Embattled NICC boss bows out

By: Joe Nicholson Promised land of Web-based ad placement still in the distance

John F. Sturm, president and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America (NAA), may need consolation from the biblical Book of Job.
This can only be a story about the NAA's plagued NICC system, which was supposed to generate a profit at the same time it led the industry into the promised land of Web-based ad placement.
After pouring an estimated $15 million into the system, enduring a launch delay of more than a year, suffering through a launch with only one ad, and setting up a secret committee of three board members to solve all the continuing troubles, the NAA has been hit with the resignation of M. Blake Barker, NICC's president and general manager.
Calls were not returned by the three NAA board members on the secret committee: J. Stewart Bryan III, chairman and CEO of Media General Inc.; William S. Morris III, chairman and CEO of Morris Communications Corp.; and Gary L. Watson, president of the Newspaper Division of Gannett Co. Inc.
The ailing NICC's Web site heralded Barker's arrival Sept. 27, 1999, by posting a story with the headline, "Telecom Expert M. Blake Barker to Head NICC." Last week, that story remained one of only two stories posted on the site (the other also carried a 1999 dateline), but Barker's voice-mail message had the scoop, reporting, "This is Blake Barker, formerly with the NICC. I've left my duties here at the NICC. ... "
Although Barker never complained, even in private conversations, he was brought in to head the NICC after much of its architecture had already been determined.
Sturm couldn't be reached by telephone, but he told E&P via e-mail: "Blake Barker left the NICC last week. He has been expressing a desire to pursue other opportunities. ... We are not looking to replace him at this time."
Since the NICC's "eio" ("electronic insertion order") one-ad launch Jan. 8, Sturm has been seeking a strategic partner to buy or operate or otherwise help jump-start the system. In his e-mail message about Barker's departure, Sturm explained, "As we continue our discussions with others about developing a strategic partnership, we believe we're better off not filling the position until we decide what course any partnership may take."
The NICC also has published a 49-line help-wanted ad in the NAA's house organ seeking a high-tech production development director to get to "the next level" with its Web-based eio system.
Via e-mail, Barker told E&P: "I am returning to the telcoms industry. ... I still believe that the 'eio' solution is a solid foundation for making the placement of ads in multimarkets cheaper, faster, better than anything in the marketplace. As 'eio' matures, the industry will be certain of one thing: they made the right decision in its development."
For now, NAA Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Margaret Vassilikos will direct NICC.