Tribune Consolidates Its Direct Marketing Units

By: E&P Staff Tribune Co. said Tuesday it is consolidating its seven local direct-marketing businesses into a single national marketing company called Tribune Direct.

"Our direct marketing businesses have long been a great complement to Tribune newspapers," Scott Smith, president of the Chicago-based media company's division Tribune Publishing, said in a statement. "By integrating these local businesses into a larger, national operation, Tribune Direct will be able to better serve customers with a full suite of targeted marketing solutions."

The seven local companies being combined are Baltimore Sun Direct in Baltimore, Md.; Courant Direct in Hartford, Conn.; Raven Direct in Bath, Pa.; Sun Sentinel Direct in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Sentinel Direct in Orlando, Fla.; Times Direct in Los Angeles; and Tribune Direct Marketing in Northlake, Ill.

Tribune said the companies send out nearly two million pieces of mail daily. Tribune's direct-mail customers are mostly from the retail, financial services, and telecommunications businesses.

"Direct marketing is the fastest growing media next to the Internet," Lou Tazioli, Tribune Direct president and general manager, said in a statement. Centralizing the companies under the Tribune Direct brand will position the company as "a leading national provider of innovative multi-channel direct marketing solutions," he added.