Western Horse Review gets Boost from the Government

Western Horse Review, an Alberta magazine that caters to riders across Canada, has received $36, 124 in funding from Canadian Heritage.

The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, on behalf of the Honourable Josée Verner, Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages, today announced financial support for Western Horse Review, published by Dakota Design and Advertising Limited, a magazine publishing company located in Calgary, Alberta.

Dakota Design and Advertising will receive $36,124 in funding to help offset the costs of producing this magazine with high levels of Canadian editorial content.
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tomorrow you'll learn to print!

Don't forget that Transcontinental's printing refresher course takes place tomorrow, at the Sheraton Eau Claire in Calgary at 3:30pm. AMPA will be there. We hope you are too!

Here are the details again...

April 3, 2008

The Ehs, Bs & Cs of Printing
A seminar that demystifies the print production process, presented by Transcontinental

Thursday April 3, 2008

Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire, Calgary, AB
3:30-5:30 Seminar with Richard Goldsmith
5:30-7:30 Cocktail Reception
Admission: Free

Please register here.

DEMYSTIFYING PRINT PRODUCTION - A Refresher Course
… from pixels to paper, and everything in between

A training seminar designed to clear up the whole printing process, from ink-based to digital printing technologies geared to Art Directors, Project Coordinators, Print Managers and Assistants, Printing and Graphics Representatives, Buyers, and Graphic Designers.

• Increase your overall knowledge of print production
• Learn important tips to make your production run smoothly
• Clear the printing jargon once and for all
• Learn to make the right choices
• Get up-to-date on the digital technologies
• Avoid costly mistakes, learn to ask the right questions

About the Speaker
Richard Goldsmith - Chairman, The Horah Group
Dick Goldsmith has been in the printing industry for more than 25 years. He is the chairman of The Horah Group, a full-service, print production management and marketing services company he founded 1981 in New York City, and chairman of Horah Direct, a direct marketing creative agency founded in 1997.

Dick is the author of Direct Mail for Dummies and has had numerous articles published in Target Marketing and Circulation Management magazines. He has received the Joseph Fiedler Fellowship Award from the Printing House Craftsmen of NY for distinctive service in further education within the graphics arts industry. He has also received the Silver Apple Award from The Direct Marketing Club of New York.

A well-known, informative, and entertaining speaker throughout North America, Dick has presented at numerous DMA Annual Conferences, AMA Conferences, and the Circulation Management Conferences to mention a few.

Transcontinental LGM tel: 403-262-1464
www.transcontinental-printing.com
renato.casello@transcontinental.ca

Welcome Minister Lindsay Blackett

A new cabinet has been appointed by Premier Ed Stelmach, as of March 12th, 2008.

It is AMPA's pleasure to welcome Minister Lindsay Blackett, a part of the Ministry of Culture and Community Spirit (formerly Ministry of Tourism, Recreation and Culture).

Blackett will be leading the province's new initiative, The Spirit of Alberta: Alberta's Cultural Policy which acknowledges the importance of Alberta's unique and vibrant culture and cultural industries, of which magazines are key.

According to the Alberta Culture website, the ministry includes the department and the following entities:

• Alberta Foundation for the Arts
• Alberta Historical Resources Foundation
• Alberta Human Rights and Citizenship Commission
• Government House Foundation
• Historic Resources Fund
• Human Rights, Citizenship and Multiculturalism Education Fund
• Wild Rose Foundation

Culture and Community Spirit provides a diverse range of programs that support a high quality of life for Albertans, and makes Alberta an attractive tourism destination.

Welcome Lindsay, and AMPA looks forward to working with you to tell Alberta's unique stories.

Quebecor World cuts 300 jobs

It's more bad news for printing giant Quebecor World Inc. as restructuring efforts continue and they close one of the oldest Canadian printing plants, a 37 year old facility in Magog, Quebec that was only running at 20% capacity. 300 jobs were also cut in the process. This comes on the heels of the loss of Rogers Publishing's magazines contracts, and news that Canadian Tire will no longer be printing its annual catalogue.

Story from the cbc.ca:

Two hundred of the employees losing their jobs were already on temporary layoff from the plant.

"The reason it's closing is because it's a part of the retooling and restructuring plan that we started three years ago to relocate in larger, more efficient facilities," Quebecor World spokesman Tony Ross said.

Although the retooling plan began years ago, the decision to close Magog was made only recently, he added.

A few of the employees may be offered transfers to other facilities but the majority of workers will lose their jobs. The work will be transferred to other Quebecor World facilities, but the aging equipment won't be moved, said Ross.

