Folio RSS: Design and Production

Digitally-Altered W Cover of Demi Moore Draws Fire

Vanessa Voltolina — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:59:13 -0500

Another magazine cover succumbs to poor judgment, execution.

New Magazine Tries to Recapture ‘Flair’

Jason Fell — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:26:52 -0500

This isn’t your typical print launch.Inspired by Fleur Cowles’ Flair magazine—which published between 1950 and 1951—Ivy Baer Sherman is launching Vintage Magazine, a twice-yearly publication she says celebrates “classic culture and the pleasures of print.”

U.S. International Trade Commission to Investigate Asian Paper Imports

Jason Fell — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:28:13 -0500

The U.S. International Trade Commission said it will proceed with an investigation of coated paper imports from China and Indonesia after unfair trade cases were filed by Sappi Fine Paper North America, NewPage Corp., Appleton Coated LLC and the United Steelworkers.

Design Strategy for Your Magazine—Part II

Dan Trombetto — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:16:30 -0400

As I continue the design strategy discussion from my previous column in the September issue of FOLIO:, we move on to the Define phase.

Face Up: Playboy

Dan Trombetto — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:32:52 -0400

MAGSTATS

November Cover Model: The Turkey

Jason Fell — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:11:56 -0400

Taste bud-testing holiday birds grace cover, after cover, after cover.

Rolling Stone Wins 'Cover of the Year' in ASME's '09 Best Cover Contest

Vanessa Voltolina — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:18:35 -0400

The cover of the July 10-24, 2008, issue of Rolling Stone featuring Barack Obama was named “Cover of the Year” in ASME's Best Cover Contest, David Willey, ASME president and editor-in-chief, Runner’s World, announced today at the Magazine Innovation Summit in New York City.

Five Steps Toward Greening Your Magazine

Dan Trombetto — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:51:40 -0400

One of the places to start is to review the entire design, production and distribution supply chain. Here are some areas that can help green your process:

Green at Retail: Magazines Can Increase Environmental Stewardship

Dan Trombetto — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 10:37:58 -0400

Green at Retail: Newsstand Marketing and Distribution is a new “green paper” written by the audience marketing company Next Steps Marketing and Green America Better Paper Project—a nonprofit that grows the green economy and supports environmentally responsible magazines—that outlines ways that publishers can achieve higher efficiencies, increased sales, and build better brand awareness

FaceUp: Associations Now

Dan Trombetto — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:22:54 -0400

MAGSTATS

New York, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar Among Winners of ASME's Best Cover Contest

Jason Fell — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:10:05 -0400

New York, Vanity Fair and Harper's Bazaar were among the 10 magazine covers chosen by Amazon.com customers as “Best Magazine Cover of the Year” in their respective categories, ASME announced today.

World Color Press Rolls Out New Logo, Market Identity

Jason Fell — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:13:25 -0400

Montreal-based magazine printer World Color Press, formally Quebecor World, has introduced a new logo and announced that, effective immediately, the company’s market identity will officially be Worldcolor. The company’s new Web site is Worldcolor.com.

World Color Press Names Mark Angelson Chairman and CEO

Vanessa Voltolina — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:12:12 -0400

World Color Press (formerly Quebecor World) has named Mark Angelson chairman and chief executive officer, replacing Jacques Mallette, who is leaving the company.

Three’s a Crowd on Women’s Service Covers

Vanessa Voltolina — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:06:35 -0400

Printers Offer New Advertising Services, More Capacity

Jason Fell — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:57:32 -0400

Magazine printers are adding full-service products beyond their traditional printing duties. Some recent examples include: Brown Printing has announced a new series of ad sales tools offered through a strategic partnership with MagazineRadar. The ad sales tools offer lead qualification, account reviews, talking points, ad tearsheets and value-added services for advertisers.

What’s Your Cover Strategy?

