Small community newspapers buck the recession, but the clock is ticking

It's no surprise that smaller newspapers are holding up better in the current media recession, which predates and has been exacerbated by the worldwide economic downturn. Historically, they have had wider margins and have not had to face the same competitive pressures as their urban, regional and national counterparts. Since only the newspaper, in many cases, covers the news in smaller communities, reasonably robust markets still exist.

Yet, this certainly doesn't mean that all is well in the world of community newspapers. These businesses have watched a fifth of their revenue evaporate so far, according to an Associated Press report, and classified ads, the source of most of their cash, are under assault.