Chicago Trib to Run Front Page Ads

The Chicago Tribune joins another Tribune-owned company, the L.A. Times, in running banner ads on Page One.

Tribune Publisher Scott Smith insists that "Readers highly value display advertising in their newspapers" and that the ads will be a "net plus for readers." He terms the change a "growth initiative."

So those who buy the papers will have less to read and more ads to look at. This is a growth initiative? Makes you want to run right out and buy a paper, right?

The newspapers don't seem to realize that the bell tolls for them...

(Hat tip: L.A. Observed.)