BtoB Media Business - February 2008 - (Page 4)

Upfront ‘Fast Company’ gathers speed under Mansueto ing,” said Bob Safian, who became editor of Fast Company was on the ropes when Fast Company in February 2007. “I can’t Mansueto Ventures acquired it in 2005, overstate the investment Mansueto has along with Inc., from the now-defunct made in paper, personnel, photography and Gruner+Jahr USA. Mansueto proceeded to finding terrific sponsors to build up a franpump up both brands with investments that chise that was in serious trouble.” Safian, who was executive editor of Forhave recently started to pay off. Indeed, as many business titles struggle tune before joining Fast Company, said part with the downward slide in print advertising, of the reason for the magazine’s recent surge has been a commitment to more Fast Company is bucking the in-depth stories. For example, trend. Ad revenue grew 26.3% in rather than do a story on why De2007, and ad pages increased troit can’t create more fuel-effi20.6%, according to Publishers cient cars, the November cover Information Bureau. story focused on Johnathan By comparison, ad revenue for Goodwin, who rejiggers AmeriBusinessWeek fell 12.9% last year, can cars to get up to quadruple while ad pages dropped 18.2%. their normal mileage. Ad revenue for Fortune was down “Fast Company is selling a 10.5%, and ad pages slid 17.3%. ‘Fast Company’ saw unique audience,” said Bill Hebel, Christine Osekoski, publisher healthy advertising media director of b-to-b ad agency of Fast Company, said the month- gains in 2007. ly publication brought in 41 new advertis- Slack Barshinger. “While all business publicaers in 2007, including Canon USA, Brother tions reach decision-makers, Fast Company International Corp. and Dell. And AT&T has staked out the territory to reach successful and Hewlett-Packard Co., which had both business people and has done an excellent job taken a hiatus from the publication, came of editorial consistency.” Hebel added, though, that in the “total back to the fold. “We’re going in to advertisers and show- scope of business advertising pages, it still ing them an environment that speaks to ear- has a small portion of market share.” Ad revenue for Inc. grew 9.6% in 2007, ly adopters and entrepreneurial thinking,” Osekoski said, adding that the February and and ad pages rose 6.4%. For the six months March issues will be up 30% in ad revenue ended June 30,Inc.had a total paid circulation of 696,421, down from 703,088 a year earlier. over last year. Both Fast Company and Inc. continue to For the six months ended June 30, Fast Company had a total paid circulation of expand their online offerings. In October 746,161, down from 758,562 a year earlier, ac- Mansueto Digital, the online unit of Mancording to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. sueto Ventures, debuted IncBizNet However, newsstand sales rose 35% through (www.incbiznet.com), an online business the first six months of 2007 compared with the network and user-generated database for private companies. FastCompany.TV, an onyear-earlier period, according to ABC. “We want to keep pushing and evolv- line video network, kicks off in March. BY MATTHEW SCHWARTZ FEBRUARY 2008 Upfront CEO Weitzner hits the ground running at ZDE . . . . . . . Page 6 Cover story Publishers take different paths to online success. . . . . . . Page 8 Feature M&A outlook robust, despite economic slump . . . . . Page 14 Endnote Listening to the ‘voice of the customer’ . . . . . . . . . . Page 30 Departments Sales & Marketing . . . Page 20 Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 21 Online . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 22 Production. . . . . . . . . . Page 23 Circulation . . . . . . . . . Page 24 People . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 25 Benchmarks . . . . . . . . Page 26 Cover photo by Martin Klimek/Getty Images EDITORIAL OFFICES (312) 649-5401 FAX (312) 649-5462 ADVERTISING SALES (212) 210-0782 SUBSCRIPTION HOTLINE (888) 288-5900 VP-Publisher Robert Felsenthal (212) 210-0262 Editor Associate Publisher Ellis Booker David Bernstein Senior Account Rep. Managing Editor Eric Gordon John Obrecht Account Executives Lynne Bosnack Design Director Peter Loibl Martin Musker Marketing Manager Senior Editor Tara Curran Tequia Burt Internet Marketing Manager Amy Holtzman Senior Reporters E-Product Specialist Carol Krol, Kate Maddox Megan A. Lee Reporter Production Manager Matthew Schwartz Nicole Dionne Group Circulation Director Copy Editor John LaMarca Richard K. Skews Circulation Manager Contributors Nicole Chantharaj Marie Griffin, Mark J. Miller, Online Marketing Mary Ellen Podmolik, Development Manager Charlotte Woolard Jeff Buddle THE AD AGE GROUP VP-Publishing and Editorial Director David S. Klein CRAIN COMMUNICATIONS INC. Chairman, Keith E. Crain President, Rance Crain Secretary, Merrilee Crain Treasurer, Mary Kay Crain Executive VP-Operations, William A. Morrow Senior VP-Group Publisher, Gloria Scoby Group VP-Technology, Circulation, Manufacturing, Robert C. Adams VP-Production & Manufacturing, David Kamis Chief Information Officer, Paul Dalpiaz Corporate Circulation Director, Patrick Sheposh Founder, G.D. Crain Jr. (1885-1973), Chairman Emeritus, Mrs. G.D. Crain Jr. (1911-1996) Media Business® is a registered trademark of Crain Communications Inc. Seeking Top Innovator nominations Media Business is seeking nominations for its fifth annual Top Innovators in Business Publishing Awards. The awards honor top CEOs, publishers, editors, production executives, audience development executives and online executives at large, small and general business publishing companies. Please send nominations to Media Business Managing Editor John Obrecht (jobrecht@crain.com) by Friday, March 21. Be sure to include examples of how the nominee’s creative thinking has made a difference at his or her company or publication. The winners will be profiled in the May 5 issue of Media Business and honored at a luncheon June 4 at the Hilton New York. 4 | Media Business | February 2008 | mediabusinessonline.com http://mediabusinessonline.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BtoB Media Business - February 2008

BtoB Media Business - February 2008
Contents
Upfront
Cover Story
Feature
Sales & Marketing
Events
Online
Production
Circulation
People
Benchmarks
Endnote

BtoB Media Business - February 2008