China Planning 2013 Closures

The Chinese government is seeking data from the country's provincial authorities on the closure of old capacity planned for 2013.
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued a circular last week asking each province to submit its shutdown goals by January 28.

According to the circular, each province is required to provide the capacity of every PM and pulp line for the 2013 campaign.  On the paper and board side, the following are mandated for closure: newsprint machines with a capacity under 50,000 tonnes/yr; printing and writing PMs less than 1.76 m wide and with a speed below 120 m/min; and cartonboard and recycled containerboard units less than 2 m wide and slower than 80 m/min. -->

HarperCollins Challenges RAN

HarperCollins challenged Rainforest Action Network (RAN) methodology and an advisory that claimed that some of HarperCollins' children's books contain paper harvested from "vulnerable" Indonesian rainforests.

RAN said that a November test of seven HarperCollins' titles found three with "significant" quantities of acacia fiber that is mainly sourced from Indonesian rainforest and trace amount in "several" others.

$120M Wood Pellet Project for Bastrop, LA

$120M wood pellet project planned in Bastrop, LA, where International Paper shut mill in 2008:
Today, Governor Bobby Jindal and Drax Biomass International Inc. CEO Chuck Davis announced a more than $120 million investment by the company in Louisiana, where Drax Biomass plans to build a wood pellet facility in Bastrop and a storage-and-shipping facility at the Port of Greater Baton Rouge.

Saturday Evening Post Moves Back to Philadelphia

http://www.pubexec.com/article/the-saturday-evening-post-return-philly-announces-fiction-contest-winners/1

In a surprise move, The Saturday Evening Post, the iconic magazine which traces its roots to Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette, has announced its return to Philadelphia after 42 years in Indianapolis.
The magazine's Philadelphia office will be the base of operations for editorial director and associate publisher Steve Slon, a managing editor, a reporter and Web editors. Business operations will remain in Indianapolis.

NYT Launches Publishing Programs

http://www.pubexec.com/article/the-new-york-times-launches-e-book-programs/1

The New York Times today announced the launch of two publishing programs -- New York Times short e-books co-published with the digital startup Byliner, and TimesFiles with Vook.

A Look at Newspapers Turning a Profit; or Not

http://adage.com/article/media/a-newspapers-turning-a-profit/238784/

Despite all the talk about newspapers being a dying business, plenty of them are profitable. That includes the FT, according to Ian Whittaker, a media analyst at Liberum Capital in London.

Some papers, however, have even more to offer. We took a look at some.

Q3 Advertising Up 7.1%

http://www.btobonline.com/article/20121217/ADVERTISING13/312179998/u-s-ad-spending-increases-7-1-in-q3

Third-quarter advertising expenditures totaled $34.5 billion, up 7.1% from the year-earlier period, according to marketing information company Kantar Media. Spending for the first nine months of the year grew 3.8% year-over-year, to $101.3 billion.

RRD Moves to MidCap 400 Index

Garmin to replace R.R. Donnelly in S & P 500:
Garmin Ltd., a maker of navigation devices, will join the benchmark S&P 500 index after the close of trading on Dec. 11.
Garmin is replacing R.R. Donnelley, which is moving to the MidCap 400 index.
Standard & Poor's said Wednesday that R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. is replacing Medicis Pharmaceutical, which is being acquired by Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc.
R.R. Donnelley, which provides integrated communications services, has a market cap of about $1.68 billion. Garmin's market cap is about $7.78 billion.

Zinio Undergoes Executive Shuffle

Zinio Undergoes Executive Shuffle, New Strategic Focus:
Zinio, a digital magazine newsstand and reading platform, has shaken up its leadership team by naming a new CEO and president and forming a board of directors. The appointments come on the heels of a review done by investment bank Montgomery & Co. earlier this year and signal a strategic shift from a product-centric operation to a more customer-focused business plan.As a result of the changes, co-founder and CEO Rich Maggiotto has been named chief innovation officer. Meanwhile, Rusty Lewis will become CEO and Michelle Bottomley has been named president.

