• by August 31, 2000

By David Cotriss

PowerAdz.com, the largest network of local, newspaper-based community portals on the Internet, has launched a national advertising network that provides geographically and demographically-targeted advertising on hundreds of co-branded newspaper websites in the Zwire! Network.

PowerAdz.com affiliates include hundreds of suburban, daily and weekly newspapers across America, including the New York Post, Dallas Morning News, Journal Register Company, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Omaha World Herald, Orange County Register, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Bergen Record.

The Zwire! Network provides unique content channels not otherwise available to daily and weekly newspapers with a combined print circulation of over 25 million and coverage in 47 states.

"Our network offers more refined targeting over what's out there already," said Tom Joscelyn, National Advertising Manager for PowerAdz. "This sort of combination of content and geographic targeting has been difficult until now."

With one buy, media buyers can place ads alongside targeted content on local newspaper sites. A range of formats is supported, from banners to sponsorship, coupons, and highly targeted opt-in email programs that reach local consumers. PowerAdz is providing coverage of the Sydney Olympic Games to its affiliates as well. Hence, this adds Olympic content to local papers online that would otherwise be unaffordable, according to Joscelyn. This adds sponsorship opportunities for high-interest Olympic content.

Joscelyn says that PowerAdz is testing various back-end tracking methods which should be launched in mid-September for the entire network. While there are statewide newspaper associations that allow buys across entire states, media buyers and planners will benefit from this specialized online network of newspaper sites and unique content.

- David Cotriss covers online media for MediaDailyNews and can be reached at Dcotriss@mediapost.com