CityXpress Corp., a provider of online event auctions to newspapers in North America, Europe and Australasia, has announced the winners of its bi-annual Golden Auction Awards for July through December 2005. The Golden Auction Awards honor newspapers that conduct the most successful auctions, as measured by a set of key performance criteria: total revenue generated, percentage of items sold, and lowest ad discount ratio. The winning newspapers are:

North America

• The Mercury News, San Jose, Calif., circulation over 250,000
• Omaha World-Herald, circulation 125,000 - 250,000
• Lexington Herald-Leader, circulation 50,000 - 125,000
• Billings Gazette, circulation under 50,000

International

• The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun-Herald, Sydney, Australia, circulation over 250,000
• Sydsvenskan, Malmö, Sweden, circulation 125,000 - 250,000
• Community Newspaper Group, Perth, Australia, circulation 50,000 - 125,000
• Schaffhauser Nachrichten, Schaffhausen, Switzerland, circulation under 50,000

Outstanding individual results from the winning U.S. newspapers include the Mercury News, which earned $590,390 in its auction, and the Billings Gazette, which sold 84 percent of the items offered in its second gift certificate auction while attracting 55 new advertisers. The Omaha World-Herald has staged two auctions each of the past two years, attracting 100 new advertisers to its August-September 2005 auction. The Lexington Herald-Leader also staged two auctions in 2005, attracting 66 new advertisers.

Among international newspapers, Community Newspaper Group staged a very successful first auction, selling 92 percent of items offered for total revenue of $560,605 USD ($711,608 AUD) and achieving an ad credit discount of less than 29 percent. CNG also attracted 64 new advertisers. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun-Herald sold 64 percent of items offered, while Sydsvenskan sold 86 percent of products offered and generated $844,968 (6,087,662 krona). Schaffhauser Nachrichten earned revenue of $185,610 (CHF 223’438).

Founded in 1999, CityXpress works with clients to stage local event and continuous auctions, as well as develop online classified marketplaces.

http://www.cityxpress.com