IWANNA considers starting up a new newspaper in Asheville focused on crime

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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I’m hearing word on the street that the IWANNA, the weekly newspaper brick of classified advertising, is considering starting up a new newspaper in Asheville. The newspaper, with the working name “Busted!”, would focus on local crime reports. It would include advertising.

This is interesting on several fronts. First of all, newspapers all around are slashing and cutting, and IWANNA is looking at a start-up. IWANNA is also a marvel in this Internet age. While the Internet has ripped classified advertising away from newspapers, the IWANNA continues to produce a giant weekly edition crammed full of classified ads, the long-standing foundation of newspaper advertising revenue. The classifieds are free, with the publication supported by other advertising.

The IWANNA started as a home-grown operation based in Asheville, but the family sold the operation to the company that owns the Fayetteville Observer a couple of years ago. Recall also that former Asheville Citizen-Times publisher Jeff Green went to work for the Fayetteville Publishing Co. as its chief marketing officer.

Keep your eye on this one.