Resolute Forest Products’ workers in Ontario and Quebec stand firm on refusing pension cuts:
Workers at Resolute Forest Products mills in Ontario and Quebec today demanded that Quebec’s pension regulator, the Régie Des rentes, and the company reach an agreement to resolve the solvency deficit in the pension plan without any cuts to benefits.
“The company and the Régie must work out a plan in the coming weeks to solve the funding problem for the pension plan. Our members sent a strong message today that we will not agree to any cuts in pension benefits,” said Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union President Dave Coles.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Resolute & Fort Frances Reach Tax Agreement
Fort Frances and Resolute Forest Products reach tax appeal agreement:
The Town of Fort Frances and Resolute Forest Products has reached an agreement to resolve the outstanding assessment appeal complaints over Resolute’s mill.
Resolute had been seeking reductions of about 58%.
Instead, the property assessment will be reduced by about 25% for the years 2009-2012.
As a result, the town will have to pay Resolute a $1.763 million tax refund rather than the possible $4.098 million had Resolute been successful in their assessment appeal.
The Town of Fort Frances and Resolute Forest Products has reached an agreement to resolve the outstanding assessment appeal complaints over Resolute’s mill.
Resolute had been seeking reductions of about 58%.
Instead, the property assessment will be reduced by about 25% for the years 2009-2012.
As a result, the town will have to pay Resolute a $1.763 million tax refund rather than the possible $4.098 million had Resolute been successful in their assessment appeal.
Sappi NA Invests in Future Workers
http://www.usm.maine.edu/publicaffairs/sappi-fine-paper-invests-100000-usms-stem-initiative
Sappi Fine Paper North America, a leading global paper company, has pledged $100,000 over the course of four years to support the University of Southern Maine Pioneers Program, the first college-level STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) program for high-achieving students in Maine.
“We anticipate having nearly thirty percent of our workforce retire in the next 5 years and so there is a huge demand for STEM-related jobs,” says Donna Cassese, Managing Director of Sappi’s Westbrook Mill.
Sappi Fine Paper North America, a leading global paper company, has pledged $100,000 over the course of four years to support the University of Southern Maine Pioneers Program, the first college-level STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) program for high-achieving students in Maine.
“We anticipate having nearly thirty percent of our workforce retire in the next 5 years and so there is a huge demand for STEM-related jobs,” says Donna Cassese, Managing Director of Sappi’s Westbrook Mill.
Finish Paper & Board Production Falls in 2012
http://www.forestindustries.fi/juurinyt2/tiedotteet/Pages/TheFinnishforestindustry2012Europeaneconomiccrisisdepressesproduction%E2%80%93economicgrowthmustbeboostednothinder.aspx
In total, Finland produced 10.7 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2012; this is 5.6% less than in 2011. The fall in production volumes was due especially to the economic downturn in the main market areas of Europe, production capacity cuts and a fall in demand for graphic paper grades. Graphic papers, i.e. printing, writing and newsprint grades, account for about two-thirds of the Finnish paper industry's overall production.
In total, Finland produced 10.7 million tonnes of paper and paperboard in 2012; this is 5.6% less than in 2011. The fall in production volumes was due especially to the economic downturn in the main market areas of Europe, production capacity cuts and a fall in demand for graphic paper grades. Graphic papers, i.e. printing, writing and newsprint grades, account for about two-thirds of the Finnish paper industry's overall production.
RDA Holding Files Bankruptcy Protection...Again
RDA Holding Co.—parent
of Reader's Digest Association and the 90-year-old Reader's Digest—filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection over the Presidents Day holiday weekend.
The announcement by CEO (since Sept. 2011) Robert Guth came just days before the third anniversary (Feb. 22) of RDA's first emergence from Chapter 11.Then, under 2007-2011 CEO Mary Berner, the company had restructured its debt from $2.2 billion to $525 million. (A casualty was much of the pensions going to retirees working under contract.
The announcement by CEO (since Sept. 2011) Robert Guth came just days before the third anniversary (Feb. 22) of RDA's first emergence from Chapter 11.Then, under 2007-2011 CEO Mary Berner, the company had restructured its debt from $2.2 billion to $525 million. (A casualty was much of the pensions going to retirees working under contract.
InfoTrends: Top 10 Print Trends
1. Digital Color is King.
2. Digital Wide Format Goes Mainstream.
3. Inkjet Accelerates Migration from Offset to Digital.
4. Enhanced Substrates Drive Digital.
5. Web-to-Print Manages Marketing Supply Chains.
6. Content Reigns.
7. Hyper-Personalization Drives Digital Print. references.
9. Mobile Marketing Changes Communications.
10. Direct Mail and Social Media Converge.
OfficeMax/Office Depot Reportedly in Merger Talks
Shares in Naperville-based
OfficeMax Inc. soared 14 percent Tuesday morning on a report it is in advanced
merger talks with Office Depot Inc.