Dan Trombetto — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:10:52 -0400

Building a great magazine involves a lot of processes, players, deadlines and content. It’s a relationship that’s not easy. Successfully marrying good ideas with quality execution takes planning and patience, especially when creating the cover of the magazine.

FOLIO:’s 2009 Manufacturing and Production Trends Survey

Dan Trombetto — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 14:29:33 -0400

Manufacturing and production executives may rarely make the news, but their decisions have the potential to impact the future of their print publishing companies.

Face Up: Psychology Today

Dan Trombetto — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:41:30 -0400

MAGSTATS

The Production Behind Maxim’s ‘De-Metalized’ Polywrap

Jason Fell — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:13:50 -0400

For its September issue, Alpha Media's Maxim will be wrapped in a polybag that has undergone what is called a “demetalized” process.

The State of Publication Printing Technology

Dan Trombetto — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:07:44 -0400

Virtual proofing. Ad portals. Automated workflows.

What's Your Cover Strategy?

Jason Fell — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:11:34 -0400

Great covers define and set readers' expectation for quality, tone of image.

Face Up: California

Dan Trombetto — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 15:17:53 -0400

MAGSTATS

National Geographic Taps Digital Press for On-Demand ‘Your Shot’ Covers

Jason Fell — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:50:27 -0400

After collecting more than 150,000 photos from readers since it launched its Your Shot project in June 2006, National Geographic said it will publish a special edition Your Shot issue, featuring more than 100 of those

Five Steps to ‘Greening’ Your Magazine

Jason Fell — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:05:43 -0400

A printer’s perspective.

Quad/Graphics Receives ‘Green’ Certification for Headquarters

Jason Fell — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:00:26 -0400

About a year and a half after setting out to become the first major commercial printer to have all of its major manufacturing sites designated as green buildings, Quad/Graphics’s manufacturing facility and headquarters in Sussex, Wisconsin has become its first to achieve certification.

Face Up: Foreign Policy

Dan Trombetto — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:47:44 -0400

Issue: May/June 2009Frequency: Bi-monthly Launched: 1970Circ: 100,000Editor-in-Chief: Moisés NaímPublishing Company: Slate Group

NatGeo Measures its Carbon Footprint

Jason Fell — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:01:44 -0400

National Geographic, along with Verso Paper, Quad/Graphics and Harmony Environmental, recently completed a "cradle-to-grave" study to measure the magazine's carbon footprint.

Black Man’s Head Photoshopped onto City Guide’s Cover

Jason Fell — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:23:34 -0400

Spokesperson said goal was to depict diversity.

GQ Censored by Hudson News—Again

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:55:33 -0400

Magazine ‘treated like pornography’ at Chicago’s O’Hare by notoriously conservative chain.

Monetizing Digital Editions: Can Auto-Served Ads Work?

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:33:06 -0400

As adoption of digital editions grows, so too do the attempts to monetize those editions.

Why Everyone Should Look at the Cover Before it Goes to Print

Vanessa Voltolina — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:38:48 -0400

Missing limbs, mutant hands and other Photoshop faux pas.

Buying Paper the Right Way

Dan Trombetto — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:56:37 -0400

Magazine Publishing, like other industries, is facing unprecedented challenges. Finding ways to hold onto revenue or cut costs is more important than ever. With paper being a key cost component of a publication, it’s worth investigating whether you’re buying paper as effectively as possible.

Face Up: Edutopia

Dan Trombetto — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 11:55:43 -0400

Issue: February/March 2009Frequency: Bi-monthly Launched: 2004Circ: 100,000-120,000Consulting Editor: Owen Edwards

New Publisher Takes Criticism of Cover to Heart

Vanessa Voltolina — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:03:47 -0400

FOLIO:’s Face Up panel leads Strategy to retool.

