Washington Post Places Ad On Sports Section Front Page

The Washington Post published a Comcast SportsNet ad at the bottom of the front page of the sports section today and yesterday. The POST’s Frank Ahrens wrote it is “another sign of tough times in the newspaper industry, as papers look for new revenue to help offset declining circulation and advertising.” Washington Post Managing Editor Philip Bennett said, “We in the newsroom feel like the space on the front of sections has traditionally been sacred space for us, so it was with some reluctance that we make it available to advertisers. But we’ve seen what these ads look like and we’re comfortable with them.” While Bennett said there are no plans to sell ads on the front page, Washington Post VP/Newspaper Advertising Katharine Weymouth said the paper plans to accept front-page ads for its Home, Business, Sports and Travel sections (WASHINGTON POST, 3/17).