Digital media platforms may be the hottest on the market, but some consumer research indicates they still have a long way to go before persuading customers of their advertising effectiveness.

In order to evaluate the efficacy of using a wide range of communications platforms to reach consumers, the 2007 release of Compose, a collaboration of WPP Group's Kantar Media Research unit and Netherlands-based Pointlogic, shows that among 33 channels – from traditional media like TV, radio and print, to new media and marketing channels like sampling or direct marketing – most consumers still find mainstream media to have the greatest influence.

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Newspaper Innovation, the Web site dedicated to information on free dailies around the world, reported today that Seoul's eighth free daily focuses on economics.

Launched in July, IlIlKyungJe (the Daily Economic), has a circulation of about 100,000.

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In its latest tweak to the way it does business, the Chicago Sun-Times is partnering with Clickshare Service Corp. for access control on the newspaper's Web site and subscription management in hopes of increasing paid circulation and adding value to the paper in the eyes of existing customers.

The Sun-Times Media Group Inc. is launching an electronic edition of its flagship Chicago newspaper that will only be available to print subscribers, after recently contracting with the Chicago Tribune for home delivery in the city as well as both home subscriptions and single-copies in the city's suburbs.

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In an affidavit filed this week, the Nigerian federal government is claiming it owns all of Sun Publishing Limited, which publishes the daily Sun newspaper.

The government filed the affidavit in response to the publishing firm's preliminary objection seeking a court order to stop the freeze on three bank accounts used to operate the company.

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Fairfax Media is making up for 'lost years' of corporate stagnancy by heavily pursuing takeovers in the last 18 months, chairman Ron Walker has said, announcing a 9.9 percent comparable profit increase to $251.1 million for the year through June 30.

However, the result, described as “satisfactory” by the media group, did not excite investors, The Age, which is owned by Fairfax, reported Friday.

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The Wall Street Journal Online has named Almar Latour its new managing editor, effective Sept. 4. Latour will replace Bill Grueskin, who was recently appointed deputy managing editor of The Wall Street Journal.

Latour, 36, was previously the bureau chief for the technology group based in New York, in charge of the Journal's print and online edition integration.

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A number of new locally focused publications in the Chicago area are coming to the market, in hopes of engaging more readers by providing news tailored to their immediate needs and relevant to issues they face in their daily lives.

In addition, McGraw-Hill announced this Wednesday that BusinessWeek will launch a local version, BusinessWeek Chicago, in November. This publication will be distributed to over 60,000 Chicago-based BusinessWeek subscribers, along with the original national edition.

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