Magazine Printer to Cut 140 Jobs

Jason Fell — Wed, 06 May 2009 12:01:58 -0400

Sussex, Wisconsin-based commercial magazine printer Quad/Graphics said it will lay off 140 employees this week from its imaging and QuadTech divisions. The cuts are nationwide but will come primarily from its facilities in Wisconsin, a spokesperson said.

Esquire’s ‘Mix-N-Match’ Printer Adopts 3D Technology

Jason Fell — Wed, 06 May 2009 11:10:19 -0400

Sandy Alexander—the Clifton, New Jersey-based printer that recently produced Esquire’s perforated “mix and match” cover—has partnered with 3D media company Azuna to offer its clients three-dimensional design and printing technology.

Face Up: Seed

Dan Trombetto — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:54:08 -0400

Issue: January/February 2009Frequency: Bi-monthly Launched: 2004Circ: 30,000Editor: Laura McNeil

The Influx—And Economics—Of All-Type Covers

Vanessa Voltolina — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:27:45 -0400

Quebecor Extends Contracts with Rodale, Forbes

Jason Fell — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:40:28 -0400

Quebecor World has filed its plan of reorganization with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court. The company plans to make a similar filing in Canada in the first week of May, it said.

My Review of Time Inc.'s Mine

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:52:23 -0400

The 'personalized' magazine has arrived, but is it really personal?

R.R. Donnelley Expands Digital Printing Capabilities

Jason Fell — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 13:38:28 -0400

Printer R.R. Donnelly recently added three 1200 DPI high-speed color digital presses, pushing its printing platform to include more than 1,000 printing units in more than 60 facilities worldwide.

Advanstar Latest to Produce 3D Cover

Jason Fell — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 16:49:37 -0400

Advanstar Communications plans to become the latest publisher to produce a 3D cover. The May issue of Pharmaceutical Executive, which includes the magazine’s annual list of the 50 top pharmaceutical companies, will feature a 3D image of a flying super hero with a ‘50’ emblazoned on its chest.

Five Tips for Reducing Production Costs

Jason Fell — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:02:40 -0400

With postal, paper and distribution costs all on the rise, and no economic rebound in near sight, it’s more important now than ever for magazine publishers to save money where they can. Here, we’ve collected five tips—some tried and true, some less conventional—from printers Publishers Press and Transcontinental for how magazines can save on production costs.

Behind Esquire’s Latest Cover Gimmick

Jason Fell — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 11:29:59 -0400

Esquire has come up with another cover gimmick: the magazine’s May “How to Be a Man” issue, on newsstands April 10, features perforated covers that a

Enterprise Publishing at Work

Dan Trombetto — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 16:11:11 -0400

In efforts to locate publishers who actually achieve Enterprise Publishing, I found one publisher who comes closest to adhering to the basics of Enterprise Publishing, either fully achieved or in the process towards optimal implementation. The requirements are:

Face Up: Utility Automation and Engineering T&D

Dan Trombetto — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:55:00 -0400

Issue: February 2009Frequency: Monthly Launched: 1997-98Circ: 36,000Production Editor: Deanna Taylor

Casey Caplowe

Dan Trombetto — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 14:34:33 -0400

With the tagline “a magazine for people who give a damn,” Good, the three-year-old for-profit magazine with a bootstrapping, non-profit ethos, has become known for doing things a little differently than most start-ups in the consumer magazine space.

Chris Dixon

Vanessa Voltolina — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 12:08:00 -0400

Amid the avalanche of stories about the Bernie Madoff scandal, a recent New York cover may have nailed it best: Madoff re-imagined as The Joker.

Amy Taschler Snyder

Vanessa Voltolina — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 11:42:58 -0400

Two years ago, Hanley Wood embarked on a major online push, spending millions on hiring e-media staff and technology. But for any publisher trying to build up a true multimedia infrastructure, the key is mapping out a smooth operating procedure.

Did Another Magazine ‘Lighten’ a Dark Woman?

Vanessa Voltolina — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:00:30 -0400

Complex’s retouching of Kardashian follows trend.