However, while the web sector is undoubtedly at the epicentre of seismic change in production of magazines, in many ways the sheetfed magazine sector is just as exciting, arguably more so. Why? The reason is simple: while it suffers from the same pressures of overcapacity and low prices, what it has in its favour is opportunity beyond simply increasing prices.
The sheetfed sector, which is largely responsible for producing B2B titles such as this, is ripe for innovation. While truly personalised magazines, rather than just cover sections, may be a long way down the line, ‘versioned’ magazines, where the content and advertising are targeted to specific reader demographics are, in theory, a stone’s throw away.
Whether it’s digital or litho, the technology is already there: digital presses have the quality and capacity and litho presses have the flexibility and productivity.
As highlighted in our feature on personalisation, right now the biggest obstacle is publishers’ lack of appetite for innovating their core products.
However, the inevitable fallout of consolidation in the web offset sector is that publishers will develop a more collaborative approach with suppliers, sheetfed and web, and that is bound to fuel innovation, which will be good news for publishers and printers alike.
Darryl Danielli is editor of PrintWeek
Challenges should inspire all to innovate and collaborate
This week's issue is our magazine special, and, frankly, the timing is perfect. This very organ has been packed with stories over the past few months on the turbulent world of web offset, with this week's confirmation of Polestar's plan to slim capacity just the latest instalment in what is rapidly becoming a plotline worthy of a John Grisham thriller.
