Ads Make it to the Homepage of the New York Times

It finally happened. With newspapers constantly seeking out methods to combat a combination of subscription decreases and declines in overall ad spending, the New York Times announced today that it has begun offering ad placements on its front page below the fold. CBS was the first to appear with a campaign that debuted today.

High profile newspapers have fought the idea of homepage ads up to this point, however recent reports of the industry demise has prompted action in the publishing sector.

“This high impact placement represents an exciting new opportunity for our advertisers to reach our educated, affluent and influential readers across the country,” said Denise Warren, senior vice president and chief advertising officer for The New York Times Media Group. “In 2006 we began testing ads on some section fronts and received a very positive response from the advertising community. A strip ad on the front page of The New York Times will be highly attractive to advertisers looking for premium real estate for their campaigns.”

“It’s exciting that CBS is kicking off The New York Times’s inaugural front page ad,” said George Schweitzer, president, CBS Marketing Group. “America’s most watched network will clearly have one of the most read ads – and we value this new means of prominently showcasing our valuable media properties.”

I guess even the Old Gray Lady (as the Times is often called) has to bow to the economic needs of our times. Unfortunately, while the ads are slipping into the front page, it won’t cause the editorial bent in the news on the front page to slip off! Ah well. Might be fun if some scandal at CBS (there isn’t one now) splashes onto the front page just above the CBS ad. It’s always very tough for periodicals supported by advertising to draw that line ensuring that their journalistic ethics are not challenged by where their bread is buttered…

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