Quebec magazine association cancels this year's awards to focus on fighting Blue Box fees

The Quebec Magazine Awards (Grands Prix du magazine), which have been held each year since 1991, will not be held this year. Directors of the association says in a message on the website of the Quebec Magazine Association -- l’Association québecoise des éditeurs de magazines (AQEM) -- that the focus is on urgent advocacy issues, principally trying to reverse the "exorbitant" blue box fees being proposed by the Quebec provincial government. Quebec publishers are facing charges for recycling of magazine paper that is seven times that in neighbouring Ontario. 

The association said that, when the awards return in 2014, they will be open to work published in either 2012 or 2013. 

Related posts:

• Quebec publishers to fight curbside recycling bill that "makes their hair stand on end"
• Recycling costs result in $32 million charge against earnings of Quebecor's TVA Group
• Quebec Blue Box levy increase soars for magazines

Magazine world view: Motor Trend zooms; Foreign Affairs specials; Generation Mooch; #harmful

• Branded Content: Is It Better to Own or Sponsor? (Ad Age)
• Motor Trend Channel Passes One Million Subscribers on YouTube (Audience Development)
• Foreign Affairs Launches Special Collection for iPad (Folio:)
• Pippa Middleton offers Asian-themed dinner tips in Waitrose magazine debut (Guardian)
• Generation Mooch? Why 20-somethings have a hard time paying for content (paidContent)
• Amazon acquires book-based social network Goodreads (paidContent)
• Hashtags considered #harmful (Nieman Journalism Lab)
• Google Reader was a Google Pigpen product (Rex Hammock)

Bloomberg Businessweek signs alternative delivery deal with newspaper company Gannett

Faced with the possible (or likely) end of Saturday delivery by the USPS, usually used by weekly magazines in the U.S., Bloomberg Businessweek has struck a partnership with newspaper chain Gannett for alternate delivery to an additional 100,000 subscribers in 15 markets. 

According to Audience Development, the Gannett deal is an extension of something BBW was already doing, starting in 2010; some 350,000 subscribers in 21 markets now get their magazines delivered to them with the newspaper. By the end of this year the alternative model will be in use in 18 of the magazine's top 20 markets.

The alternative delivery doesn't save the magazine money, neither does it significantly change the production and delivery schedule, nor does it cost more than the post office. President Paul Bascobert said that wasn't the goal.

“We wanted to improve the service, its critical they [readers] get the news as soon as possible, especially in light of the possible USPS Saturday shutdown” he tells AD.

Many publishers, including a consortion of magazines in Canada, have looked closely at alternative or "expedited" delivery, using already existing networks of newspaper delivery contractors. One of the benefits is the ability to polybag the magazine and make money by carrying inserts.

“With expedited morning delivery we significantly shorten the time from the printing press to the doorstep” says Bascobert. When asked if other publishers should get on board with expedited morning delivery he emphatically says, “I don’t know why other publishers haven’t done this already. To me, it seems like a fairly natural thing to think through.”

Related posts:

• Bloomberg Business Week plunges ahead with alternative delivery 
• Bad news for U.S. periodicals: USPS business model said to be "not viable"
• Rogers mags to test alternative delivery

TIME marks gay marriage debate with edgy foldout cover

Henry Luce is probably spinning in his grave. TIME magazine has keyed its coverage of this week's two days of oral arguments at the U.S. Supreme Court concerning gay marriage with an edgy foldout cover. According to Mashable, the magazine has been trying to push for more provocative covers lately. The cover features a gay male couple and (separately) a lesbian couple in a full-on mouth-to-mouth embrace. The arty black and white photos are by Peter Hapake. 

TC Media custom pub Cellier redesigned, expanded for Quebec liquor stores

Cellier magazine, a custom publication produced for the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) by TC Media, has been redesigned and will now be published 8 times a year (previously 6) with an expanded circulation of 350,000 copies. The redesign features a new logo Cellier-New Arrivals and the publication will not only be distributed in SAQ branches across the province, but also as an  iPad edition. 

“The SAQ has trusted us for a number of years now to create a custom-content magazine and guide its customers as they explore the world of wines,” said Lise Paul-Hus, Group Publisher and VP, Consumer Solutions Montreal for TC Media. “We are pleased to have had the opportunity to work closely with the SAQ team on this much-anticipated redesign of Cellier – New Arrivals, which will now offer  a  more interactive approach, with greater frequency of publication and higher circulation.”

Local digital ads in U.S. grows slowly but by 2017 forecast to be 25%+ of total

Local advertisers in the U.S. are proving slower to move from traditional (e.g. print) ad spending than are advertisers overall. According to a forecast by BIA/Kelsey (reported by eMarketer) digital in local ad markets -- especially with the influence of mobile -- will continue to grow and by 2017 will make up about $148.8 billion. Digital will account for slightly more than one-quarter of the total. 

Reader's Digest still #1 in PMB for readers; Canada's History tops in RPC

The latest Print Measurement Bureau (PMB) data (Spring 2013) shows Reader's Digest Canada the top magazine in terms of total readership, with 5.2 million, followed by Canadian Living, Canadian Geographic, what's cooking and People. 

Magazine	Circ (‘000s)	Readers (‘000s)	RPC
Reader's Digest	626	5215	8.3
Canadian Living	519	3832	7.4
Canadian Geographic	190	3644	19.2
what's cooking	1011	3583	3.5
People	153	3324	21.7
Chatelaine	571	3164	5.5
Cineplex Magazine	702	2702	3.8
CAA Magazine	1584	2554	1.6
CANADIAN HOUSE & HOME	248	2462	9.9
Maclean's	330	2411	7.3
Canadian Health & Lifestyle	397	2380	6.0
FOOD & DRINK	502	2344	4.7
Canadian Health	119	1994	16.8
The Hockey News Magazine	88	1967	22.3
Outdoor Canada	87	1960	22.5
FASHION Magazine	146	1927	13.2
Tribute	501	1804	3.6
Today's Parent	166	1683	10.1
Canadian Gardening	109	1664	15.3
Style at Home	244	1627	6.7

The data shows that among the most efficient magazines in Canada -- based on how many readers every copy of the magazine reaches -- are Canada's History and Outdoor Canada. . Here are the top 20 titles in terms of readers-per-copy (RPC):

Magazine	Circ (‘000s)	Readers (‘000s)	RPC
Canada's History	38	874	23.0
Outdoor Canada	87	1960	22.5
The Hockey News Magazine	88	1967	22.3
People	153	3324	21.7
Canadian Geographic	190	3644	19.2
Dernière Heure	15	288	19.2
Canadian Health	119	1994	16.8
Santé canadienne1	13	212	16.3
Canadian Gardening	109	1664	15.3
Cottage Life	69	1018	14.8
Le Lundi	22	325	14.8
BRITISH COLUMBIA MAGAZINE	64	860	13.4
FASHION Magazine	146	1927	13.2
Québec Science	19	246	12.9
Summum	28	346	12.4
Canadian Family	84	1007	12.0
ELLE CANADA	136	1585	11.7
Star Inc.	33	387	11.7
Star Système	27	291	10.8
Canadian Home Workshop	84	898	10.7
Canadian Business	88	897	10.2