• by John Gaffney , January 8, 2003

Print Pressure: I was telling someone at lunch yesterday that it is just about impossible to make general statements about the print media. Even if economic conditions are terrible, a good sales staff, great editorial and tight management can produce a profitable magazine. In years like 1999, it was almost impossible not to make money, but poor fundamentals and management led good magazines down some tough roads. Last year, pharmaceuticals, autos and packaged goods carried the business. This year, entertainment, video games and pharmaceuticals will do the same. So if I’m a magazine publisher, I need to find the connection between my content and those businesses. If you’re the number one to two book in the category, that connection will be profitable. If you’re not one or two, you need to become one or two. Maybe that’s the only broad statement you can make about the print business. We’ll see when the PIB numbers come out this week.

Even My Kid Calls Me Osama: Arianna Huffington has taken the “Would Jesus drive an SUV?” campaign too far. New commercials now draw the line between SUVs and terrorism. I guess using up that gas means you’re adding too much to the GNP of Saudi Arabia. Some stations have not run the spots, but I say run them. Give Anti-SUVers enough rope.

Parting Shot: I didn’t say I disliked the Miller Beer commercials. I did say that it’s a bad time to take beer creative in that direction…..Also, is Joe Millionaire trying to prove the point that men lie and women are shallow? Is that what the show is about?