AuctionCentralNews.com (ACN) marks its first half-year of operation as a potent new-media force

March 12, 2009

NEW YORK – LiveAuctioneers’ digital trade publication AuctionCentralNews.com (ACN) has marked its first half-year of operation as a potent new-media force within the auction, antiques and fine art marketplace. Combining original and Associated Press wire service news with custom-crafted features, outstanding columns and first-rate auction previews and post-reports, ACN is regarded by many as the authoritative voice of the auction industry.

“LiveAuctioneers is in the business of identifying trends and originating new ones, and Auction Central News is the culmination of ideas we’ve had under development for several years,” said LiveAuctioneers CEO, Julian R. Ellison. “It’s a completely unique model, one that continues to evolve and improve. Because there was no ‘template’ upon which to base ACN, it unfolded in a completely original and creative way.”

Ellison said AuctionCentralNews.com is run by a small, hard-working team of professionals with decades of experience in antiques journalism. “Because it is an Internet business, it is also a global business, with correspondents in the United Kingdom and Continental Europe contributing to our world view of the auction sector.”

Auction Central News is filling a need whose time obviously had come, Ellison said. “We’re seeing a dramatic increase worldwide in readership and in the number of other Web sites that have been picking up our news through RSS feeds. We have a widget on the homepage that any Web site can install to start receiving incoming news on a continually updated basis. We are essentially a free news syndication service for the auction and antiques trade.”

Auction houses that use LiveAuctioneers’ Internet live-bidding services appreciate having their upcoming sales promoted through ACN, Ellison said. “It’s a very competitive world out there, and we’re constantly coming up with new ways in which to help our auction-house clients promote their businesses. When we launched Auction Central News late last summer, the response from auctioneers was overwhelmingly positive. They immediately understood the beauty of the concept and what it would mean in terms of potential support for their future sales.”

The latest feature to be added to Auction Central News is LiveDealersTM classified advertising. The section is open to anyone wishing to sell a fixed-price antique or vintage item. Ads run for 30 days and may be renewed at that time. During the introductory period, all classified ads are free of charge. The service is open to individuals, dealers, galleries, and auctioneers who may be seeking a venue in which to offer their unsold lots.