Canadian Printer, a leading printing industry trade publication in Canada, has announced that it will no longer be producing print editions. Instead, the publication will maintain an online presence and distribute bi-weekly e-newsletters to its readership. The company's intent is to publish one printed edition annually highlighting innovations in print.
The magazine industry as a whole is struggling to find the right business model in the Internet age. Electronic Publishing and Graphic Arts Monthly are examples of two industry trade publications in the U.S. that have ceased operations altogether. This move on the part of Canadian Printer validates the WhatTheyThink business model, which was founded in 2000 and continues to evolve as the market changes. Interestingly, WhatTheyThink, which has always been online only, has added an annual "Best Of" printed edition, the first of which was published last fall, as well as expanding into events, video and more. We wish our Canadian colleagues the best in their new endeavor. The full text of the letter that was sent to readers follows:
Dear Reader,
I am writing today to let you know about an exciting new direction for Canadian Printer magazine, Canada's pre-eminent source for the printing and graphic arts industries.Over its 118-year history, Canadian Printer has evolved to meet the needs of the industry by producing first-rate magazines, events, online custom publishing, directories, sponsorship and research. It has done so by always looking for innovative ways in which to serve its audience and deliver value for the diverse businesses within.
Canadian Printer is once again positioning for the future, and evolving as a brand to reflect the changing industry it serves, with a view to not only grow its audience online but by continuing to serve our constituency with valuable editorial coverage. The name will remain, as will the integrity and values that exist within the trusted and respected Canadian Printer brand.
The new Canadian Printer will publish online and the quarterly issues of the magazine will cease immediately. Our bi-weekly e-newsletter will continue as well as our annual event, "Print in the Mix." Ultimately, we will publish an annual magazine that highlights the best in print innovation for the year.
The new editorial coverage will focus on print innovation and its intrinsic collaborative process. It will celebrate excellence in print execution and by nature, will be closely aligned with Marketing magazine's online brand, www.marketingmag.ca. Stay tuned: We will soon unveil the new look of Canadian Printer.
Thank you for your continued support, and I hope you enjoy the content we will create over the next months and years.
Yours truly,
Pamela Kirk
Discussion
By Slava Apel on Jun 30, 2010
Rest in peace Canadian Printer magazine.
I enjoyed being your subscriber.
By Barry Walsh on Jun 30, 2010
In related news, Cygnus announced that it is suspending the print version of Printing News Magazine. The announcement hidden inside the news release announcing they had won the Show Daily contract for Graph Expo.
By Bill Alpert on Jun 30, 2010
It has the BP Cleanup Fund PSA announcement ring to it, doesn't it?
By Mark P on Jul 01, 2010
Yes, Like no one will notice if we refer to our closing as "an exciting new direction".
Too bad though, it was a decent pub...top 4 in Canada anyway.
By Chuck on Jul 01, 2010
I don't think Whattheythink's business model needs validation from a desperate move like this.
The industry gets its news from Whattheythink every day-- why would I want to read the same stuff it two months later in Canadian Printer? If they had unique, significant, exciting editorial, good writing, with a real perspective and deep insight and analysis, then I would look forward to receiving it and pour over every page.
But the state of industry trade pubs is such that there really hasn't been anything like this for a long, long time.
It's sad that these magazines are going out of business, but lets not kid ourselves that electronic media vs. print is the culprit-- it's because their content stinks and no one wants or needs to read it!!
No readership means no advertising. Voila! You're out of business!
Note to Canadian Printer's owners: Don't throw good money after bad. They website idea won't work, too late. Maybe call Randy Davidson and see if he needs some additional investors in Whattheythink!
By Warren Werbitt on Jul 01, 2010
I just think it a shame, when we the printing industry loose another publication.
We are not setting a good example for other indusrties.
We as an idusrty have to PROMOTE PRINT not kill it.
By Warren Werbitt on Jul 01, 2010
Please disregard the spelling errors in previous comment.
I have no proof reader.
I am a better printer than a writer :)
By Gina Danner on Jul 01, 2010
To Warren's, Bill's and Chuck's points... business models must provide value to the varied customers. Print is not dieing because of electronic media. Print is dieing because publishers (and printers) are not providing value.
What have you done today to provide genuine value to your customers?
By Patrick Henry on Jul 01, 2010
I have to take the strongest possible exception to Chuck's sweeping assertion about the lack of editorial quality in graphic arts trade magazines. It's unfair to the publishing professionals in our industry who have worked hard for many years to keep their magazines worthy of their readers' attention and their advertisers' support.
