Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Penske Media Leading Bidder For 'Variety'
Report: Penske Media leading bidder for 'Variety': Penske Media Corp., owner of Deadline and six other online properties, has emerged as the leading bidder for Variety, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. Penske has partnered with private equity company Shamrock Capital Advisors to acquire the 107-year-old trade publication, the report said. It added that a deal to purchase Variety for around $30 million could close within the next three weeks.Variety's parent company, Reed Elsevier put the publication up for sale in March.
M. Scott Havens Named President of The Atlantic
M. Scott Havens Tapped as President of The Atlantic:
The Atlantic has named M. Scott Havens as president effective today. The move puts a dedicated executive into the top spot for the brand and allows Justin Smith, who has held the dual role of president of Atlantic Media Company and The Atlantic, to shift solely to corporate oversight. The move also signals a continued emphasis on digital strategies for The Atlantic. Havens joined the brand in 2009 as its vice president of digital strategy and operations and then was promoted to senior vice president of finance and digital operations for the entire company.
The Atlantic has named M. Scott Havens as president effective today. The move puts a dedicated executive into the top spot for the brand and allows Justin Smith, who has held the dual role of president of Atlantic Media Company and The Atlantic, to shift solely to corporate oversight. The move also signals a continued emphasis on digital strategies for The Atlantic. Havens joined the brand in 2009 as its vice president of digital strategy and operations and then was promoted to senior vice president of finance and digital operations for the entire company.
Atlantic Media's Digital-only Quartz
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/24/business/media/with-digital-only-quartz-atlantic-to-cover-business-world.html?_r=1
“I love the romance of print,” said David G. Bradley, owner of Atlantic Media, but it has cost him. Business titans are generally not prone to self-appraisal, and when they do take stock, it usually begins and ends with a list of their conquests. David G. Bradley, the owner of Atlantic Media, has never been like that. He built and then sold the Advisory Board and the Corporate Executive Board, two research advisory firms, but he never trumpeted that or his fancy education — he was a Fulbright scholar with a law degree from Georgetown and an M.B.A. from Harvard — as a significant credential. At lunch a few weeks ago, we talked about Quartz, Atlantic’s new, strictly digital play in global media, a site for business news that is making its debut on Monday at qz.com. He was clearly excited about the new enterprise, but Mr. Bradley spoke candidly about his costly education in the economics of publishing.
“I love the romance of print,” said David G. Bradley, owner of Atlantic Media, but it has cost him. Business titans are generally not prone to self-appraisal, and when they do take stock, it usually begins and ends with a list of their conquests. David G. Bradley, the owner of Atlantic Media, has never been like that. He built and then sold the Advisory Board and the Corporate Executive Board, two research advisory firms, but he never trumpeted that or his fancy education — he was a Fulbright scholar with a law degree from Georgetown and an M.B.A. from Harvard — as a significant credential. At lunch a few weeks ago, we talked about Quartz, Atlantic’s new, strictly digital play in global media, a site for business news that is making its debut on Monday at qz.com. He was clearly excited about the new enterprise, but Mr. Bradley spoke candidly about his costly education in the economics of publishing.
NAPL- Conditions for Industry Mergers 'Favorable'
NAPL Economist Suggest Conditions for Industry Mergers 'Favorable': Executives and owners from a wide variety of printing and graphic communications companies gathered here for the inaugural NAPL/MFSA Mergers & Acquisitions Conference heard from top industry professionals and from their graphic communications industry peers about the most pressing issues facing the industry and what they can do now to get out in front of, and benefit from these trends.
The Print Council Transfer Print-in-the-Mix to RIT
The Print Council to Cease Operations, Transfer Print-in-the-Mix to RIT: The Print Council transferred its sponsorship of the industry resource to RIT. The Print Council, established in 2002 to promote the broader use of print in the marketing and media mix, is announcing the transfer of its sponsorship of the Print-in-the Mix website to Rochester Institute of Technology.
