Jay Small says that local papers should own local niche markets. Of course, they should.

In any category of traditional newspapering — local news, sports, business, events, jobs, cars, homes, retail, services — niche opportunities remain for the picking specifically because individual local newspapers do not have to compete on a national scale. Those niches live in two long tails: they’re local, and they’re narrow verticals.

If newspapers don’t do it, then TV will, or some local entrepreneurs.