As 2009 draws to a weary close, it is worth reflecting on the successes and resilience of our media industry in Australia. Despite the dire predictions of a number of pundits, we have weathered the GFC storm and seen relatively stable circulations in both magazines and newspapers across most of our publisher members in both the ABC and CAB compared to 2008. This is a tribute to the innovation and determination of print publishers who have made enormous efforts to produce a product that remains both compelling and “a damn good read”!
Many publishers have also chosen to expand their involvement with the online space and have increased their activities delivering content via web sites, digital editions and digital publications, EDM’s and mobile devices. Clearly, there are a number of exciting opportunities that lie ahead with technology advancing at breakneck speed enabling the delivery of content through ever more “clever” ways as recently evidenced by the launch of several new eReaders. Our challenge at the Bureaux is to provide the same level of certainty to online measurement as has existed in the print arena for over 70 years.
2009 was a year of profound change at both the ABC and CAB with important changes to the rules governing print circulation together with the addition of several important new services including web traffic audits, digital edition (ABC) and digital publication (CAB) audits as well as working with new industry sectors such as digital display media providers and Australian Ad Sales Houses (IASH Australia).
At the same time we have added more services, functionality and tools for the benefit of members, including upgrades to the website, new marketing and communication initiatives like this newsletter and our new AdLift service, and greater access to our qualified audit team. Our staff have worked incredibly hard to implement these changes and in the past 12 months we have expanded our team to include Alexx Cass in digital services and Claire Dollard in marketing and customer relations to support the provision of excellent service to our members.
However, none of this would have been remotely possible without the incredible support both of our members and industry partners including the MFA, AANA, IASH, IAB, Nielsen Online and the IFABC – I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you involved with our organisation.
From all the staff at the Bureaux – We wish you all a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2010!
Best regards,
Gordon
