Titan
Magazines and Skybound (the publisher behind the long-running comic book
series) have announced that they have joined together and will be launching
‘The Walking Dead, The Official Magazine’ in October.
The
release of the magazine will coincide with the Season 3 debut of the show and
feature an inside look at both the comic and the show that only an officially
authorized magazine can.
Thursday, July 5, 2012
Bon Appétit & Banana Republic Join in Campaign
About the only time that food and clothing
turn up together in ads is when detergents demonstrate their abilities to
remove from one the stains made by the other. That is about to change as a food
magazine and a clothing retailer join for an elaborate summer promotion.
The magazine is Bon Appétit, part of the
Condé Nast Publications division of Advance Publications, and the retailer is
Banana Republic, part of Gap Inc. It is, apparently, a coincidence that the
retailer involved features a food in its name.
Grim Forecasts for Newspapers
The long-term decline in newspaper advertising
revenues will continue unabated in coming years, according to...PricewaterhouseCoopers, ZenithOptimedia, and
Magna Global.
PwC sees print advertising revenues for North
American newspapers falling at a compound annual rate of 4.2...
ZenithOptimedia’s global forecast is similarly
pessimistic, with total newspaper revenues worldwide set to drop from $96.1
billion in 2011 to $92.8
billion in 2014...
Magna Global also sees more declines ahead, with
total newspaper revenues in North America set to fall 6.6% this year, while
global newspaper ad revenues drop 1% to $85.5 billion.
"The Word" Magazine Closes
Publishers of the The Word blamed the "dramatic
changes in the media and the music business" which have made it difficult
for independent publications to survive.
The magazine sold around 25,000 copies a month
and championed many cult and maverick musicians as well as classic acts, to
build a loyal fanbase, as well as having a lively website messageboard and
weekly podcast.
Kodak; Another Chapter Closes
Another Chapter Ends in Kodak Story: Another chapter in the Kodak saga ended on July 2, when the Kodak Gallery site for North America officially shut down and the process of transferring billions of customer images to Shutterfly got under way. As you may remember, Shutterfly acquired the U.S. and Canadian online gallery assets of Kodak Gallery in late April for $23.8 million.
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Verso Reports Talks with Holders of NewPage Notes; NewPage Reacts
Verso Paper Corp. Announces Discussions with Holders of First-Lien Notes of NewPage Corporation Regarding Potential Business Combination:MEMPHIS, Tenn, USA, Verso Paper Corp. (NYSE:VRS) announced today that it has held discussions with certain holders of the 11.375% first-lien senior secured notes of NewPage Corporation in an effort to achieve a potential business combination involving Verso and NewPage as part of a consensual plan of reorganization in NewPage’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings...The terms of Verso’s proposed transaction would provide NewPage’s first-lien noteholders with $1.425 billion of value...In addition, the proposed transaction would include a 100% recovery in cash to repay NewPage’s debtor-in-possession financing...Verso believes that a combination with NewPage would create a stronger business in the global coated and supercalendered paper industry because of the material cost savings that would be achieved.
Separately, It was reported that NewPage sees significant downside risks in Verso combination and does not expect this to be further discussed;
NewPage Corporation (NewPage) today announced that it has been engaged in a series of discussions with its various constituents, including first lien note holders, second lien note holders and the Unsecured Creditors' Committee, in an effort to finalize a consensual Chapter 11 plan. Information relating to these discussions has been posted on the NewPage restructuring website www.NewPageRestructuring.com.
UPM in Negotiations to Sell Stracel
UPM enters negotiations for the sale of its Stracel paper mill
UPM is entering into exclusive negotiations with VPK Packaging Group NV and Klingele Papierwerke through their newly created joint venture company, for the sale of assets and part of the land at the UPM Stracel paper mill site in Strasbourg, France.
UPM is entering into exclusive negotiations with VPK Packaging Group NV and Klingele Papierwerke through their newly created joint venture company, for the sale of assets and part of the land at the UPM Stracel paper mill site in Strasbourg, France.
CEPI Releases 2011 Statistics
http://www.cepi.org/Content/Default.asp?PageID=558&DocID=36450
The
Confederation of European Paper Industries has just released its latest
statistics which give a clear picture of the performance of the industry in
2011. These key statistics include data about production, consumption and the
trade of pulp, paper and raw materials, as well as data concerning energy, the
environment, and social affairs.