And Office Depot shares were up 25 percent after the Wall Street Journal reported the two companies were in advanced discussions, citing person familiar with the negotiations, with a deal possible as early as this week.
Currently, the deal is expected to be structured as a stock-for-stock transaction, the person said.
And Office Depot shares were up 25 percent after the Wall Street Journal reported the two companies were in advanced discussions, citing person familiar with the negotiations, with a deal possible as early as this week.
Currently, the deal is expected to be structured as a stock-for-stock transaction, the person said.
Perils of "Native" Advertising
Atlantic Magazine Crosses the Line (Advertising):
The Atlantic, the 157-year-old magazine, got into hot water recently when they placed a online story about the Church of Scientology on the publication’s website. The article on the controversial church talked in very positive terms about the successes of the past year in their efforts to expand.
Although the story was marked with a yellow banner that identified it as sponsored content, it could easily appear at first glance as any other article on Atlantic’s site. The article is the latest example of a concept called Native advertising, which many consider a disruptive technology that allows content written by advertisers to be displayed like the articles written by the staff. This crosses the traditional “church versus state” model used in journalism to separate advertising content from editorial content.
The story went viral on Twitter resulting in criticisms over both the church and the publisher the Atlantic’s use of Native advertising. As a result the Atlantic removed the article and replaced it with a notice saying that the company had, “temporarily suspended this advertising campaign pending a review of our policies that govern sponsor content and subsequent comment threads.”
The Atlantic, the 157-year-old magazine, got into hot water recently when they placed a online story about the Church of Scientology on the publication’s website. The article on the controversial church talked in very positive terms about the successes of the past year in their efforts to expand.
Although the story was marked with a yellow banner that identified it as sponsored content, it could easily appear at first glance as any other article on Atlantic’s site. The article is the latest example of a concept called Native advertising, which many consider a disruptive technology that allows content written by advertisers to be displayed like the articles written by the staff. This crosses the traditional “church versus state” model used in journalism to separate advertising content from editorial content.
The story went viral on Twitter resulting in criticisms over both the church and the publisher the Atlantic’s use of Native advertising. As a result the Atlantic removed the article and replaced it with a notice saying that the company had, “temporarily suspended this advertising campaign pending a review of our policies that govern sponsor content and subsequent comment threads.”
Yellow Pages Reduces Directory Size
http://www.ypg.com/en/newsroom/602-yellow-pages-group-alters-print-directory-sizing-in-favour-of-more-compact-forma
Yellow Pages Group (YPG), a leading multimedia and marketing solutions company, is reducing its traditional 9” x 11” Yellow Pages™ directory to a handier 7” x 9” format as part of an ongoing upgrade of its print products. The change will take place on a rolling basis across Canada. As the company continues its transformation to a digital marketing solutions and services provider, it has been actively streamlining and modifying its print product segment based on feedback around usage and format.
Yellow Pages Group (YPG), a leading multimedia and marketing solutions company, is reducing its traditional 9” x 11” Yellow Pages™ directory to a handier 7” x 9” format as part of an ongoing upgrade of its print products. The change will take place on a rolling basis across Canada. As the company continues its transformation to a digital marketing solutions and services provider, it has been actively streamlining and modifying its print product segment based on feedback around usage and format.
Can Meredith Become Luxury Publisher?
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/can-sensible-meredith-become-luxury-publisher-14736
Could Time Warner's loss be Condé Nast’s gain?
Reports
that the media giant is looking to combine its women's magazines with Meredith
Corp.’s make some sense: Time Inc.’s lifestyle titles like Real Simple and
Cooking Light could combine with Meredith’s own heartland magazines such as
Better Homes and Gardens to make a women’s magazine powerhouse. One sticks out
like a sore thumb, though, and that’s InStyle.
2012 Radio Revenue Up 1.0%
Radio revenue up 1.0% last year: New York—Radio revenue totaled $16.5 billion last year, up 1.0% over 2011, according to a report by the Radio Advertising Bureau.
The top advertising category in radio last year was automotive, which grew 29%. Advertising for TV, communications and restaurants grew 18% last year, and advertising by financial institutions rose 17%.
The top advertising category in radio last year was automotive, which grew 29%. Advertising for TV, communications and restaurants grew 18% last year, and advertising by financial institutions rose 17%.
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