STNG to Outsource Inbound Classified Calls

Posted Monday, August 11, 2008 12:00 am

By: E&P Staff In an effort to save more money, the Sun-Times Media Group (STMG) announced it will fully outsource its inbound classified advertising sales.

The Chicago Sun-Times' parent company started a pilot program at its suburban Fox Valley Publications division in March with Classified Plus. Executives were pleased with the results, and now Classified Plus -- based in Buffalo, N.Y. -- will handle nearly all inbound classified calls for the Sun-Times News Group.

The company did not disclose how much it would save from the move.

"The Sun-Times News Group will continue to look for ways to manage costs and increase efficiencies," Cyrus Freidheim, president and CEO of STMG, said in a statement.

Classified Plus handles calls for more than 200 newspapers in the U.S.

Last week, STMG reported that Q2 corporate expenses were $9.6 million compared with $50.1 million in the same quarter last year, due mostly to adjustments from a loan from the Conrad Black era.

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STNG to Outsource Inbound Classified Calls

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