.” The April 16 summary edition is shown below. All five of the Google News Alerts are positive. Three of the five Google Blog Alerts are favorable. (read more…)

Data Show Yellow Book Closing IYP Gap With Incumbents
Yellow Book has been gradually closing the gap with its U.S. IYP rivals, which testifies to the publishers’ increasing emphasis on its online business as a driver of future growth. According to data recently put out by comScore, Yellowbook.com was the fastest growing U.S. Internet site in the month of March. (read more…)

Out-of-Home the Next Frontier in Local?: A Conversation With Ripple
Ripple is one of the early leaders in the nascent category of out-of-home advertising. For those unfamiliar, this is rich media advertising that is served with news, weather and sports, at places such as coffee shops and gas pumps. Most of the companies in this space are serving national display advertising, but Ripple is going for more of a local touch. (read more…)

Schibsted’s March to 60% Digital Revs
I am always leery of reports that point to a “Scandinavian miracle” (or a “Massachusetts miracle” or what have you). But a December 2007 NAA Growing Audience report has some valuable details about how Schibsted Media, the Scandinavian publishing giant with additional properties in France, Spain and Switzerland, has begun to remake itself for the digital age. (read more…)

More Online Video: A Conversation With VideoBloom
I recently had the chance to talk with Antoine Toffa, founder and CEO of online video platform VideoBloom. Toffa had previously founded Trip.com which was bought by Galileo in 2000 for $326 million and eventually rolled up into what is now Orbitz. The VideoBloom platform can be used by Web publishers interested in hosting video content. This includes a few different built-in monetization techniques, such as ad overlays. But unlike other video ad platform providers such as Brightcove, it doesn’t require that you join its ad network. (read more…)

Google Pushes Further Into TV, Part II: BuzzSpot Launches
BuzzSpot has launched today as the first company that will take advantage of Google’s new TV Ads product. The company is being launched by Steve Espinosa, eLocalListing director of product development. As an SEM/SEO expert and frequent conference speaker, Espinosa has a good perspective on the opportunity here and has already worked with bundling online video with SEM campaign management and landing page offerings (see past write-up). (read more…)

Retail Services Beyond Store Locators: Where2GetIt
Local retailers are increasingly going beyond store locators to drive sales. The extensions to store locators include brand locators, coupons, menus, trip planners, and even guides to where Wi-Fi, nonsmoking and RV parking can be found. A leading vendor in providing retailer solutions is Anaheim, California-based Where2GetIt. Roughly 280 companies and 550 brands are using Where2GetIt today, representing 700,000 brick-and-mortar locations. (read more…)

YPA Tries to Dispell Myths on Usage
Citing data from the latest Industry Usage Study, the Yellow Pages Association is trying to overcome some of the myths and misperceptions about who uses print Yellow Pages, how often and why. In a press release issued today, the YPA points out that the average Yellow Pages user is younger, more tech savvy and affluent than many might assume, and PYP use actually indexes higher in some cities known to be at the higher end of the high-tech scale, including Seattle; Portland, OR; Charlotte, NC; Denver; and Salt Lake City, among others. (read more…)

Google Pushes Further Into TV
Google has been quietly testing TV ads over the past few months through its AdWords SEM platform. Basically this involves the ability for advertisers to upload an existing video ad and specify target audiences and ad budget, which is then spun into a television ad campaign. To do this Google essentially buys the ad inventory, which is then resold to advertisers. This is similar to its print newspaper formula that places ads throughout remnant inventory in print newspapers that Google buys. (read more…)