January 11, 2005 -- Lexington, Kentucky USA – WhatTheyThink.com today announced the preliminary 2005 forecast for the commercial printing industry, and the general economy, by commentator and columnist Dr. Joe Webb. Register here: http://members.whattheythink.com/home/webinarregistrationform.cfm Dr. Webb will discuss these topics and others: • Commercial print volumes appear to be stabilizing, but profits are declining. If the steep decline of the industry’s sales is over, a profit decline may indicate other problems are lurking. • For the second half of the 2005, commercial printing volume will be only slightly higher than that of 2004. Dr. Webb will explain why, and what segments are likely to do better than the industry at large. • The paradox of a strong economy for the print business is that positive economics increases business investment and discretionary spending; unfortunately, those investments include technologies that decrease the need for paper-based communications and increase access to new, non-print media. Dr. Webb’s forecast for 2005 will be presented at a free printing industry economic webinar. Sponsored by Creo, the event will be held Wednesday, January 19th from 2:00 to 3:00 pm EST. No-charge registration is available at this special Web page: http://members.whattheythink.com/home/djwwebinarregistrationform.cfm This one hour event will provide graphic arts, printing and publishing executives with an overview of what to expect relative to market conditions for the 2005. Hundreds of printing and supplier executives from around the world regularly attend these quarterly events and access the archived material for later review. Once again, Dr. Webb will dissect economic data from his often contrarian perspective, examine opportunities, and provide a clear understanding by which to navigate. Topics will include: • Current economic conditions and trends • Printed products and new media alternatives – can the industry find an effective position in the new media era? • Capital equipment outlook for the year “In this webinar, we will take a close look at the industry sales turnaround and profits slowdown, and what that means for printing business owners and managers,” stated Randy Davidson, President of WhatTheyThink.com. “We are honored by Creo’s decision to sponsor this webinar, allowing us to present this event free to our readers and the industry at large.” Dr. Joe Webb is a recognized marketing authority, forecaster and one of the best known speakers in our industry. He contributes a weekly column at WhatTheyThink.com for Premium Access Members entitled “Fridays with Dr. Joe Webb.” The column offers timely analysis of recent economic data as well as management advice for senior printing and publishing executives. Participants will be able to view Dr. Joe Webb’s presentation using a standard Internet browser while listening on the phone. Register here: http://members.whattheythink.com/home/webinarregistrationform.cfm