When it comes to WhatTheyThink's paperless publishing model, I'm as partisan as they come, but let's also give due recognition both to the premier printed magazines that have departed and to the ones that we're still fortunate to have with us.
The technical coverage once provided by Graphic Arts Monthly will be sorely missed and extremely hard to duplicate. Its editors and regular contributors were experts, among the very best in their fields.
To take an admirable example of a publication with an audience that clearly still needs and wants to read it, look at In-Plant Graphics. Its coverage of the vertical segment it serves could not be more thorough, and nothing equivalent to it exists either in print or online.
It's true that we have seen other publications squander their editorial legitimacy by turning themselves into regurgitators of press releases and vessels of advertorial matter cynically masquerading as real news. These books deserve the full measure of disdain that Chuck incorrectly heaps on all trade magazines. But, let's exempt and respect the ones that have fought the good fight to uphold their editorial integrity in business conditions that frequently encourage its sacrifice.
Warren is right to observe that when we lose quality publications like GAM and Canadian Printer, we lose irreplaceable opportunities to promote the industry that sustains us all. There's no joy in reporting the closures of the good ones, nor any sense in attributing their downfall to faults and flaws that weren't theirs.
By Jean-Marie Hershey on Jul 01, 2010
Well said, Warren and Patrick. I’m dismayed by Chuck’s vitriol, as well as the by broad brush he uses to apply it. Whattheythink does a fine job, but it has never been—nor is it now—the only game in town. As an industry, we’ll do well to survive the imprecations of Chuck and other doomsaying pundits whose aim, apparently, is to run down the institutions past and present (especially those in print, hello?) that have served our industry so well.
By Howie Fenton on Jul 01, 2010
I agree with Chuck's point that all content is more valuable when it is more timely and nothing is more timely then an online resource.
I also agree with Patrick's comment about the In-Plant Graphics targeted audience. Subscribers to magazines like In-Plant Graphics and Canvas magazine appreciate the focused content. And this is most valuable when there are no other sources for that content. And ironically both of these successful pub's use a online resource to make their pubs available on our computer screens too!
And lastly, as a former editor of a printed magazine, I think we have to recognize the declining perceived value of published printed products. For some of use who just joined AARP it may be a scary idea, but for our kids it may be the only way they consume content in the future.
By Lori Cohen on Jul 01, 2010
Unfortunately Canadian Printer Magazine had no choice but to rethink their strategy. They did what they had to do.
In my opinion - As printers we have to recognize that Cross Media Integration is where it's at. And its our responsibility to leverage print, social media and the world wide web.
Making print clickable and bridging the print world with the digital world is our reality. But what better way to drive people on-line than than through print. And what better way to get people’s attention than through print!
By Chuck on Jul 01, 2010
@Patrick - On technical content- I can't remember the last time I read a real product review, or comparison, in any of our trade journals. What we usually see is what I would call "product roundups", which are like re-writes of manufacturer's releases (and/or product literature) with added laudatory remarks from people who just bought the gear!
In contrast, I also read a lot of computer and networking industry magazines, and they have real lab tests comparing the performance of gear very critically. Charts and graphs and checklists. Real world examples of how the stuff was used. This is incredibly valuable to the readership, and therefore these magazines continue to attract advertisers. It is good business.
@Jean- I don't want to be negative, but I think as an industry need to "wake up and smell the coffee." The world is changing (has changed), and people get their information in new ways. I really love and actively support this industry's institutions but not so much when they fail to adapt, and as a result lose their focus, constituencies and relevance.
By Patrick Henry on Jul 01, 2010
There's no denying that simple product roundups, rewritten press releases, and happy-user stories are of limited value. But stories that candidly report printers' actual experiences with their equipment can be of great benefit to readers, and GAM (along with others) published many of these.
Is product reviewing a fair comparison when it's easy to set up a computer for testing in an editor's office, but not so easy to create a testing environment for a six-color sheetfed press? As far as I know, no manufacturer or printer has ever offered its equipment and facilities to a trade magazine for this purpose. Do trade magazines about, say, oil drilling equipment run product reviews of that machinery? I'd have to check.
By Chuck on Jul 01, 2010
@Patrick, you make some excellent points.
The culture of the tech marketplace(users and vendors) has made it absolutely essential that vendors do what you describe: provide equipment and support an independent review community -- the consequences of not doing so is that their gear would not be viewed as competitive.
The tech pubs I mention review equipment that is often comparably expensive, in many cases even more complicated, as well as harder to integrate (and necessary to integrate to create a solid reviewing environment), and as challenging to make the right analysis, as big iron printing equipment.
