USPS Profit in October

http://postandparcel.info/52240/news/companies/usps-makes-profit-in-october-predicts-50-cut-in-losses-this-year/

The US Postal Service made a $61m profit in October, and even achieved 5.6% growth in its mail and services revenues compared to the same month last year.
And for the full year, the world’s largest postal service is now projecting that it will cut its losses in half, to $7.6bn for the fiscal year 2013.
The struggling Postal Service has been teetering on the edge of liquidity over the past year, defaulting on $11bn worth of payments to the federal government in August and September. Planning on a $14bn loss for fiscal year 2012, USPS actually recorded a $15.9bn loss for the 12 months up to the end of September, including the payments it refused to make.

Parcel Rate Increases for Retailers

http://www.retailonlineintegration.com/blog/parcel-rate-increases-2013-that-retailers-need-know

UPS announced 6.5 percent air increases partially offset by a 2 percent fuel surcharge reduction, and 5.9 percent average ground increase offset by a 1 percent fuel surcharge reduction. Rate increases will take effect Dec. 31, 2012.
Similarly, FedEx announced average rate increases of 5.9 percent for express and international services, offset by a 2 percent reduction in fuel surcharges. FedEx hasn't yet announced 2013 increases for FedEx Ground, FedEx Home Delivery or FedEx SmartPost, although it's expected to match the UPS ground increases highlighted above. FedEx's rate increases take effect Jan. 6, 2013.

How 2013 Postal Increase Will Affect You

http://www.thedirectmailman.com/direct_mail_answers_for_p/2012/09/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-every-door-direct-mail-website.html

An overall 2.57% United States Postal Service rate postage rate increase is scheduled to take effect on January 27th, 2013.
The interesting thing about postage rate increases is that they are typically not distributed equally across all classes of mail. As a result trying to determine exactly how the increase will impact you can be quite confusing.
The purpose of this short article is to break down how the rate increase impacts the different classes of postage. As a bulk mail professional, I'm most interested in the impact on letter-sized pieces and Every Door Direct Mail.

The Great Green Debate of the Printing Industry

The Great Green Debate of the Printing Industry:
Being at Graph Expo this year, I was interested to see how big of a topic environmental sustainability was. So many industry-leading printing equipment manufacturers were eager to demonstrate their environmentally responsible solutions. The industry has come under pressure in recent years as the growing trend to go “paperless” takes off. But what I was surprised to learn, and I’m hoping many others will be too, is that a number of myths exist regarding the sustainability of paper and the printing industry. Thanks to information I picked up in one booth from Two Sides (www.twosides.us), I engaged in my own version of myth-busters and would like to share the same with you.

Huey Prepares for Departure from Time

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/03/business/media/john-huey-editor-of-time-inc-prepares-to-leave.html?src=rechp&pagewanted=print

In the decade I’ve covered John Huey, I’d never once been to his magisterial office on the 34th floor of the Time & Life building. It is large and imposing in a way its occupant is not, an unlikely landing spot for an old newspaper hack. On the wall is a photograph of William Faulkner, “the patron saint of all hard-drinking Southern writers,” as Mr. Huey, a native of Atlanta, describes him.

Urban Outfitters Catalog Uses "Descriptive" Language

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/12/04/hip-retailer-urban-outfitters-drops-f-bombs-in-christmas-catalog/

The youth-centric retailer Urban Outfitters is hawking its Christmas merchandise along with some nasty language this year.
CBS 2′s Brad Edwards reports the company is pushing much more than knits and tees on the pages of its Christmas catalog...

Nintendo Power Magazine Shuttered

http://www.manolith.com/2012/12/03/nintendo-power-unplugged-iconic-game-magazine-releases-last-issue/

Well, gamers, it’s the end of an era. Nintendo Power has just released its final issue. As of December 2012, the iconic video game magazine is no more.

Possible Buyer for Whole Living

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/hachette_alums_could_keep_whole_ARgFj1NtE4Sra9zBSiAssL

Martha Stewart may have finally found a buyer for Whole Living — one that will keep the magazine alive even as big publishers Hearst and Meredith stayed out of the bidding.
One source said the winning bid could come from a group of Hachette alums — displaced in the Hearst takeover.

