Business Notes Newspapers

Need a job? With 9.2 million Americans, or 7.3% of the work force, now unemployed, the answer to that question is increasingly yes. So the Boston Globe, the largest newspaper in slump-ridden New England, has decided to do more than simply report the bad news. Beginning next week, the Globe will run free situation-wanted ads submitted during a limited period by people looking for work. Job seekers ranging from accountants to plumbers have flooded the paper with 500 submissions a day ever since it launched the campaign on March 1.

The Globe said it will run the ads in its daily editions until all have appeared. The freebies will be one way to take up the slack caused by a nationwide dearth of help-wanted ads. According to the Conference Board, the volume of such ads plunged in January to the lowest level since 1983. Brother, can you spare a line?