Print Thrives Among The Affluent
http://www.audiencedevelopment.com/2012/study+print+thrives+among+affluent
Both old and new media executives may be talking more openly about the inevitability of print’s decline, but for one demo dead trees and ink remain vital. The well-off. According to the 2012 iteration of the Ipsos MediaCT Mendelsohn Affluent Survey, in households making $100,000 and up, 82 percent of the “Affluents” read at least one of the 150 print titles the study tracks. (143 magazines and 7 national newspapers). This well-heeled and well-read segment of 59 million Americans is reading 18.7 issues across 8.2 titles. Despite the digital onslaught, this group showed only a tiny decline in their devotion to print since last year (-1.3 percent). The Ultra-Affluents ($250,000 a year and up) read 25 percent more than the Affluents, generally 23.5 issues over 10 titles.
Both old and new media executives may be talking more openly about the inevitability of print’s decline, but for one demo dead trees and ink remain vital. The well-off. According to the 2012 iteration of the Ipsos MediaCT Mendelsohn Affluent Survey, in households making $100,000 and up, 82 percent of the “Affluents” read at least one of the 150 print titles the study tracks. (143 magazines and 7 national newspapers). This well-heeled and well-read segment of 59 million Americans is reading 18.7 issues across 8.2 titles. Despite the digital onslaught, this group showed only a tiny decline in their devotion to print since last year (-1.3 percent). The Ultra-Affluents ($250,000 a year and up) read 25 percent more than the Affluents, generally 23.5 issues over 10 titles.
Is Newsstand Slide Related To Pricing?
http://www.audiencedevelopment.com/2012/how+much+newsstand+slide+related+pricing
Have you seen that Lucky subscription offer? It seems to be expired now, but it’s been all over the place online. You could buy a two-year subscription of this roughly $3.00-per-copy monthly magazine for the low, low price of $5.99. As in just under $6.00. As in a quarter per copy. Lucky, of course, isn’t the only publication doing this kind of thing. An online search can yield pages of results of magazines that are deeply discounted when compared to their newsstand prices. A number of years ago, audited publications couldn’t do this kind of thing. The ABC had guidelines preventing publishers from cutting subscription prices to only a fraction of the retail price.
Have you seen that Lucky subscription offer? It seems to be expired now, but it’s been all over the place online. You could buy a two-year subscription of this roughly $3.00-per-copy monthly magazine for the low, low price of $5.99. As in just under $6.00. As in a quarter per copy. Lucky, of course, isn’t the only publication doing this kind of thing. An online search can yield pages of results of magazines that are deeply discounted when compared to their newsstand prices. A number of years ago, audited publications couldn’t do this kind of thing. The ABC had guidelines preventing publishers from cutting subscription prices to only a fraction of the retail price.
USPS Moves Closer to Insolvency
Postal Service to Move Closer to Insolvency: At the end of this month, the U.S. Postal Service takes another step toward insolvency. On Sunday, the service is required by law to pay the federal government $5.6 billion to fund health care benefits for retirees. But it won’t do it, because it doesn’t have the money. It will be the second time that the service has defaulted on a payment, the first occurring on Aug. 1.
“This default will have no effect on the processing or delivery of mail, and employees and suppliers will continue to be paid,” said David Partenheimer, a spokesman for the Postal Service. But if Congress does nothing, come next spring, the Postal Service will truly start running out of cash. That means the agency may not have enough to pay mail carriers and subcontractors, which could mean drastic cuts to the mail delivery system -- postal service Armageddon.
“This default will have no effect on the processing or delivery of mail, and employees and suppliers will continue to be paid,” said David Partenheimer, a spokesman for the Postal Service. But if Congress does nothing, come next spring, the Postal Service will truly start running out of cash. That means the agency may not have enough to pay mail carriers and subcontractors, which could mean drastic cuts to the mail delivery system -- postal service Armageddon.
USPS Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion
USPS Opens Registration for Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion: Mobile barcodes and direct mail will drive retail sales this holiday season, so marketers looking to boost revenue while saving money should consider the 2012 Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion.