Is There Too Much Data?

Is There Too Much Data?: “Yes, we’re stalking you.”
That’s how one publisher puts it, referring to the amount of data available via mobile and social platforms, along with an ever-expanding online world.
Add those sources to an already-voluminous print database and publishers now have more information on their readers than they can even make use of.

NewPage Annouces New Delivery Guarantee Program

http://www.newpagecorp.com/wps/portal/corporate/home/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3ifAG8jD28TI3cLY0djA08zPx8T_5BQYwN3Q_1wkA6zeFd3Mz9fH1NDA_dQHzMDz2CDUNNA3zBDC2MTiLwBDuBooO_nkZ-bql-QnZ3m6KioCAAzqV6s/dl3/d3/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/

NewPage Corporation (NewPage), a leading producer of high quality supercalendered rotogravure and offset printing papers, is pleased to announce today its Supercalendered Delivery Promise. Effective with confirmed orders with a requested delivery date on or after January 1, 2013, NewPage will assure that supercalendered paper will be provided to meet each and every press date. To demonstrate our confidence, customers will be entitled to a discount on their next order of similar size should NewPage not deliver on our Supercalendered Delivery Promise. "The Duluth, Minnesota, mill has been delivering on our commitments for 25 years," said Dawn Polaski, Customer Service manager at the NewPage Duluth mill. "We are thrilled to continue this legacy by offering the Supercalendered Delivery Promise."

Norske Reducing Magazine Paper Production 5%

Norske Skog plans to reduce its magazine paper production by 5%, or approximately 60,000 tonnes, in 2013 by taking temporary downtime throughout the year.

The company currently has a capacity utilization rate of 90% in its magazine paper division. This will be reduced to 85% next year, according to vice president of communications Carsten Dybevig.

"We constantly want to adapt ourselves to the market situation, and we want to use the downtime to achieve a better balance in the market, thus supporting the Euro 25-50/tonne [$32-65/tonne] price increase we seek," Dybevig told RISI.

Norske Skog has a capacity of some 1.26 million tonnes/yr of coated and uncoated magazine paper at three mills in Europe.

West Coast Ports Remain Closed, Worries About East Coast

Port terminals in Los Angeles and Long Beach remained shut this morning because of a strike by clerical workers - and reports today from the East Coast said shippers plan a "congestion surchage" as contract talks in the East remained difficult over a labor pact that is to be completed by Dec. 29.

Some steamship lines called for a $1,000 per 40-ft container congestion surcharge, effective Dec. 30, a contact said.

A contact today said that in the East, where up to 14 ports along the East and Gulf coasts are impacted by the contract, the International Longshoremen's Association was "holding firm" and negotiations "are not friendly."

On the East Coast, the largest port system is comprised of the New York/New Jersey terminals, which is the second largest US recovered paper export port system in the USA. 

Resolute’s CEO on Fort Frances, Resolute Pensions

Fort Frances area politicians meet with Resolute’s CEO:
Thunder Bay-Rainy River MP John Rafferty and Kenora-Rainy River MPP Sarah Campbell met with Richard Garneau, President and CEO of Resolute Forest Products and his advisor John Valley in Toronto recently to discuss the idling of Fort Frances kraft mill and one of its paper machines.
Rafferty asked Garneau if the rumour that Boise offered to buy the Forest Frances mill was true.
“I asked him about Boise and when I said that, he kind of chuckled a little bit and said, ‘That’s the first I’ve heard of it,” Rafferty said. “You know how rumours are. Boise made a strategic decision for them to buy pulp from their Washington mill and keep those guys working, and so that’s what happened,” Rafferty added.

http://ckdr.net/news/index.php#27138

A commitment from the president of Resolute Forest Products to maintain workers pensions.
It came during Richard Garneau's meeting with MP John Rafferty and MPP Sarah Campbell in Toronto.
Rafferty says Garneau told him that unlike some of its competitors, Resolute has not plans to end its commitment to pensions.

