Over at the Local Media Blog, Greg Sterling asks, “Will YellowPages.com Become the New ‘At Hand’?“
Greg, the answer is an absolute ‘Yes’, if the industry has any hopes of competing with their Internet-centric brethern in the long term.
Looking for more detail? Here’s a comprehensive post I made four months ago (based on the questions I was able to ask directly to those heading up the JV, during the Kelsey Conference where the announcement took place).
Four months out, I stand by all of it.
Tony:
I posted a response to the longer, original comment.
I would say the strategic imperative is “yes,” but it’s not clear that it will actually happen.
Other parties were originally part of the discussions that, in the end, weren’t included. Is there a second bite at the apple?
Not sure.
Like the newspapers, culture is a big deal among directory publishers (and in some cases a big obstacle). And there’s still considerable ambivalence about online.
Greg