However, as illustrated in the pages of this venerable organ, this year has been an exception and – more than that – not only have  we been spoilt for choice in terms of ‘serious’ news, there’s actually been a healthy smattering of some good news, too.

Of course, August has had its fair share of bad news, but let’s focus on positives, like the merger of NCP and Crowes, AJS labels and MetroMail both going from strength to strength and investing for the future and another Pindar company being salvaged.

Equally, the PrintWeek Awards judging was concluded this week (you’ll have to wait until the 9 September issue to find out who made the shortlist) and I know for a fact that each of the 32 judges found many reasons to be cheerful about print’s future when they picked over the hundreds of entries.

There’s no denying that the market is tough and there’s still a serious lack of visibility as to how the next few months will pan out, but in many ways the industry is in pretty good shape – certainly in terms of being leaner and meaner. And that means, depending on your point of view, we should be well placed to either weather the brewing storm or ride the crest of the impending wave of returning confidence.

So perhaps it is the silly season after all, because the PrintWeek news-o-meter seems to have edged towards the latter scenario of late and that can’t be right, surely?

Darryl Danielli Editor, PrintWeek