Tribune Co. COO: Internet fails at local brand-building

Speaking to a group of investment bankers, Dennis FitzSimons, President and Chief Operating Officer of Tribune Company, said, “There is value in Internet advertising, and we’ve invested to get our share. But the reality is this: the hyper-targeted, one-to-one marketing that the Internet can provide is what we originally thought it would be; a great tool for marketers’much like direct mail or telemarketing. It’s a great add-on. But it is no substitute for the brand-building capabilities of local mass media.”

FitzSimons also said Tribune Interactive reached profitability in the second quarter (six months ahead of schedule) based on online classified revenues. Print classified advertising represents 21% of the company’s total revenue. Finally, LATimes.com registers an average of 7,000 users a day, he said.