• by October 27, 2000

By Debbi K. Swanson

It doesn't promise to revolutionize the media-buying world, but Newspaper Connection.com is helping to alleviate the tedium of newspaper media buying.

Chuck Boteler formed this company in July to formalize his experience and training into a one-stop newspaper media buying shop for agencies and in-house buyers.

"I provide a service to agencies that don't have a newspaper expert or are short-staffed," says Boteler from his Maryland headquarters.

"I have 18 years of experience in the newspaper industry. I spent 12 years at the Frederick News Post, then managed the Altoona Mirror and worked with the Maryland Delaware Press Association where I worked for 150 papers over four years, helping set up various ad networks and streamlining how agencies can buy newspaper.

"Newspapers aren't the most favorite media to plan," he adds. "Agencies now will pass off the newspaper buying to a young person to pay their dues. We're not the simplest medium to buy. It can be tedious and easy for young planners not to do it."

Boteler says by putting his experience in media planning, buying, negotiation services and placement, he can help everyone get the buy they want. "I created this because many larger papers are employing advertising category specialists like automotive, travel, etc. Here, you're putting someone with newspaper experience on the agency team. Someone who really knows the ropes."

This is a service mostly geared to the small to mid-size agency, with different levels of service available. Agencies can simply use his estimating and recommendations, or that plus buying and even single source billing.

"I'm an independent contractor, and also a staff member of each agency I work for."

Don Andrews, vice president and associate media buyer at FCB Advertising in New York, says the process works well for him. "Using Newspaper Connection takes away the minutia of having to deal with many different newspapers, all with different unit sizes. It takes a huge burden off a media person. Chuck gives you everything in one finished, final media recommendation, and becomes your advocate for better rates and a better buy. I know Chuck's not going to be a sales person, he's going to be my marketing partner."

One of Boteler's upcoming innovations is his test-marketing plan for 2001. This will be a Web-based system by which agencies can use newspapers nationally to test market different products or creative. It's a little like a newspaper HMO.

"I'm signing up newspapers now to accept ads on a discounted rate - 30-50% off regular rates," explains Boteler. What's the incentive to participate? "This will be new business that's not running with them, plus they'll receive immediate payment and a window of time to run the ads. The agency will see an easy way to choose via the Web the markets they want. One of strengths I bring is the ability to network with all the press associations to find these little papers, or the