Rogers trade books decline to enter KRWs
It's not altogether surprising that Rogers Publishing's trade magazines, having pulled their membership from the Canadian Business Press recently, have largely refrained from entering the Kenneth R. Wilson awards (commonly known as the KRWs) that are run by CBP. According to a story in mastheadonline (sub req'd), with the deadline passed, fewer than 10 entries were received for the 2008 KRWs. Phil Boyd, the president of the Canadian Business Press said they would normally expect 175.
The situation is pregnant with irony since Kenneth R. Wilson, the man after whom the awards are named, was a well-respected Ottawa Editor of the Financial Post and worked for Maclean Hunter, the predecessor to Rogers.
Boyd would not confirm an actual figure, but Masthead estimates less than 10 entries were received, which would put the loss of revenue for the CBP at around $14,000. Rogers also pulled its $2,500 sponsorship of the awards earlier this year. No Rogers editors were present at the KRW Peer Judging panel held last week. Several Rogers entries came from freelancers, Boyd said.Rogers and some other trade publishers are known to be in conversation with Magazines Canada about offering membership and services to b to b publishers or creating some sort of trade publishing division.
The situation is pregnant with irony since Kenneth R. Wilson, the man after whom the awards are named, was a well-respected Ottawa Editor of the Financial Post and worked for Maclean Hunter, the predecessor to Rogers.
Labels: Business to business, Canadian Business Press, KRWs
posted by D. B. Scott at
1:35 pm
2 Comments:
I know two trade editors at Rogers and asked them to comment on why they didn't enter their work. Guess what: neither replied, and we're friends. Whatever could it mean?
Pretty clearly, there's a division-wide order by You Know Who (John Milne, please step forward) to boycott the KRWs. Why? He doesn't want the KRWs to receive entry-fee revenue. Why? He wants to hurt/doesn't believe in the KRWs? Why? They are a profit centre for the CBP? Why chip away at the CBP? Because ... well, let's see:
(i) he doesn't believe in it? (Yes. This we know. He believes in Mags Can.) Or;
(ii) by depriving the KRWs of entry-fee revenue he can indirectly strangulate the CBP. Or;
(iii) he doesn't want his editors to be acknowledged for the work they do? (No, that's just silly.)
(iv) Times are really tough at Rogers and they need to reduce costs? Quite possible, but the amount of money involved is even less than a rounding error in the big picture, so that can't be it.
(v) Milne and CBP prez Phil Boyd dislike one another intensely? Possible.
(vi) Milne is following orders from Rogers Publishing CEO Brian Segal to boycott the KRWs because Segal and Mags Can prez Mark Jamison are working together to strengthen Mags Can (by attracting the B2B books) and thereby increase Mags Can's power in Ottawa (which, since the Tories took over, has not only waned but has actually decreased.)
There are points (vii), (viii), (ix) and (x) to fill in, but I can't be bothered.
Just another typical low class Rogers game. They seem to be very good at these games lately...
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