Google gets rid of print ads....did we even know Google was selling print ads?

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Will focus on online
Google still sells radio and TV ads through Google Audio and Google TV Ads. A Google spokesman wouldn't comment specifically about why the company still sees promise in those offline media even though print didn't work out, but one possibility is that radio and TV are increasingly delivered digitally, making them easier to measure. Google said it will continue to focus on how newspapers can make more money -- but online, not offline.

"We will continue to devote a team of people to look at how we can help newspaper companies," Mr. Spinnell wrote. "It is clear that the current Print Ads product is not the right solution, so we are freeing up those resources to try to come up with new and innovative online solutions that will have a meaningful impact for users, advertisers and publishers."

Google has been able to maintain its profit margins, despite a slowing economy to which even search isn't resistant. But the company has been more aggressive about monetizing previously ad-free areas and has cut projects that aren't expected to have a clear contribution to the bottom line. Another recent victim of the cuts include Google's virtual world experiment, Lively.

The people working on print ads will be moved to other roles within Google; Google has confirmed there are no layoffs associated with this move.