THE PRINTER
The publishing industry is suffering through reduced advertising and cover sales. In the future, there may be fewer publications covering the same areas of consumer interest. Printers can help publishers by being innovative through the introduction of supplements and special finishes. High-end magazines are fighting the current economic climate by spending more money on added-value products to further distinguish themselves on the shelves. In the B2B market, despite the threat the internet has posed, the paper product is still widely used. By streamlining production processes, printers and publishers can reduce their cost by running energy-efficient operations and minimising wastage. At St Ives Web, we also offer an online flat-planning system (Delano). For the publisher, it eases the production workflow, and provides the ability to proof, replace files and approve online, which saves considerable time. We implemented a page-turning solution about two years ago, but it did not generate much interest at the time. However, that is not to say that in the future it won’t be as useful a tool as we previously thought.
Tony Ayles
Sales director
St Ives Web

THE TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER
Different printers will find different solutions to coping with change. The majority of publishing is driven by advertising sales and online advertising is a growing market. Digital versions of magazines are an easy way for publishers to get their content distributed quickly. It is a simple process for printers to implement as digital magazine editions are created with the same PDFs used for printing. It is about printers going the extra mile for publisher clients. Digital editions will not kill off the printed magazine – most publishers are now producing a mix of both. I used to be a printer, but years ago I realised the internet was going to take over, though I didn’t know how. It has taken time for the digital revolution to reach publishing. Publishers have held back as they didn’t want to go online and upset their traditional printed advertising models. Printers were frightened that online editions would dent print demand. For both publishers and printers to survive, they are going to have to embrace digital editions. If a publisher goes under, they will take the entire print run with them. However, digital editions can keep a printed magazine alive and often reboot the title and attract new readers.
Les Csonge
Sales and marketing director
Yudu Media