During the first quarter of 2008, the Magazine Publishers of America spent $170,000 to lobby on tobacco advertising rules, global warming legislation, efforts to establish a federal shield law for journalists, laws that would limit state and local authorities from taxing certain employee income, and on proposals to create a new coordinator for intellectual property [...]
U.S. Presidential candidate, Barack Obama, is urging TESCO’s Sir Terry Leahy to reconsider their policy of non-engagement with unions. Obama is concerned over the worker’s rights in TESCO’s FRESH & EASY outlets.
The Times of London
Along with destroying homes and leaving many stranded, the flooding in Iowa has submerged roads and rails, slowing down or stopping altogether shipments of food, fuel, and other goods. The best case scenario is that transportation will get back to normal by next week, however it seems like it will be much longer until shipments [...]
The Texas based, Austin Ventures is said to be the leading candidate in the negotiations to acquire Entrepreneur Media, the publisher of Entrepreneur magazine. Austin Ventures is reportedly offering the $200 million dollars that Entrepreneur Media was seeking. The acquisition has moved on to the due diligence phase and the deal could be finalized [...]
Cygnus Business Media is passing up on the soft M&A market and exploring a potential sale, according to its co-CEOs, Tony O’Brien and Carr Davis. Davis says that the company has been approached several times and is currently exploring “a process.” While the company is not officially up for sale, is still listening to different [...]
ABC has now required that public-place sponsored copies be reclassified as verified circ as of January 2008. By merging the public-place into the verified, the board is acknowledging the minimal difference between the verified and sponsored magazines, which is as little as a penny per issue to the host location. ABC created the [...]
This years Magazine Publishers of America’s Independent Magazine Group (IMAG) three-day conference is focused on helping publishers make the transition from print to digital, building successful multimedia strategies and adopting “greener” practices. Folio (May 14, 2008)
The former editor in chief of Time Inc. was named chief content officer of Bloomberg L.P. today. The New York Times (May 12, 2008)
The third issue includes features about retail sales opportunities for small and mid-size publishers, mag cover selection success strategies and the latest attempt at no-return, “firm” book sales. Rich Alleger, Rodale’s svp of retail sales, writes the cover package about retail sales opportunities. IPDA Newsstand Forum (May 2008)
Almost 49% of retailers surveyed by the FMI for its “Food Retailing Technology Benchmarks” study offer frequent shopper programs, and 90% of those stores’ customers participate in the programs. In addition, 84% of retailers report greater numbers of weekly store visits from loyalty program participants and 77% report higher gross margins. Supermarket News (Apr. 23, 2008)