Survey Respondents Support "Do Not Mail"

Survey Finds Majority of Americans Support "Do Not Mail": A survey 81% of Americans support a Do Not Mail initiative. The authors suggest their findings serve as a wake-up call to markets and the USPS to find ways to address consumers concerns while preserving the fundamental service provided by the USPS.

US Commercial Printing Shipments Increase In Oct

October US Commercial Printing Shipments Increase (Economics & Research):
October 2012 US commercial printing shipments were up +$251 million, or +3.6% versus 2011, the first positive October since 2010. “On an inflation-adjusted basis, shipments were up +$100 million, or +1.4%,” said Dr. Joe Webb, Director of the WhatTheyThink Economics & Research Center. The latest report of shipments has been released by Dr. Webb and Strategies for Management, Inc. Dr. Webb also reported that the contraction in September’s shipments were revised down by another $49 million. “September was a difficult month. Shipments were down -3.9% on a current dollar basis and down -5.8% after adjusting for inflation compared to 2011,” he explained. Profits adjusted for inflation improved on a short-term basis. For Q3-2012 were $1.45 billion compared to $1.29 billion in Q2. Dr. Webb believes that despite the long-term downward trend in shipments, profits are no longer being dragged down by poor-performing print businesses. “In a bad economy, being a poor performing business means you have little access to capital, and almost no freedom of action, so it is easy to get pushed out of the marketplace.”

Domtar Permanently Closing Pulp Machine

Domtar permanently closing ‘A-Line’ pulp machine at Kamloops, BC mill:
Domtar Corporation is permanently shutting down 1 pulp machine at its Kamloops, British Columbia facility. This decision will result in a permanent curtailment of Domtar’s annual pulp production by approximately 120,000 air-dried metric tons of sawdust softwood pulp, 125 employees are affected. The pulp machine, known at the mill as the “A-Line” is expected to be closed by the end of March 2013. “Prevailing economic conditions in the global pulp markets and the deteriorated competitiveness of this small pulp manufacturing line, coupled with unforeseen boiler repair costs, have forced us to rationalize this pulp production capacity. We will focus our energy and resources on optimizing the larger, more competitive, ‘B’ pulp manufacturing line which will continue to operate,” said Mike Edwards, Senior Vice-President, Pulp and Paper Manufacturing.

Kruger Shutting Down News PM For 15 Days

Corner Brook paper machine No. 2 shutting down for 15 days:
One of the two paper machines at Kruger‘s Corner Brook Pulp and Paper mill will be shut down for 15 days. No. 2 paper machine will be shut down from December 23 until January 7. The curtailment in production will result in a 4,000 metric tonne reduction in newsprint output, 110 employees will be affected. The temporary curtailment has been blamed on difficult newsprint market conditions.

IP To Build & Bring New Jobs To Memphis

International Paper to build $90 million office tower, bring 101 new jobs to Memphis:
The details are finally clear: International Paper Co. is planning to build a $90.2 million, 235,000-square-foot tower at 6430 Poplar Ave. in East Memphis. The company is seeking a 15-year payment-in-lieu-of-taxes incentive for the project, which will add 101 employees to its local roster. Overall, International Paper plans to invest $361 million, but most of that would not be subject to any tax incentive. Construction on the new tower is expected to begin next year and be completed in 2015. The company announced Wednesday afternoon that it was applying for a tax abatement to build the new tower.

Catalyst Elk Falls Mill Site Hit With Enviro Order

Developer purchasing Catalyst Paper’s Elk Falls mill site nailed with environmental contamination remediation order in Alberta:
Harold Jahn, the developer who is purchasing the mill site of Catalyst Paper‘s former Elk Falls Pulp mill in Campbell River, British Columbia has been served a contamination remediation order in Alberta.There has been groundwater contamination at the site of a closed chemical plant that Jahn’s company, Heartland Industrial Park Inc., owns. The company has been ordered to install a groundwater recovery system, develop a decommission plan, and reclaim the plant.  The Government of Alberta said they have been trying to get this issue resolved for 2 years without any success.

