Lexington, Kentucky USA -- WhatTheyThink.com today reported that more than 400 industry professionals registered to attend a free printing industry economic webinar with forecaster and commentator Dr. Joe Webb, held on Wednesday, June 10th. The archive of the session can be viewed on the webinar archive page.

This one-hour event included the latest data and analysis relative to the state of the economy and suggested what we might expect to see through the balance of the year, both in the economy at large and within the printing industry.

“We are seeing conflicting signs in the economic indicators,” said Dr. Webb, Director of WhatTheyThink’s Economic & Research Center.. “The new Administration is finding it difficult to gain economic traction, Federal and state tax collections are down, and unemployment—a lagging indicator—is rising and likely to break 10%. Although the economy is ‘less worse,’ you really don’t know if you have hit bottom until indicators begin to rise.”

Topics addressed during the session included:

• 18 months of recession... is the end here?
• E-books: real or not? Is there opportunity for printers?
• The latest WhatTheyThink business conditions survey
• What the end of 2009 holds for the economy... and print
• Dr. Joe’s summer reading extravaganza

“The WhatTheyThink survey of business conditions reflects continued deterioration for the printing industry,” added Dr. Webb. “If 2010 opens flat with 2009, we can consider it a moral victory.  However, our forecast has U.S. printing shipments declining from $86.5 billion in 2009 to $60 billion in 2014.  Clearly, the businesses that survive and thrive will continue to incorporate an increased level of digital and multichannel communications services into the mix.”

Dr. Joe Webb is the director of WhatTheyThink.com's Economics and Research Center, where managers, researchers and analysts can find free and premium content about industry trends, including forecasts and more. Dr. Webb is a recognized marketing authority, forecaster and one of the best known speakers in our industry. He also contributes a weekly column at WhatTheyThink.com for Premium Access Members entitled “Mondays with Dr. Joe” as well as a regular writer on PrintCEOblog.com.

Last quarter’s webinar can be accessed here.

About WhatTheyThink

WhatTheyThink is the printing and publishing industry's leading media organization; offering a wide range of publications delivering unbiased, real-time market intelligence, industry news, economic and trend analysis, peer-to-peer communication, and special reports on emerging technology and critical events. WhatTheyThink also hosts webinars and live events that are timely and relevant o today's busy industry executives along with consulting and speaker services that leverage a talented pool of writers and industry analysts.

WhatTheyThink consists of flagship site WhatTheyThink.com, discussion forum site PrintPlanet.com, and industry blog PrintCEO.com.

About Dr. Joe Webb

Dr. Joe Webb is the director of WhatTheyThink.com's Economics and Research Center, where managers, researchers and analysts can find free and premium content about industry trends, including forecasts and more. Dr. Webb is a 30-year graphic arts veteran, a recognized marketing authority, forecaster and one of the best known speakers in our industry. He is known for his ability to interpret the latest market conditions in the graphic communications industries and translate what they mean for executives and their strategic decisions.  Since January 2003, his "Mondays with Dr. Joe" column has been a must-read feature on WhatTheyThink.com.

He is a Ph.D. graduate of the NYU Center for Graphic Communications Management and Technology (1987) and serves on the Center's Board of Advisors. He holds an MBA in Management Information Systems from Iona College (1981) and was a magna cum laude graduate in Managerial Sciences and Marketing from Manhattan College (1978), and was a member of the economics honor society. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses in marketing, market research, quantitative analysis, business policy, and organizational behavior. He started in the industry with Agfa's Graphic Systems Division and was later a marketing executive with Chemco Photoproducts, entering consulting full time in 1987. Among his publications is the controversial "Renewing the Print Industry: A Contrarian's Constructive Perspective."