Lexington, KY - WhatTheyThink, the leading online media organization serving the printing and publishing industry, today announced the availability of their most current report titled “U.S. Commercial Printing Profits, 1995 to Q2-2009.” Authored by Dr. Joe Webb, director of WhatTheyThink's Economics and Research Center, the report is available for immediate purchase at the WhatTheyThink Store.

Purchase U.S. Commercial Printing Profits

“The second quarter of 2009 was a big turnaround from Q1,” said Dr. Webb. The industry has had a difficult time, but in past months has cut back staffing levels at a rate faster than sales declines. “The industry was overstaffed at the beginning of its slowdown, and may now be finding the right balance.”

About 1 in 8 print workers has been idled over the last year, a decline of more than 50,000 workers, Dr. Webb explained. “Print has had nine consecutive quarters of sales decline. Digital media alternatives are expanding their share of those communications budgets, and will likely hold onto those increases once the economy improves.”

In the report, Dr. Webb also discusses media shifts that marketers and other communicators are planning in 2010, and also the range of media opportunities that printers now have. “Communications is far more complex than it was even three years ago. The iPhone wasn't introduced until mid-2007, and now has 30 million users. Facebook just reported 300 million users, and 65 million of them accessed the service on a handheld device in August. The range of media that are available make it more important for communicators to have a consistent message in content and appearance, a skill that printing organizations have a long history in supplying. The new printing business will have the capabilities to provide multiple media logistics, of which print is one medium among many.”

The Printing Profits Report contains both current and inflation-adjusted analysis of commercial printing and print services shipments and profits from 1995 to the first quarter of 2009. The bonus audio file includes Dr. Webb's frank analysis, opinions, and strategic outlook. Containing Adobe PDF, Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint files, the cost of the report is $50.00 and features the audio commentary in MP3 format. Those purchasing the report can easily repurpose the charts and data for internal, client presentations, and reports.

The report contains significant and proprietary analysis and by Dr. Webb and WhatTheyThink's Economics and Research Center. It is a top-level analysis of the U.S. commercial printing and trade services markets such as commercial offset, digital, and other printing processes, as well as prepress and postpress contained in the standard business classification NAICS 323.

Purchase U.S. Commercial Printing Profits

WhatTheyThink's Economics and Research Center contains a blend of free and premium content for graphic arts and publishing executives. It offers an online library of primary research reports, executive summaries of economic trends, and related industry columns, videos, podcasts and webinars.

The Economics and Research Center is exclusively sponsored by MindFireInc, a provider of software technologies that leverage direct marketing and the Internet

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 MindFireInc

Since 1999, MindFireInc has provided innovative applications and services that help marketers synchronize their direct mail campaigns with the Internet. MindFireInc's flagship product, LookWho'sClicking, is a web-based application suite that links the impact and power of direct mail with the interactive capabilities of the Internet. MindFireInc offers its product through a network of Value Added Resellers (VARs). The company's web site is www.mindfireinc.com.