People trust print. Web? Not so much.

A study by agency Media Vest, shows that print is alive, well, and trusted more than the web in most areas, as reported in Advertising Age.

"Print offers something very, very unique, specifically around trustworthiness and authoritativeness," said David Shiffman, senior VP-connections research and analytics at MediaVest. "The personal experience people have with it is very different from what they're looking for and getting in the digital world."

The web beat print for trustworthiness in one area: health and wellness, where readers preferred digital sources such as WebMD by 3%.

"The research is going to help publishers develop and steer their content in the appropriate direction," said Robin Steinberg, senior VP-director of print investment at MediaVest. "When most magazines first launched their sites, they didn't have the correct approach of utility, immediacy and customization. They were basically taking content from the magazine and putting it online. Research such as this helps publishers to create online environments and experiences that align with user expectations of the online world vs. the offline or in-book."

People are seven times more likely to turn to print for fashion and beauty content, the research found. And print coverage of food and cooking was more trusted by a 7% margin; print entertainment news was more trusted by 5%.

The MediaVest study also found:

• There remains very low duplication between the audiences for print publications and their online companions. Duplication ranged from 1% to 6% for every category except entertainment, where some titles reached duplication rates of 10%.
  
  
• Print titles should deliver something different with their online extensions, according to 79% of respondents who were dual magazine and digital users. But only 44% said they strongly believed that publishers' sites really offer something unique.
  
  
• Print will never die. Only 12% of respondents said they strongly believed that a publisher's site could easily replace the print product within the next five years.

MediaVest is a full service advertising and media buying agency, a division of the Starcom MediaVest Group (SMG), a subsidiary of Paris-based Publicis Groupe. .

Web Weekend Edmonton - this weekend

Heya,

If you've registered for the Web Weekend Edmonton, please be reminded that it's this Saturday and Sunday. What a stimulating way to spend your weekend. Here, again, are details:

Web Weekend
Magazines Canada, Centennial College and the Alberta Magazines Publishers Association are proud to present Web Weekend Edmonton on Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30 at Grant MacEwan College in downtown Edmonton.

Web Weekend is a groundbreaking, intensive learning event created specifically for magazine publishers. Through seminars and lab work, the expert Web Weekend faculty will deliver practical advice, tools and templates to help make your publishing business more successful. Have a look at the Web Weekend Brochure.

*Small Magazines staff: Inquire about Magazines Canada's generous bursaries. Note: Magazines Canada members only.

LEARN TO:

- Leverage the power of digital media
- Cost your online ventures
- Market your brand effectively
- Utilize the latest tools for measurement and analysis
- Build online communities
- Increase your online revenue streams

PLUS—Web Weekend's faculty of experts will be available for one-on-one consultations. Find solutions to your magazine’s specific issues--the faculty will be happy to meet with you.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

- Print and online editors
- Web development and I.T. staff
- Publishers
- Designers
- Circulators
- Advertising sales Managers

HOW MUCH?

Magazines Canada members, Alberta Magazines Publishers Association members and students: $495, others: $750

Tuition includes all materials, coffee breaks, breakfast, lunch and access to a dedicated Web Weekend Continuing Ed Forum.

WHEN?

Saturday, March 29 and Sunday, March 30, 2008 (Saturday & Sunday)

WHERE?

Grant MacEwan College, Centre for the Arts, 10045-156 Street, Edmonton

Calgary Multiarts Variety Show #4

Don't forget to check out the Calgary Multiarts Variety Show #4 on March 22, 2008. The festivities start at 8:00pm and supports two very good causes. Check it out!

WHAT: Another fast-paced variety show including bands, poets, theatre, comedy, and independent short films brought together for a cause; and, a celebration of Calgary's imagination!

WHY: In support of Inn from the Cold Charity and Single Onion Poetry

Saturday, March 22 2008

The Soda, 211-12 Ave SW, Calgary, AB

8:00 pm

$8 at the door

FEATURING:

Bands:
- Musk Cup (improv jazz feat. Chris Dadge & friends)
- Gutterawl (rock)

Poetry:
- Lara T, Kirk Miles, Bronwyn Haslam, Wakefield Brewster

Theatre:
- Swallow a Bicycle Performance Troupe

Stand Up Comedy:
- Col Cseke

Independent Short Films:
- Created or Curated by Garth Whelan

MCs: J.J. Powell & Laurie Fuhr

For more information, to volunteer, or to contact performers for interview, please contact:

Laurie Fuhr, Event Manager
999-2566 (cell) or lauriefuhr@yahoo.ca