American Eagle Introduces New Product

American Eagle Paper Mills introduces antimicrobially treated copy paper with silver ion technology: American Eagle Paper Mills of Tyrone, Pennsylvania introduces their new product, Eagle Armour Copy. New to the market, this recycled, multipurpose copy paper is treated with Biomaster silver ion technology to provide antimicrobial protection to the paper itself against unwanted microorganisms such as mold, mildew, fungus and non-pathogenic bacteria.

Canada’s Wood Products Industry Forecast to Double

Canada’s wood products industry profits forecast to double in 2013:

Canada’s wood products manufacturing industry is set to earn $381 million in pre-tax profits this year, marking its third consecutive year in the black, according to The Conference Board of Canada’s Industrial Outlook-Autumn 2012.

With industry profits forecast to quadruple this year, Canada’s wood products manufacturers are reaping some of the benefits of their restructuring during the past decade. Profits are forecast to double in 2013 to $787 million and exceed$1 billion annually beginning in 2014.

MeadWestvaco Buys Ruby Macons, India

MeadWestvaco buys India's Ruby Macons:
Packaging company MeadWestvaco Corp. says it has completed its acquisition of corrugated packaging materials company Ruby Macons Ltd.
The Richmond, Va.-based company says the move strengthens its presence in India and significantly increases capacity and accelerates its growth in the fast-growing region.

Neenah Paper Offers Alternative to Plastic Cards

Neenah Paper Gives Retailers 'Green' Option: Neenah Paper now offers the new ENVIRONMENT Retail Card, a 100-percent, paper-based stored value card that gives retailers a green alternative to plastic or other less eco-friendly card options. The new retail card is also the brightest paper-based card available. A stored-value card has monetary value or data physically stored on the card and is commonly used by retailers in the form of gift cards, loyalty cards and bounce-back cards.

Folio Announces Eddie and Ozzie Awards

The 2012 Eddie and Ozzie Awards Winners: FOLIO:’s Eddie and Ozzie awards competition is the largest of its kind for magazine publishers. It also has the proud distinction of being the only awards event open to magazines and websites of all kinds—consumer, b-to-b, association, custom and regional, big and small.

National Geographic Launches New Campaign

http://www.foliomag.com/2012/national-geographic-launches-social-story-telling-campaign-sponsor

As social media continues to explode, more and more brands are turning to networking platforms to not only push out completed editorial content, but as a story-telling venue all its own.  In its latest campaign, National Geographic is taking to Twitter and Instagram to help tell its latest narrative, letting readers—and a sponsor—go along for the ride.

Gawker Acquires Guanabee Media

Gawker Acquires Hispanic Media Company Guanabee:
Gawker Media, the online-only publisher that owns brands such as Jezebel, Gizmodo and, of course, Gawker, has taken a strategic move to expand its network into the Hispanic marketplace with the acquisition of Guanabee Media.
The deal gives Gawker all assets surrounding Guanabee.com, which includes the brand's Anyguey vertical, which focuses on sports, gadgets and women, and the Barbara vertical, which focuses on fashion, beauty and relationships for Latinas. With this acquisition Gawker Media will extend its properties to Spanish-speaking audiences worldwide—in January of next year, the company will also launch Gizmodo en Español.

Wagner Named MPA Communications Director

Meredith Wagner Named MPA Communications Director: A change in administration typically means changes in personnel, and so it was on Monday (Dec. 3) when MPA--the Association of Magazine Media president/CEO Mary Berner hired Meredith Wagner as executive VP/communications. Berner has been serving since September, and Wagner will be assuming the responsibilities of predecessor Howard Polskin when she starts on Jan. 7, 2013.

CMO: 54% of Marketers Plan Budget Increases

CMO Council finds 54% of marketers increased budgets this year: More than half of marketers (54%) increased their marketing budgets this year, while 22% had budget reductions and 24% kept budgets flat, according to a report by the Chief Marketing Officer Council.

RRD Launches ActiveDisclosure

RR Donnelley Launches Collaborative Disclosure Management Solution: RRD ActiveDisclosure(SM) System Increases Speed, Control, and Convenience of Financial Reporting to Streamline Workflows and Support Better DecisionsCHICAGO, - R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company today announced the availability of its RRD ActiveDisclosureSM system, a cloud-based solution to draft, collaborate on, and finalize Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) disclosures and other filing requirements.

