The future is short-run printing; Gareth Ward

Gareth Ward, Editorial Director of The Print Business reports:

“The recession and the possibilities of developing technology are combining to drive print runs lower and lower. It is a trend that has been underway for many years. This how sales of he Radio Times have fallen the last 30 years for example, but with marketing departments looking to save money and to buy effectively, it has taken on more urgency and gained a lethally sharp edge. No sector of the industry is immune. From direct mail to magazines and newspapers, print runs are tumbling. A new book today may have an initial print run of the like not seen since Gutenberg’s day.
Article continues here (The Print Business).

Source: http://www.fcm-ezines.com/tpb/tpb-may09/

We once had the honor, oh I guess it was drupa 2000, to have Gareth stay with us on a Rhine river boat we hired. Basically, when Gareth speaks, the print industry generally listens and his editorial piece here seems to be spot on.

Shorter print-runs does not have to mean less profit and even could offer more opportunity by offering better quality (nudge, nudge; preflight!), coupled with more services. A print document is only one form of the content used in that file.

Just about everyday in PrintWeek UK’s newsletter, you read of another printer going into bankruptcy. And it is no secret that publishers, especially newspapers, are having a tough go at it. (Even though I still think there are many opportunities, just takes getting with the times and trying new things, like this, for instance: Design can save the newspaper)

For those graphics and media companies in America, the auto-industry getting hit so hard, on top of an already down economy, makes for some extra challenges. As we read in this PrintCEO blog post:

A recent report at autoblog states, Obama administration’s auto task force slashed Chrysler ad budget by 50%
Source: http://printceo.com/2009/06/auto-industry-media-spending-during-bankruptcy

Not to mention all of the dealers (almost 2,000) that will not be out there advertising anymore or picking up their brochure prints, for their right to sell GM or Chrysler cars has been revoked, effective in many cases next week. The AutoBlog.com report stated this:

Chrysler is nearly two weeks into its bankruptcy, and the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based automaker is already getting an idea of just how engaged the Obama administration plans to be in the process. Chrysler planned to spend $134 million dollars on advertising during its supposed nine weeks of bankruptcy, but the Auto Task Force has reportedly cut the figure in half.  Read more... (569 words, estimated 2:17 mins reading time)

I was only kinda kidding and not expecting to become part of the United States bail-out when I said, like many others, “hey, where is my bailout.” Yet it looks as if things are coming closer to home after all, as we read in this report:

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire today approved a 40% tax cut for that state’s newspaper printers and publishers.

The Seattle Times buried the news in a tiny, seven-line item on its local news page. It’s not prudent to gloat, after all.

The Washington law follows a hearing held by Senator Kerry on the “Future Of Journalism” and the President’s remarks during the annual White House correspondent’s dinner that “a government without newspapers, a government without a tough and vibrant media of all sorts is not an option for the United States of America.”
Source: http://newsusa.myfeedportal.com/item.php?&itemid=1058640

Although we may be in the print, publishing, web and graphic design sector, these sort of “rewards” cannot be good for true innovation nor the reality of what the future may hold. I personally think print newspapers will be here; If they innovate and reduce newspaper printing cost. (Give me a bar-code after each article and by each advert, you know real small like and let my iPhone camera scan that puppy in and LINK me to the real-time, online content for that story- or to the advertisers web page/ landing page. Etc, etc.)  Read more... (294 words, 1 image, estimated 1:11 mins reading time)