MARK MULHOLLAND | Without a doubt, much of the current crises in newspaper revenue can be traced to the loss of the classified franchise to craigslist.com and other non-newspaper classified sites.

Within crisis, however, there may be opportunity. Now more than ever before, newspapers throughout North America have the motivation and the circumstance to create a single classified platform to rival non-newspaper sites - through better leveraging of technology; superior user experience; and a powerful, unified national brand.

In May 2009, the American Press Institute produced a report designed to address the challenges and opportunities of a unified classified platform, with a recommended agenda for action. Creating an Industry-Wide Classified Platform and Brand identifies three areas critical for a solution, and offers detailed suggestions for what will be needed to make such an effort successful. You can download a free copy by clicking the link.