Resolute & NewPage Raise NBHK Prices, NBSK Unchanged

Resolute Forest Products (Resolute) announced to North American customers today that its bleached hardwood kraft (BHK) market pulp prices would increase while northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) would be unchanged, effective December 1 until further notice.

NewPage announced to customers today that its northern bleached hardwood kraft (NBHK) pulp price would increase $20/tonne in North America, bringing the number of NBHK producers to recently slate December increases to three.  
Canfor Pulp informed US customers today that its northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) pulp price would be unchanged, effective Dec. 1 until further notice, industry contacts told RISI.

PWC: Q3 US & Candian Paper Co.s Earnings

http://www.pwc.com/ca/en/forest-paper-packaging/global-net-earnings-summary.jhtml

Canadian and U.S. forest and paper products companies reported an overall improvement in net earnings for the third quarter of 2012 compared to the second quarter, with timber, solid wood and packaging/tissue sectors posting generally better results than the pulp and graphic paper manufacturers. Lumber and panel prices were supported through the quarter by the continued improvement in U.S. housing starts. Pulp prices continued to decline through the quarter, but have likely bottomed. European companies’ earnings were down from the second quarter of 2012 reflecting a generally weak European market.

Voith CEO: Still Plenty of Life in Paper

Voith CEO: Still plenty of life in paper: The paper industry globally is about as diverse an industry as you can get - in mature regions there are plummeting grades in the shape of graphic papers that fill most producers with horror - whilst in places like India and China growth rates are into double figures. And then there is packaging, speciality papers and tissue, all grades that are showing healthy growth rates virtually everywhere.

Hearst: Still Bullish on Print

Hearst: Making Headway on Mobile but Still Bullish on Print:
Hearst Magazines has 800,000 paying app customers, and 80 percent of them are new to Hearst brands, making mobile devices, including tablets and smartphones, a major new business for the company—and for the magazine industry, Hearst president David Carey said last week at the Mashable Media Summit. 

Adweek's Hot List Print Winners

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/hot-list-145630

Hot" is, of course, relative. We reserve the designation for those media brands and media people thriving despite competition, market forces and that bugaboo of every business: the ever elusive consumer. Across weeks, we studied factors including advertising business, audience numbers, category supremacy, creativity, innovation, industry accolades and social buzz.

Hot List 2012: Print Winners 

Some of the winners:

New York
Start spreading the news. Not only does editor Adam Moss’ New York still kill it week after week in print (eye-catching covers, provocative features), the pub keeps giving consumers more reason to go online, too. This year brought The Cut, the third blog spun off from nymag.com (following the smash culture monitor Vulture and foodie destination Grub Street). While other publishers struggle to monetize their online businesses, New York gets a phenomenal 40 percent of its revenue from digital, up from 20 percent four years ago.
HGTV Magazine (Hearst/Scripps)

Though barely a year old, HGTV Magazine has already built a towering following among both readers and advertisers. Like Hearst/Scripps’ other venture, Food Network Magazine, HGTV was a smash from day one. After selling out its October/November 2011 test issue (demand was so great that more copies had to be printed), the title launched in earnest this past May, shattering its initial rate base of 450,000. HGTV Magazine today averages 275,000 newsstand copies. Two more increases in rate base, to 800,000, are planned for 2013, while frequency will expand to 10 times per year.

Q3 Magazine Sales Details

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=tdw4l6dab&v=001J8BvtJGIt7uojsOTOb5KB_yPeK9hlgIM_ujxL0nGlEKcmOPuKNdh3sigCcP_fetCY3HOPEuREsqYQWHlyCNQMahxhNgSowV6xqGK5LgLkSYBj2tQh0sptjYeaXT9Aq9J3erH1d2sqG6wk7S840LxuGOBLQE9MHw-L-zng0kRQG6W8Xu1kMAfk_NBREj5kglFYQt6F9yEXiQ%3D

Among major monthly titles experiencing healthy growth were National Geographic (23.8%), Shape (9.5%), and Consumer Reports (7.0%). (Is it just a coincidence that National Geographic and Consumer Reports have also invested heavily in their web sites? Maybe digital and print are not enemies after all.)