The Promotion is designed to drive online product purchases by putting mobile-optimized promotional offers, coupons and catalogs into consumers’ hands in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The promotion will offer online merchants a 2-percent postage discount on Standard Mail and First-Class Mail letters, flats and cards that include a mobile barcode or print/mobile technology
The Promotion is designed to drive online product purchases by putting mobile-optimized promotional offers, coupons and catalogs into consumers’ hands in time for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The promotion will offer online merchants a 2-percent postage discount on Standard Mail and First-Class Mail letters, flats and cards that include a mobile barcode or print/mobile technology
P&P Mills Future Water Usage Goals
Many pulp and paper mills will change future water usage goals
Since water has become an increasingly important strategic issue in the pulp and paper industry, potentially affecting the ability of a large number of the world’s mills to operate at capacity, Fisher International conducted a study of the topic and has published its findings in a study titled, The 2012 Global PPI Water Benchmark Report. The report is intended to help environmental managers understand how water issues are affecting pulp and paper mills around the world as they benchmark their own positions and evaluate their policies.
The study finds that many mills expect that their access to water will be threatened in the next five years.
Since water has become an increasingly important strategic issue in the pulp and paper industry, potentially affecting the ability of a large number of the world’s mills to operate at capacity, Fisher International conducted a study of the topic and has published its findings in a study titled, The 2012 Global PPI Water Benchmark Report. The report is intended to help environmental managers understand how water issues are affecting pulp and paper mills around the world as they benchmark their own positions and evaluate their policies.
The study finds that many mills expect that their access to water will be threatened in the next five years.
Heidelberg Opens Plant in Detroit
Heidelberg Opens Manufacturing Plant in Detroit: Five years after introducing Saphira Aqueous Coatings to the market, Heidelberg recently began manufacturing the coatings locally at its new Hi-Tech Coatings plant, located in the Detroit suburb of Taylor, MI. A ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening was held Aug. 30. The plant has been in production for several months. Hi-Tech Coatings International, Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Heidelberg Druckmaschinen.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Domtar Announces October Pulp Increase
Domtar
informed North American customers today its northern bleached softwood kraft
(NBSK) market pulp price will increase $20/tonne, effective October 1 until
further notice, as reported by RISI.
The
Montreal-headquartered firm's price increase is the first known pricing move in
North America for October business.
As
for other Oct. 1 pricing plans, the only previous moves from NBSK producers
came in Europe, where Sodra, Mercer International, Metsa Fibre, and Stora Enso announced $790/tonne,
Oct. 1 list prices. None stated the amount of their European increases.
AF&PA P&W, Recovered, Kraft Paper Reports
P&W Papers
According
to the AF&PA report, total printing-writing paper shipments decreased 5 percent in
August compared to August 2011. All four major printing-writing grades
posted single-digit decreases compared to last August. U.S. purchases of
printing-writing papers also decreased, down 6 percent in August. Total
printing-writing paper inventory levels decreased 5 percent from last month,
primarily due to double-digit decreases in mechanical-grade paper
inventories. Additional key findings include:
Shipments of coated free sheet papers decreased
year-over-year, but August shipments reached the highest level since
October 2011. Shipments of uncoated free sheet papers down
year-over-year, the sixth consecutive single-digit year-over-year
decrease .Uncoated mechanical paper inventories dropped sharply. Inventory of coated mechanical papers also dropped and
hit the lowest point since December 2007.
Recovered Fiber
According
to the AF&PA report, total U.S. industry consumption of recovered paper in August was
2.56 million tons, 6 percent higher than July 2012. Year-to-date total
consumption in 2012 is 4 percent lower than during the same period last year.
U.S.
exports of recovered paper, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau, increased 5
percent in July compared to June, led by a 14 percent increase in Mixed Papers
exports. Year-to-date exports of recovered paper in 2012 are 6 percent lower
than during the same period in 2011.
Kraft Paper
Total
Kraft paper shipments were 133,000 tons, a decrease of 3.6 percent compared to
the prior month. Total inventory was 77,800 tons this month. Both unbleached
and bleached Kraft shipments decreased year over year.
August Global Pulp Ships Up
Global
pulp deliveries increased by 6.4% to 3.667 million tonnes in August, up from
3.447 million tonnes the previous month, according to Pulp and Paper Products
Council (PPPC) data.
Shipments
were 7.4% higher than the year earlier period, up from 3.415 million tonnes in
August 2011.
