Media companies battle for classified ad dominance in Latin America

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla., April 26, 2012 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- A classified advertising battle is under way in Latin America, with regional classified portals expanding and evolving in hopes of fighting off major multinational media classified publishers moving in from outside the region.

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Opportunities abound, as demonstrated by companies like EBay and Naspers targeting the traditional family-owned media companies in Latin America. The growth of interactive media and smartphones is changing the way buyers and sellers match their needs for cars, homes, jobs and other items. Free classified marketplaces are surfacing as the new turf in the war for revenue and profits.

Six key Latin American markets are covered in a 64-page report, "Latin America: Battle is growing for classified advertising," released today by the AIM Group, publishers of the Classified Intelligence Report, the global industry continuous advisory reporting service. The report, available for purchase at http://aimgroup.com/buy, focuses on Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Venezuela. The AIM Group reviews the market forces in each country; the traditional media companies and their efforts to manage the transition to interactive media, and the largest classified publishers in the market, whether print, online, or both.

"Growth in the consumer economies of these major markets is forcing media companies to adapt," said Peter M. Zollman, founding principal of the AIM Group. "With young audiences and a still-vibrant traditional print newspaper environment, a fundamental transition is under way.

"As Internet use grows in Latin America, especially on smartphones and tablets, users are finding new ways to search for cars, homes, jobs and 'stuff' --- putting newsprint classifieds at great risk, while creating opportunities for a wide range of media companies, ranging from small feisty independents to some of the biggest media companies in the world," Zollman said.

About the AIM Group: The AIM Group, formally the Advanced Interactive Media Group

LLC, is the world's leading consultancy in interactive media and classified advertising. It publishes Classified Intelligence Report, a continuous advisory service often called"the bible of the classified advertising industry."  Founded in 1998 and based near Orlando, Fla., the AIM Group works with leading media companies, broadcasters, dot-coms, yellow-page publishers and technology companies. It provides strategic and tactical consulting; sales training; proprietary and published research about interactive media; and other services.

Zollman and AIM Group Latin America Director, Dave LaFontaine, are available for interviews. Copies of the Latin America classified report are available for journalists for coverage purposes. Call: 407-788-2780 or email: [email protected] for more information or to schedule an interview.

Media Contact: Jennifer Waxman-Loyd The AIM Group, Advanced Interactive Media Group  LL, 407.949.4444, [email protected]

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SOURCE The AIM Group