 Sales for the Top 50 publications, which include most of the celebrity weeklies, were down 8.3%. But the next 50 actually increased their sales 7.4%. Nearly one-third of the Top 100 enjoyed increases, according to MagNet.

 Another favorable trend: Less waste. Publishers responded to weakening newsstand sales by distributing 64 million fewer copies than they did a year ago, including a 15.7% reduction for weeklies. But because unit sales did not decline as much as the reduction in draw, the proportion of newsstand copies that were sold increased by nearly 2 percentage points for the weeklies and nearly 1 percentage point for the non-weeklies.

Modest Ad Growth Predicted for 2013

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/188262/zo-groupm-predict-ad-spend-hits-574b-by-2015.html#axzz2E0asMOC2

Top forecasters said Monday they expect modest ad-spending growth over the next few years. Predictions were offered by ZenithOptimedia, GroupM and Magna Global at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference in New York Monday. (See separate story on Magna forecast).
Global ad spending will pick up a little steam in the future, according to Publicis Groupe’s ZenithOptimedia. Spending will climb from 4.1% growth in 2013 for a total of $518 billion to 5.6% growth in 2015, reaching $574 billion.

Sports Illustrated with 3 New Books

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/188308/sports-illustrated-debuts-3-new-sports-books.html#axzz2E0asMOC2 
Sports Illustrated is known for both its extensive game coverage and extraordinary photography. To extend the franchise, Sports Illustrated has published three new books that feature: the NFL’s greatest players of all time; the league’s most successful franchise; and an inside look at professional boxing.

Redesign of Glamour.com

Glamour.com Sees Social-Focused Redesign:
In March, Condé Nast’s Glamour magazine reintroduced itself to the world with a redesigned publication. The idea for the redesign, editor-in-chief Cindi Levie told FOLIO: in an interview, came from a need to update the magazine to reflect the desires and personalities of contemporary women.

New Era of Hybrid Media

Edelman’s Rubel: Get Ready for a New Era of Hybrid Media:
If traditional marketers are like zebras, and media companies are like elephants, then the media world of the future will be nearly completely mixed up, creating “zebelephants,” said Steve Rubel, EVP/Global Strategy of Edelman.
Rubel, speaking at the Mashable Media Summit in New York last week, described a world where marketers and media companies have taken on the characteristics of the other, and where media companies, in order to thrive in a new environment, need to embrace the new structure.

New Corp's CEO Resigns

New Corp's chief executive resigns:
Mockridge's resignation was confirmed by News Corp yesterday. Chairman Rupert Murdoch said his "decision to step down is absolutely and entirely his own".After Mockridge was parachuted in by News International following the resignation of Rebekah Brooks, many considered him a likely candidate to lead News Corp's new publishing arm.However, the Wall Street Journal reported that "people familiar with the matter" had said its own managing editor, Robert Thomson, could be named as head of the corporation's publishing arm this week.

Consumers Favor Print & TV Ads to Digital

Consumers Continue to Favor Offline Ads; Most Digital Formats Lose Ground: A new consumer attitude study finds that even in this digital-centric climate, Americans are likely to view offline media ads most favorably -- while most digital formats have experienced a decrease in favorability. The 2012 AdReaction study, focusing on consumer opinions and perceptions of advertising, finds that even in this digital-centric climate, U.S. consumers are likely to view offline media ads most favorably -- with TV viewed in a positive light by 49% of respondents, followed by magazine ads (41%), and newspaper ads (40%).

EURO-GRAPH Reports Coated & SC Ships

EURO-GRAPH reported October European coated mechanical paper shipments rose +0.1%, demand increased +0.1% and exports declined -0.1%, Coated woodfree shipments was up +6%, demand rose +3.2% and exports jumped +20.6%. Supercalendered paper shipments fell -0.9%, demand rose +3.3% and exports declined -17.5%.

NS Legislation to Reduce Port Hawk Taxes

Nova Scotia legislation would reduce Cape Breton mill's municipal tax bill:
An agreement between Richmond County and a paper mill in Port Hawkesbury to reduce the operation's municipal taxes is being written into law by the Nova Scotia government.