Oji in JV to Expand Specialty Paper Base
Pursuant
to the resolution passed at a meeting of the board of directors held on June
28, 2012, Oji Paper Co., Ltd. ("Oji Paper") is pleased to announce
that it has entered an agreement with Shandong Century Sunshine Paper Group
Co., Ltd ("Century Sunshine Paper") in China and Dragon Chariot
Limited ("Dragon Chariot") in Hong Kong concerning the implementation
of specialty paper business in China by establishing a joint venture. Oji Paper
Group is driving the emergence and expansion in the specialty paper sector in
China expected to be growth field in the future. After completing the
incorporation formalities of such joint venture, Oji Paper Group will hold a
new specialty paper manufacturing base in China.
China Buys 75% of US OCC Exports
In the first four months of 2012, China purchased 75% of all US exports of old
corrugated containers (OCC) -- a major share increase from five years earlier
as containerboard capacity in China steady increased the last five years and is
expected to continue rising over the next two years.
This
year through April, the US exported 2.4 million tonnes of OCC to China,
according to figures from the US Dept of Commerce, Bureau of Census. In 2007,
the US shipped 822,000 tonnes or 51% of total OCC exports to China.
International Paper Completes Mill Divestitures
International Paper Completes Mill Divestitures: International Paper today announced that it has finalized the sale of its Ontario and Oxnard, California containerboard mills to New-Indy Containerboard LLC, along with its New Johnsonville, Tennessee containerboard mill to Hood Container Corporation.
RDA Sells Direct To Consumer Business
RDA Sells Its Direct To Consumer Business:
Reader's Digest Association announced today that it made good on its efforts to dispose of its Lifestyle and Entertainment Direct business—part of a process the company has been going through to dispose of non-core assets, simplify its operation and zero in on only its best performing products.
Reader's Digest Association announced today that it made good on its efforts to dispose of its Lifestyle and Entertainment Direct business—part of a process the company has been going through to dispose of non-core assets, simplify its operation and zero in on only its best performing products.
Disney Store POS Rollout Boosts Sales 25%
http://risnews.edgl.com/retail-best-practices/Disney-Store-POS-Rollout-Boosts-Sales-25--at-Upgraded-Sites80920?rssid=Article80920 The rollout of a new point-of-sale system integrated
with iPod Touch devices for store associates was the centerpiece of a major
technology upgrade/remodeling initiative at 320 Disney Store locations.
Customer traffic in the remodeled stores has increased 20% and sales have
climbed 25%, according to Ron Johnson, director of technology for Disney
Stores.
Sports Illustrated NBC TV Show
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/178060/nbc-sports-illustrated-team-for-show.html?print
TV networks are turning into magazines and magazines are turning into TV
shows. The latest crossover in the latter category coming from Sports Illustrated in collaboration with
NBC Sports.
The two media brands are coming together to
create a show, “Sports Illustrated,” which will include feature segments,
original reporting and commentary from the magazine’s editorial staff.Sports Illustrated will cross-promote the show with print editorial features highlighting subjects from the TV series, along with additional content appearing on SI.com and NBCSports.com.
SI’s journey from print to TV mirrors the earlier migration of cable sports broadcaster ESPN from TV to print, with the launch of ESPN The Magazine in 1998. While still the dominant sports network on TV, ESPN lags SI in print somewhat, with a paid circ of around 2 million for ESPN The Magazine in the second half of last year, versus 2.8 million for SI, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
Prometheus Global Media Names CEO
Prometheus Global Media, which publishes Billboard and The Hollywood Reporter, has named Guggenheim Partners Senior Managing Director Dottie Mattison CEO of the company. Guggenheim Partners is an owner of Prometheus.
Mattison succeeds Richard Beckman, who stepped down as CEO last week. Prior to joining Guggenheim Partners in 2010, Mattison was senior VP-general manager of the Apparel Global Merchandising Center of Wal-Mart Stores.
Monday, July 2, 2012
Chinese RCP Imports Up 22.6% May '12/'11 and Pulp Up 23.1%
China's
total recovered paper (RCP) imports climbed 7.2% to nearly 2.816 million tonnes
in May, according to data from
China Customs.
May's
figure was 22.6% higher than the 2.296 million tonnes recorded in the same
month of 2011.
China's total pulp imports grew 6.3% in May compared to
the previous month, to nearly 1.495 million tonnes, according to data from
China Customs.
Strong
demand continued to drive up imports of bleached softwood kraft pulp, which saw
a surge of 16.3% to 630,248 tonnes.