Granted, in most cases networking and computer equipment doesn't have to be hauled on a 40 foot tractor trailer!
I think I've said enough, this is getting a bit tangential to the original story, but developing this kind of culture would greatly benefit our industry and I don't see it today.
I think we can look back on what some of the associations did (way back) when there were very big technical problems to solve, and that culture did exist, but we've lost touch with those values.
By Brian Regan on Jul 02, 2010
Print
Websites
Emailed content
a PDF
an iPhone or iPad/Tablet App
All are ways to distribute content. Each has its value and our industry should be masters of each way and not focus on one way.
The internet cant be beat for getting timely data out. However, well written content is unique and can be printed or published to an iPad or website etc.
We each the way we like to devour content. I have an iPad now and I have started to use it for reading some magazines I would never have read before. I looked at reading a book on it and have not been compelled to go that direction yet. On Sundays I LOVE sitting on the back deck, eating a family breakfast, enjoying my coffee and reading the Sunday newspaper while the kids play in the yard.
The bottom line is our industry needs to be the masters of the distribution channels as well as the managers of the data and perhaps in some cases the creators of the content.
I am awaiting the first print publication to offer their content as an iPad app with embedded videos and all the kool things that can be done using an iPad. Think of the equipment reviews then, one can take a video of the equipment in action as well as focus in an specific details and have well written text content along with the video.
My $.02
By Karl Belafi Sr on Jul 02, 2010
I’m disturbed by the loss of this fine publication or any publication in print form.
I have advertised in Canadian Printer over the last 30 years and as an advertiser in print publications the challenge has been to many publication in a limited market place in Canada.
In Canada we do everything in two languages. Imagine!
I think part of the problem is the demonizing of paper by the environmentalists and tree huggers.
Trees will never stop growing as for recycled paper generates 3 times more waste and sludge then virgin paper! Maybe that’s why recycled paper is more expensive. I don't get it.
At the end of the day you can call this a thinning of the herd, clearing of the underbrush, whatever! This is only a sign of things to come whether you are a printer, publisher or supplier to the printing industry.
Karl Belafi Sr.
By Lisa Jonas on Jul 02, 2010
Brian:
Buildings magazine is doing that...not for the iPad but they are embedding video in their digital edition. Nice differentiator for them and a cue to all of us to be innovators when sharing content.
But the bottom line is that Pat's right on all points. The most talented, hard-working people get cast in the same light as the organizations that push them to compromise editorial in an attempt to stay afloat. Maybe we should ask more of advertisers who will need to loosen up their budgets if they hope to maintain an affordable print option. Have you ever priced a national, non-trade print pub? Ouch.
Advertisers need trade magazines and trade magazines need advertisers if there is to be any hope of maintaining quality.
By Doug Bowker on Jul 06, 2010
It's interesting to see how the print vs. electronic debate continues, with little change but with as much emotion as it was 15+ years ago. There may have been content issues at Canadian Printer - I'm not in a position to judge that. The real issue is neither content of the pubication nor the intrinsic value of paper vs. electronic, no matter how emotionally or financially attached we might be to either one of them. The real issue is how well the respective media meet the communication needs of the consumer. I was in the print and print management industry since 1980 up until a couple of years ago and I enjoyed it, particularly the opportunity it gave - and still gives if done right - to develop ongoing relationships with clients and business partners. I still enjoy every opportunity my business gives me to work with print.
However customer communication requirements have evolved along with those of society in general, and some of those evolving needs are simply better served by the speed of electronic communications. It is not because electronic is qualitatively "better" than print any more than desktop computing was "better" than mainframe computing back in the 80ies and 90ies; it is just more appropriate to meet the needs of certain applications. Printed magazines, like printed marketing collateral and transactional print like invoices, simply do not meet the needs (e.g. speed to market, instant access, ease of electronic storage etc.) of certain applications while they may remain more appropriate for others.
As unfortunate as the loss of print-related revenue and employment may be - and I was among the casualties of the decline of print markets - it is nothing new in the business world and it is certainly not the last challenge business solutions providers will face. Lamenting the demise of certain printed media - or any other product - by trying to assign fault and by pointing fingers doesn't help anything. Learning to focus on customers' evolving business requirements and if necessary being early adopters of new forms of service to keep our customer relationships strong instead of stubbornly trying to protect an outdated model is the only thing that will help.
By Henk Gianotten on Jul 08, 2010
I write for the oldest Dutch graphic arts magazine Graficus (www.graficus.nl). It started publication in 1913. Last month the publisher decided to limit to a monthly publication. Graficus is a little bit younger (from 1913!) but uses the same reasons as Canadian Printer.
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