There is power in networks
We think you'll find our outlook and approach is extremely different than those you might have seen until now.

The purpose of the CityTools Rosetta Project is to provide publishers with an easy-to-use, standards-based way to create news and classifieds networks.

Imagine

• Want to pool travel stories with other publishers for the benefit of all? No problem!
• Want to create a regional network of recruitment ads with other publishers? Easy!
• Want to aggregate audiences with other friendly publishers to the benefit of your advertisers?
• Think of this as being a little like an AP for news and classified ads. Only unlike the AP, you're in control of what goes where and who you deal with.

We feel that by moving editorial and advertising content around the edge of the network to member sites, enormous benefits can be achieved.

And yes, CityTools moves the content to you for use on your sites, with other network members of your choosing.

We don't ask you to ship your ads off to "Big Doggone National Classiied Site.com" to help build their brand. We focus on helping you to build your brand. You don't even have to put a "powered by CityTools" mention anywhere on your site when you use our news and classified networks. This effort is about helping you, the publisher, profit from better serving your readers and advertisers.

Some highlights of our news and classified networks

• Easily expand the reach of your client's classified ads. Would you like to tell advertisers you've expanded their reach by 30%? Sign up for our news and classified networks and find someone to share with!
• You always have complete control over your content -- the only people who get it are those you've agreed to share with
• Build networks with as few or as many members as you like
• All content is circulated to member sites -- so your site gets richer and deeper and your advertisers are seen by new audiences. All with a mimimum of effort on your part.
• Print the additional ads or stories, put them on the web or both. It's entirely up to you and your fellow network members.
• Permit the public -- either other companies or citizens -- to submit ads or stories at your discretion. (This capability will be introduced in the second half of the beta)
• Category mapping allows translation between your local categories and the categories used on the network. This means news and classifieds end up in the right place on your site
• We don't dictate any of the business logic for your networks -- you and your fellow publishers decide what your goals are and what you will or won't do with each other. We just want to help you accomplish your goals.
• And there's a lot more, but we'll save that for the beta participants.

If you have further questions, feel free to contact us at beta@citytools.net