Municipal Relations Minister John MacDonell says amendments to the Stora Enso Taxation Act would see taxes paid by the mill remain at $2.6 million for 2012-13, with former owner NewPage and Port Hawkesbury Paper Group Ltd. each paying $1.3 million.

MacDonell says Port Hawkesbury Paper would then pay $1.3 million in taxes for three years, beginning on April 1.

The legislation which was tabled at the request of the municipality, would expire on March 31, 2016.

The tax deal was reached following a court battle between the mill's owner and the municipality.

In a ruling in September, a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge rejected a bid by the mill to cancel the previous tax deal.

Sappi Increases NBHK Price

Sappi Fine Paper North America informed domestic customers today that its northern bleached hardwood kraft (NBHK) market pulp prices would increase $20/tonne, effective December 1 until further notice.

Sappi's $20/tonne price increase would bring North American list price on NBHK to $755-765/tonne depending on grade.

Arjowiggins Raises European CWF Prices

The situation of continuing rising costs of raw materials, energy and transport has made it necessary for Arjowiggins Graphic to review current price levels, and following this review implement a price increase to help offset the rising costs being incurred.

As a consequence of these adverse conditions that we are facing, we regret that it is unavoidable to announce this price increase for our CWF paper range on both sheets and reels during January 2013.

Fire at FutureMark Mill Contained

http://www.uppermichiganssource.com/news/story.aspx?id=831505#.ULjtvoXZGKw

The Manistique Public Safety and Volunteer Fire Officers were called to a reported fire at the FutureMark Paper Mill, formerly known as Manistique Papers, Thursday evening at 8:14.

Employees reported that the fire was located in a storage pile of paper bales located outside, adjacent to the building near a clippings shed.

China Single Largest User Illegal Lumber

http://www.eia-international.org/china-worlds-top-buyer-of-illegal-timber-drives-deforestation

China, emergent superpower and the world’s second biggest economy, is effectively standing on the sidelines as its exponential growth devastates forests in a trade worth billions of dollars a year.

In the new report Appetite for Destruction: China’s Trade in Illegal Timber, launched today in Beijing, the London-based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) reveals that China is now the single largest international consumer of illegal timber, importing wood stolen by organised criminal syndicates on a massive scale.

Brown Printing Signs Deal with National Standard

http://www.bpc.com/

Brown Printing has signed a multi-year agreement to print and distribute The Weekly Standard.

Under the agreement, starting in December 2012, Brown will produce The Standard at its East Greenville facility and distribute the magazine using local and regional entry into the USPS system as well as airfreight to western states, thus enabling faster delivery. The Weekly Standard has subscribers in every state and a paid circulation of approximately 95,000.

Bonnier Shutters Caribbean Travel + Life

Bonnier Shutters Caribbean Travel + Life Magazine and Related TV Show:
Bonnier Corporation’s Caribbean Travel + Life magazine will cease publication beginning next year. Additionally, its Discovery Channel television program will not be revived.

Digital Magazine Readership Up 47%

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/digital-only-magazine-readership-nearly-50-percent-145490

Magazines’ newsstand sales may be struggling, but there’s a bright spot when it comes to digital readership. Today, GfK MRI released its fall 2012 Survey of the American Consumer, which tracks print and digital magazine readership, and found that magazine readership had increased by 1.6 percent (or nearly 20 million people) to 1.2 billion people since last spring. That was helped by a significant bump in digital consumption: Readership of magazines' digital editions jumped 47 percent, or 4.4 million people, to more than 13.5 million.

Q3 Out-of-Home Ads Up 4.4%

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/188246/outdoor-revenues-up-44-benefits-from-digital-oo.html#axzz2DjBuwRms

Out-of-home advertising revenues grew 4.4% to over $1.5 billion in the third quarter, up from around $1.4 billion in the same period of 2011, according to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America.
Overall, the media and advertising category increased 6% in the third quarter compared to 2011. The period also saw ample political ad spending, with the government, politics, and organizations segment up 14% compared to the same period in 2011.