UK Paper Industry Calls for Changes in Gov. Policy
UK Paper Industry Calls for U-turns in Manufacturing Policy: The UK’s Paper Industry still operates 50 mills and accounts for 25,000 jobs. It contributes significantly to the UK economy. It has reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions by over 30% since 1990. It has invested £10bns in state of the art equipment and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and on-site biomass plants. Paper is now the most recycled of materials with a recycling rate of 73%.
However, government policy is acting as a huge disincentive to further investment and could result in the closure of many mills over the next decade.
Potentially the most damaging of the policies is the Carbon Price Floor, which comes into effect in 2013. At £16 per tonne it could cost UK Energy Intensive Industries more than twice the amount paid by our EU competitors.
However, government policy is acting as a huge disincentive to further investment and could result in the closure of many mills over the next decade.
Potentially the most damaging of the policies is the Carbon Price Floor, which comes into effect in 2013. At £16 per tonne it could cost UK Energy Intensive Industries more than twice the amount paid by our EU competitors.
"New York" Magazine's Best Year
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20120923/MEDIA_ENTERTAINMENT/309239995
To its groaning shelf of National Magazine Awards and bulging portfolio of stories extolling its business success, New York magazine can add one more credit: It's having its best year in a decade.
Both profits and revenue are the highest they've been since financier Bruce Wasserstein bought the barely profitable publication in late 2003 for $55 million and lured Adam Moss from The New York Times to become editor in chief. That move was among several that would make New York what it is now: a growth property at a time when much of the rest of the industry is struggling to hold its ground.
Observers also praise New York's owners for their willingness to invest for the long term and a nimble business team that's equally adept at selling print and digital advertising.
In addition, the magazine and website have racked up more National Magazine Awards since Mr. Moss' 2004 arrival than any other title during the same period.
To its groaning shelf of National Magazine Awards and bulging portfolio of stories extolling its business success, New York magazine can add one more credit: It's having its best year in a decade.
Both profits and revenue are the highest they've been since financier Bruce Wasserstein bought the barely profitable publication in late 2003 for $55 million and lured Adam Moss from The New York Times to become editor in chief. That move was among several that would make New York what it is now: a growth property at a time when much of the rest of the industry is struggling to hold its ground.
Observers also praise New York's owners for their willingness to invest for the long term and a nimble business team that's equally adept at selling print and digital advertising.
In addition, the magazine and website have racked up more National Magazine Awards since Mr. Moss' 2004 arrival than any other title during the same period.
"The Economist" Sets First Digital Rate Base
The rate base of 50,000 is intended, like a print base, to increase advertisers’ confidence. It will take effect in January and appear on the newsweekly’s Consolidated Media Report [1], a year-old reporting tool from the Audit Bureau of Circulations that attempts to present a brand’s total footprint across print and digital platforms. (The ABC’s longstanding publisher’s statements don’t yet have a place for digital-only rate base claims.)
Voice Media Buys Village Voice Media
http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/09/24/4285203/newly-formed-denver-holding-company.html New holding company Voice Media Group today announced that it has signed an
agreement to purchase the publishing and related sales properties owned by
Village Voice Media Holdings, LLC. The purchase includes the iconic Village
Voice Media alternative weekly newspapers and their associated websites, as well
as the national advertising arm of the company.
Direct Mail Key to USPS Viability
"Advertising
mail is a critically important part of the economic engine that funds USPS
services," USPS spokeswoman Darlene S. Casey said in an email. "The
postage paid on letters, checks and bills (First Class Mail) is no longer
enough by itself to fund the universal mail service Americans enjoy
today."
The
83.5 billion coupons, catalogues and credit card offers that advertisers sent
through standard mail brought in $17 billion in revenues for the Postal Service
in 2010.
USPS Recycling Program: Cash for Electronics
"The U.S. Postal Service is making recycling your old cell phone quicker and easier than ever before," said Gary Reblin, vice president of Domestic Products. "We've expanded this recycling program to offer more consumers the opportunity to protect the environment and put some money in their pocket at the same time and with USPS, the shipping is free."
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