China Cracks Down on Wastepaper Contamination

http://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/paper/china-clamps-down-on-poor-quality-paper-imports

China’s London-based CCIC inspection agency has contacted exporters of material to China to remind them of the need to ensure that mixed paper sent to the country does not have contamination... and is rejecting shipments that do not meet those standards .

The action by CCIC comes after increasing awareness in China of the poorer material as well as tougher customs controls on the imports of overseas products ranging from scrap metal and waste paper... Others see the current crackdown as reflecting the weaker markets for exports with reduced prices and slower demand meaning that Chinese mills can be more choosy.

Lincoln Paper & Tissue Assessed Penalties

http://bangordailynews.com/2012/07/18/news/penobscot/ferc-claims-lincoln-paper-manipulated-energy-market-seeks-4-4m-in-penalties/?ref=latest

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is seeking $4.4 million in civil penalties plus $379,016 in “unjust profits” made by Lincoln Paper & Tissue LLC, alleging in documents released Wednesday that the papermaker fraudulently manipulated the energy market with its participation in a load-response program five years ago.

Condé Nast to Restructure, Time Layoffs at SI

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/shake-cond-nast-corporate-sales-leads-layoffs-141823

Following months of rumblings about big changes at Condé Nast, the publishing giant seems to finally be making good on the predictions. Today, Condé confirmed speculation about major restructuring in its corporate sales department in an effort to integrate its print and digital sides.

http://www.adweek.com/news/press/si-completes-layoffs-141989

Separately, Terry McDonell, editor of the Time Inc. Sports Group, announced layoffs of ~8% of a 210-person staff.

The group includes Sports Illustrated, Golf and SI Kids.

USPS Offering Holiday Promotion

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/18/idUS171381+18-Jul-2012+PRN20120718

Designed to drive online product purchases by putting mobile-optimized promotional offers, coupons and catalogs into consumers' hands, the U.S. Postal Service's 2012 Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion will offer online merchants an upfront 2 percent postage discount on Standard Mail and First-Class Mail letters, flats and cards (presort and automation) that include a mobile barcode or print/mobile technology — such as a QR code — that can be read or scanned by a mobile device and leads the mail recipient to a mobile-optimized shopping website. The promotion will run Nov. 7- Nov. 21, 2012.

Court Dismisses U.S. Claim

Canada wins softwood lumber case against the U.S.:
The London Court of International Arbitration has dismissed the complaint from the United States that accused Canadian exporters of violating the softwood lumber act. The 2011 complaint filed by the U.S. alleged that British Columbia was selling softwood at less than market value, given an increase in the harvest of low-grade timber.

UK Study; 90% of People Open Direct Mail

http://www.pr.com/press-release/427498

Direct Mail Statistics 2012 by Central Mailing Services:

An impressive 48% of the UK population responding to a direct mail piece they received in the past year.
9 out of 10 people open direct mail (FastMAP).
75% of customers like receiving special offers and vouchers via direct mail (British Market Research Bureau, 2010).

Hearst Publishers on Chinese Magazine Market

http://www.pubexec.com/article/in-conversation-the-magazine-market-china/?params=print#

At the Yale Publishing Course this week, Publishing Executive had the opportunity to speak with a couple of attendees from China: Chris Hu, publisher of Elle Decoration, and Quentin Li, editorial director and associate publisher of Elle Men. Both Shanghai-based magazines were acquired last year by Hearst in its mega-deal with Hachette, with the changeover to new ownership completed in December.

Docucopies.com Refuses to Collect CA Sales Tax

http://www.piworld.com/article/docucopiescom-refuses-collect-california-sales-tax-online-printing-services/1

Docucopies.com, an online digital printing company, will stop collecting California sales tax effective immediately. The company recently opened a production center in San Luis Obispo, CA, which cut its delivery time from four business days to one on most of the West Coast. Unfortunately, its physical presence in the state makes Docucopies.com subject to California commerce laws that require the company collect sales tax from any customer whose printing products are delivered to California.
Previously the company, which is incorporated in Minnesota and has their headquarters in Wisconsin, only collected sales tax for work delivered to WIsconsin customers.
Docucopies.com’s management understands the state’s massive budgetary problems, but thinks collecting sales tax on e-commerce is the wrong way to solve them.

University Goes Digital

http://www.kspr.com/news/sns-ap-mo--missouri-press-20120716,0,4502406.story

University of Missouri officials say they're replacing the University of Missouri Press with a digital publishing operation... Nearly 5,500 people have signed an online petition in support of saving the press.

Reporting Loophole for Magazines

Apple and Amazon Deliver Loophole To Consumer Magazines: Sketchy sales data from Apple and Amazon have led to a new loophole for magazines whose circulation is checked by the Audit Bureau of Circulations. The loophole will enable them to bolster the reported circulation numbers of a weak-selling issue with single-copy sales of better-selling issue.

