If video killed the radio star, will the Internet kill the phonebook?
That's a question Vancouver-based columnist and blogger Jonathan Narvey is posing as the next wave of phone books hits doorsteps.
"What's the point of producing a bunch of books [and] distributing them when very few people are using them?" he asks. Narvey posed his question where any social media type would - Facebook. He started a consumer group called "The Yellow Pages Must Be Stopped," where he proposes an opt-in program rather than annual deliveries.
"If you want to get the books, you're still using them, you can get them," he said. "Just order them."
Between Yellow Pages and CanPages, about 950,000 business directories will be delivered across the region this year and industry numbers indicate seven out of 10 people pick up the books.
To allay customer concerns, CanPages offers an opt-out form within its directory. Yellow Pages will launch its opt-out plan later this year.
Olivier Vincent, CanPages President and CEO said an opt-in program isn't feasible: "Once you have the book in your hand, it's done," he said. "If nobody sends you anything ever, how will you think about opting in?"