Christmas Spirit with Print Record Q4

Print gets in Christmas spirit with record fourth quarter:
While trading conditions have clearly been challenging over the past 12 months, a surge in activity since the Olympics has led many to report a strong fourth quarter. The Lettershop Group mailed more than 22m products in November, a record performance for the Leeds-based direct mail printer that helped counterbalanced the slow summer months."In terms of volume, October and November into December has been the busiest it has ever been," said commercial director Dave McGolpin. "The market is still very competitive and there is always a question about volumes but we have made some good progress this year, which looks to continue in 2013." Similarly, Inc Direct sales director Andy Bailey said the firm has been flat out in the run up to Christmas, marking a reversal to the typically quiet year-end. This has resulted in a strong start to the company's 2012/13 financial year, following a record performance in the year to 30 June 2012.

Meredith BHG Pushes Into E-Commerce

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/meredith-pushes-e-commerce-145858
Better Homes and Gardens, which for decades has guided people in furnishing their homes, is now making it easier for those readers to do so without leaving them. In its first major e-commerce initiative, the Meredith flagship has quietly stocked a channel at BHG.com/shop with products in dozens of categories from bedroom sets to salt and pepper shakers. Meredith plans to promote the new channel in earnest next year and follow it with similar channels from Parents and Divine Caroline, Meredith’s online community for women.  Meredith is one of the larger magazine publishing houses, and its product-heavy periodicals seem ready-made for e-commerce. As these magazine efforts go, BHG’s seems pretty rudimentary. Built with help from ShopNation, an e-commerce company Meredith acquired in May, the channel has no virtual shopping cart where people can park their items while they shop. In fact, shoppers have to click through to each retailer's website to make a purchase, potentially depriving BHG.com of traffic. Also, the channel isn't easily accessible through BHG's mobile site, although Meredith is working on that, along with an iPhone/iPad app just for shopping.

'Bloom Off Rose' for Time Inc.CEO

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/bloom_is_off_the_rose_for_time_inc_gXNjs5Xj36TyLJOcFLDIEM
The honeymoon appears to be over for Time Inc. CEO Laura Lang.
As employees await a new round of cuts that seems all but certain to shake the nation’s largest publisher in mid-January, morale is plunging. The frustration at Time Inc. seems to have risen even more because of the high expectations that accompanied industry outsider Lang’s hiring in November 2011 from digital ad agency Digitas, where she was CEO. There’s grumbling in the ranks about what Time Inc. veterans feel is a lack of communication from on high about where the company is headed. Lang’s ascension to the top spot — she did not officially move in until January 2012 — came, insiders said, after a year in which many initiatives stalled. During that period, Time Inc. was run by a triumvirate of top executives: Editor-In-Chief John Huey, Chief Legal Officer Maurice Edelson and Chief Financial Officer Howard Averill. They took over after Jack Griffin was driven from the corner office in February 2011 by an internal revolt. Meredith Corp. vet Griffin lasted just five months on the job at Time Inc.

The Saturday Evening Post Returns to Philadelphia

http://www.pubexec.com/article/the-saturday-evening-post-return-philly-announces-fiction-contest-winners/1
In a surprise move, The Saturday Evening Post, the iconic magazine which traces its roots to Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette, has announced its return to Philadelphia after 42 years in Indianapolis. The magazine's Philadelphia office will be the base of operations for editorial director and associate publisher Steve Slon, a managing editor, a reporter and Web editors. Business operations will remain in Indianapolis. "The Post is moving back because Philadelphia is our historic home," Slon said. "It feels right. The move also places us closer to New York City, the publishing center of the universe, and its talent pool." Slon said the move is planned for the second quarter of 2013, between May and June.

 

Condé Nast Promotes Jason Miles

http://www.wwd.com/media-news/fashion-memopad/cond-nast-promotes-jason-miles-6538980
Jason Miles has been promoted to director of planning for Condé Nast International, effective January 2013, the publisher said Thursday. Miles had been the publisher’s deputy planning director since 2008. He replaces James Woolhouse, who continues to serve as president of Condé Nast Asia-Pacific and a vice president and member of the publisher's executive committee. Miles will continue to report to Woolhouse. “Jason Miles is the go-to individual on a wide range of planning matters, from launching new projects to financial forecasts to legal. He has earned respect and appreciation throughout the organization,” said Jonathan Newhouse, chairman and chief executive of Condé Nast International.