IS CRAIGSLIST A “DIGITAL WALMART?” Then instead of whining, become a digital Target, and kick Craig’s ass, the way Target is doing to Walmart. . . .

The newspaper industry keeps producing these columns, but what it really needs is to figure out how to compete. What does Craigslist provide that it’s not? What could it provide that people want, that it’s not providing? (Hint: Good, original hard news reporting!)

On the other hand, this column is better than some, and contains this piece of potentially useful advice:

We all get the need for online ads and community sites now; why not let the folks in Burlington (or wherever) build their own? Why not (gasp) help them, instead of using his clout to hurt them?

This isn’t such a radical idea. Check out the blog world, where the best political bloggers don’t try to corner the market – they encourage others to start their own blogs.

Perhaps Craigslist should consider a local-franchise model that would incorporate local news content, something that — as far as I know — they’re not doing. That would still kill off a lot of local weeklies that are nothing but vehicles for classified ads now, but so what? They’re doomed anyway. At least it might add something.

This site from Paulding County, Georgia is a sort of model for that approach. It might be worth a thought. Jeff Jarvis has some views of his own.