D. Eadward Tree

Depending upon which experts you heed, the U.S. Postal Service is either a few months away from insolvency or it’s in no danger of running out of cash any time soon. Let's look at facts about what’s going on with this agency that’s so central to American life.

As the magazine and catalog businesses shrink, paper companies are adjusting their machines to make packaging papers and other products that have growing demand. Also in the forecast: a gathering storm for postal rates.

With its flexibility and its ability to produce small batches, digital printing is transforming book publishing, direct mail, product packaging, and even the garment industry. But will publishers use data-driven printing to customize ads and editorial and create fully personalized magazines for readers? Sort of.

After a long history of steady climbs followed by dramatic plunges, structural changes in the industry and the market have empowered paper companies to put the brakes on the pricing thrill ride for publishers. Welcome to the new normal for magazine and book paper prices.

At the beginning of next year, magazine publishers will be paying about 25% more for paper than they did just 18 months earlier.

Print and digital were supposed to be adversaries but instead have developed a symbiotic (some would say co-dependent) relationship, as indicated by a few recent developments.

Yes, folks, it’s that most wonderful time of year, when the kids are back in school and publishers turn their thoughts to everyone’s favorite annual task: budgets. Here to help you is Dead Tree Edition’s annual forecast of paper, postal and print pricing.

“Told you so. Now don’t try to slap us with a Stupidity Tax.” That, in essence, is the magazine industry’s response to the USPS.

Once a pipe dream, the concept of magazines that are tailored to each reader is now a reality.

A potentially powerful partner to magazine publishers is arising in the world of data-driven digital…