May's
intake was 23.1% higher than the 1.215 million tonnes recorded in May 2011.
BC Court Approves Catalyst Plan, U.S. Court Decision to Come
BC Court Approves Catalyst Paper Reorganization Plan: Catalyst Paper Corporation received approval today for its reorganization plan from the Supreme Court of British Columbia. The company’s second amended plan under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (the Amended Plan) received 99 per cent support from creditors at meetings held earlier this week.
Court approval of the reorganization plan comes only five months following Catalyst Paper’s entry into creditor protection on January 31, 2012. A confirmation hearing under the Chapter 15 process of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the US Court) is expected to occur in mid-July. Approval from both courts is required before the company can complete its reorganization.
Court approval of the reorganization plan comes only five months following Catalyst Paper’s entry into creditor protection on January 31, 2012. A confirmation hearing under the Chapter 15 process of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the US Court) is expected to occur in mid-July. Approval from both courts is required before the company can complete its reorganization.
Tembec Gets Financing for Capital Project
Tembec announces $30 million in financing for specialty cellulose manufacturing facility in Temiscaming:
Tembec has entered into a $30 million loan facility with Integrated Private Debt Corp. (IPD).
The funds will be utilized to fund a portion of the previously announced $190 million capital project to upgrade Tembec’s specialty cellulose manufacturing facility in Temiscaming, Quebec.
Tembec has entered into a $30 million loan facility with Integrated Private Debt Corp. (IPD).
The funds will be utilized to fund a portion of the previously announced $190 million capital project to upgrade Tembec’s specialty cellulose manufacturing facility in Temiscaming, Quebec.
DS Smith Completes Acquisition of SCA Packaging
SCA's divestment of its packaging operations is completed: SCA’s previously announced divestment of its packaging business, excluding the two kraftliner mills in Sweden, has been completed.
The buyer is DS Smith DS Smith and the purchase price amounts to EUR 1.7bn on a debt-free basis. SCA’s two kraftliner mills in Sweden are not included in the transaction as they are well integrated with SCA´s forest products operations.
The divested operations have approximately 12,000 employees.
(SCA Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget)
The buyer is DS Smith DS Smith and the purchase price amounts to EUR 1.7bn on a debt-free basis. SCA’s two kraftliner mills in Sweden are not included in the transaction as they are well integrated with SCA´s forest products operations.
The divested operations have approximately 12,000 employees.
(SCA Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget)
Bonnier & American Media Join Hearst & Meredith on Goggle Play
Bonnier Corp.'s most popular brands, including
Popular Science, Saveur, Parenting and Islands, are now available for purchase
with the launch of magazines
on Google Play.
Today, with the launch of magazines on Google
Play, American Media, Inc. (AMI) is making 11 of its most popular titles
available for purchase and reading on Android smartphones and tablets.
Organic Growth Estimates Lowered
Pivotal Research Group, the media and communication
research company, has lowered its organic revenue growth estimates for WPP,
Omnicom and Interpublic Group for both the soon-to-end second quarter and
full-year 2012. Organic revenue growth is considered a key performance
indicator across the advertising industry.
USPS Seeks to Repeat Promotion This Fall
This year’s 2% summer discount in the United States, for mail sporting
two-dimensional barcodes for mobile phones, is set to begin on Sunday – but now
looks set to be repeated in November.
Mailers using Priority Mail to send their customer
m-commerce purchases could get a 3% discount.
Yesterday, USPS filed a notice seeking approval from regulators, stating
that its Governors have now approved another promotion based on a 2% mail
discount for 7 November to 21 November 2012.
Financial Times Launches Print/Digital Ads in U.S.
'FT' rolls out ad campaign in U.S.: The Financial Times has rolled out a print and digital ad campaign in the U.S. The budget was not disclosed, but the newspaper said it will be a multimillion-dollar program.
Friday, June 29, 2012
UPM Making Additional Cutbacks
UPM has concluded co-determination negotiations and decided to restructure its sawn timber and further processing operations in Finland and renews its business strategy. UPM has made a contract to sell its Kajaani sawmill to Pölkky Oy. Pölkky will continue sawn timber operations in Kajaani and all UPM sawmill personnel in Kajaani will continue working for Pölkky as permanent employees. UPM's Aureskoski and Heinola further processing mills will be closed down by the end of 2012.
Separately, UPM reported redeeming the Myllykoski power plant from Vamy Oy in accordance with a previous commitment. The redemption is included in the reserves made in connection of the Myllykoski paper mill restructuring plans.
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