Zimbio Buys Lonny Magazine

Zimbio Expands Portfolio With Lonny Magazine Acquisition: Zimbio Inc., parent company of Zimbio.com and StyleBistro.com, has a network that reaches an audience of more than 30 million global monthly readers across the fashion, beauty, celebrity and entertainment industries. The company will now be expanding into the interior design market with the acquisition of the home decor publication Lonny magazine.

Condé Nast’s Lucky Tries New Engagement Tool

Lucky Leverages New Community to Grow Digital Audience: With less than 10% duplication between print and Web audiences for Condé Nast’s Lucky, the digital side needs different products to keep its visitors engaged. Enter Appinions, a technology company whose products can spot the most influential online fashionistas and gather their posts and comments on a dashboard that lets users click through to read the entire post and other data around it.

AOL Names First CMO

AOL names Hunt CMO: AOL has named Jolie Hunt CMO, a new position at the online media company. Hunt was previously senior VP-global head of brand and public relations at Thomson Reuters. Prior to that, she was global director of corporate and business affairs at IBM Corp. In her new position, she will oversee AOL's global communications strategy, including internal and external communications, social media and corporate social responsibility.

Paper Industry to Reach $256 billion in 2017

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120716006039/en/Research-Markets-Global-Paper-Industry-2012-2017-Trends

The global paper industry experienced stable growth during the last five years and is expected to continue its growth momentum, reaching approximately US $256 billion in 2017 with a CAGR of 5.9% over the next five years (2012-2017) as reported by the recently published “Global Paper Industry 2012-2017: Trends, Profits and Forecast Analysis”.

Port Hawkesbury: Consumer Advocate Protests, Process Continues

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/07/16/ns-mill-power-rate.html

Nova Scotia's consumer advocate has asked the Utility and Review Board to dismiss an application for a reduced power rate for the Port Hawkesbury paper mill that formerly belonged to NewPage.

The rate would give Pacific West Commercial Corp. among the lowest power costs in North America, if not the lowest. But the seven-year deal would also leave consumers on the hook if the mill's owners, Pacific West and Nova Scotia Power, have underestimated what it would cost to supply the mill with electricity.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/118053-newpage-paper-mill-closer-to-reopening

An idled Cape Breton paper mill is three steps closer to reopening after a Nova Scotia Supreme Court judge granted a trio of orders Tuesday.

Justice John Murphy granted NewPage Port Hawkesbury a stay of proceedings until Aug. 31, approved a creditors meeting on the papermaker’s sale and granted a reorganization order.

While the three orders are a significant step in the sales process, the successful reopening of the mill hinges on hearings now before the provincial regulator.

AF&PA Releases Containerboard Report

http://www.paperage.com/2012news/07_18_2012containerboard_afpa.htm

Containerboard production lost just 0.3% over the same month last year. Production was down 1.7% compared to May 2012, but the month over month average daily production increased 1.6%. The containerboard operating rate for June 2012 rose 1.5 points over May 2012 from 94.7% to 96.3%. Box shipments dropped 3.5% to 31.005 billion ft2 on an actual basis in June, but adjusted for one less shipping day this year were up 1.1% on an average-week basis, according to Fibre Box Assn (FBA) statistics.

Online Sales Taxes Coming to More States

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303644004577525070594717752.html

Conservative governors, joining their Democratic counterparts, have been making deals with online retail giant Amazon.com AMZN +0.59% to collect state sales taxes. The movement picked up an important ally when New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie—widely mentioned as a potential vice-presidential candidate—recently reached an agreement under which Amazon would collect sales taxes on his state's online purchases in exchange for locating distribution facilities there. 

The move toward taxing online sales has broad implications. Online shopping will become more expensive for consumers. Brick-and-mortar retailers won't have the price disadvantage they now have compared with online sellers. Strapped states suddenly could be flush with $23 billion in new annual revenue, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

http://uspolitics.einnews.com/pr_news/105544222/michigan-retailers-calls-on-state-treasurer-to-send-sales-tax-bill-to-amazon

The Michigan Retailers Association (MRA) today called on State Treasurer Andy Dillon to follow the law and his department's own guidelines by sending a bill to online giant Amazon for sales tax owed the State of Michigan.

Hearst's Esquire Goes to Singapore

http://www.hearst.com/

Hearst Magazines International (HMI), a unit of Hearst Corporation, today announced the launch of Esquire in Singapore starting with the September issue, on newsstands September 1. 

American City & Country Tries New Technique

Penton Title Sees Success With Virtual Events:  Penton Media’s American City & County magazine, a monthly b-to-b publication serving the state and local government markets, is driving audience development and ROI with virtual events. The title’s State and Local Government Summit, which launched five years ago, is delivering a variety of paid sponsorships and cultivating valuable connections with readers.

American Media Names Digital Officer

http://adage.com/article/media/american-media-names-digital-chief-plans-60-hires/236042/

American Media Inc., the publisher of magazines including Star and Shape, has named Joe Bilman its first chief digital officer as part of a new plan for digital media that calls for adding 60 employees and spending $30 million over three years.