• by Erik Sass , April 9, 2009

Seeking to recoup some of the automotive ad dollars that have disappeared in recent years, USA Today's Web site is launching a new online automotive community called Open Road. According to moderator Chris Woodyard, the community aims to become a mainstream, consumer-oriented destination catering to auto enthusiasts as well as less obsessed people who are shopping for cars or looking for information about a car they already own.

Open Road is just the latest in a series of online communities created by USA Today -- joining Hotel Check-In, which targets business travelers; Game Hunters, for video gamers; The Oval, which follows Obama's presidency; and Faith & Reason, covering religion and ethics. Like these other niche enthusiast communities, Open Road will encourage discussion and debate about important automotive news, allowing readers to communicate directly with each other and USA Today's editorial staff.

National newspapers have embraced blogs and online communities as ways to build consumer engagement and time spent visiting their Web sites, thereby expanding advertising opportunities. Last year, USA Today invested in Cozi, an online service that helps families and friends plan events and arrange their schedules. More recently, the New York Times augmented its substantial blog portfolio with live coverage of events via Twitter.

Meanwhile, newspapers are struggling to make up for losses in key print categories -- including automotive advertising, which has plummeted in the face of competition from the Internet, with losses amplified recently by the economic downturn, which has seen auto sales collapse. According to Gannett, which publishes USA Today, automotive classified revenues fell 19% in 2008 compared to 2007, while national automotive revenues also fell.