President’s Letter

Clarity in muddy times

by Roy Harris, National President; Senior Editor, CFO

As we plunge into the new year, the only thing that seems certain
in B-to-B publishing is uncertainty. (For those who
recall that I pledged not to use clichés when I took over
this space last year, I can only remind you that promises were
made to be broken.)

Few people are analyzing the perplexing current environment
more closely than our publishers, as they work to fathom not only
the advertising climate ahead, but also how quickly electronic and
print publishing will evolve — and how to squeeze more revenue from both worlds.

Good topics make good programs

The malaise was evident at the Boston/New England Chapter’s State of the Industry
dinner December 8 at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Faculty Club. There, International Data Group president Bob Carrigan; Steve Moylan, president of Reed Business Information’s Boston Division; and Gloria Adams, PennWell Corp.’s vice president for audience development, weighed in on the big question for 2006: Will B-to-B Books See Boom or Bust?

Perhaps surprisingly, they were in clear agreement.“Neither,” was their unanimous
reply. But under deft questioning from Folio: managing editor Matt Kinsman, the panel members dissected and analyzed — with all the skill of the MIT professors enjoying a holiday party in the next room — their magazines’ own elaborate strategies for moving up out of that profit-sapping middle ground. They discussed the new metrics being developed to help measure online viewers and the actual cost-revenue relationship that exists in that medium. Make no mistake, nearly every model for dealing with the near future involves driving the digital side of the house, although the panel response revealed that distinctly different working models were in play.

Another clear conclusion from the program — and a cheering one indeed — was
that B-to-B journalists will show up for meetings that have stimulating topics and
good speakers, and are promoted right. The meeting drew 50 editors, and gave a nice year-end boost to the Boston/New England Chapter’s efforts to rebuild after some lean years (including while I was at the helm). Congratulations to Chapter president Alan Earls and vice president Martha Spizziri, and thanks to the editors who filled tables. (To learn more about the meeting, see the post “Will B2B Books See Boom or Bust?” Dec. 12, 2005, on the ASBPE Boston blog, asbpeboston.blogspot.com.)

Be fruitful, and multiply

The year-end success puts Boston/New England among the expanding number of
chapters that are blossoming under strong local leadership. To name a pair, Houston is building toward a powerful Winter Workshop for March 11, and Chicago is using its strong member base to pave the way for the July 20–21 National Editorial Conference.

Further, chapter presidents attending last November’s ASBPE board meeting in
Savannah were driven by a desire to work — not just on the Awards of Excellence program, which is always a high priority — but on ways to increase membership. At the heart of the drive is a realization that fertile program ideas and member interest are deeply intertwined.

That’s very promising for ASBPE, for 2006 and beyond. As we journalists learn the
clear need to “speak digital,” there are new reasons to join together with others in an organization that helps recognize the profession’s challenges, and helps members find opportunies in those challenges.

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