Graphic Arts Monthly and the Blue Book Gone

[david]

It is hard to imagine no more Blue Books, what are your thoughts about the end of these great publications?

David Lewis

 

[mattbeals]

Sad day...

 

[gordo]

Sad indeed. Not only is the print version being terminated but so is the web site.
Ironically, all that content will disappear from the internet and only survive in the printed copies floating around printshop offices.

gordon p

 

[RNRPRINTINGNMAILING]

wow that really sucks
they were both very good for the industry,
what a shame

 

[marktonk]

This is a sad day.

 

[Keith]

Unfortunately, I don't know what the Blue Books are. Guess now I won't know what I'm missing. On the other hand, I WILL miss GAM (Graphic Arts Monthly). No matter how busy I was, I would check the mail and stop what I was doing so I can flip through the latest issue. On the plus side, I'll get more work done.

Gordo, I have several issues (if not all) going back a few years of GAM, American Printer and Quick Printing. I certainly don't have old PDFs of articles lying around.

Keith

 

[WiseGuy]

Bummer... Tough times for publishers.

 

[Morning Flight]

I don't know what the Blue Books are.

Free Printing Trades Directories, listing all the printers, vendors, and trade associations in America, Keith. While I will miss GAM, the Blue Books are more suited for the internet. That's pretty much true for all types of printed directories these days - much easier to find stuff letting the computer do the searching.

My favorite column in Graphic Arts Monthly was "How's your Advertising" by George Griffin. Granted, I was biased, ever since George devoted his entire December 1976 column to the Unitac Price Book. Back then, Unitac was an upstate New York print shop. I put a lot of work into that book, and Christmas came early in 1976 when I opened the magazine and discovered the article.

George left the magazine years ago and took his column with him. GAM hasn't been the same since. Still, sad to see it go.

Hal Heindel
How it all started

 

[prepresscolor]

Sad day indeed!

Sad day indeed!

I cannot remember when we did not have these to keep us informed. I seem to remember the first edition of Graphic Arts Monthly but for the life of me I cannot remember the year.

 

[craiglpress]

1934 Graphc Arts Monthly

1934 Graphc Arts Monthly

Good thing I saved my back issues!

 

[gordo]

Good thing I saved my back issues!

This is a great example of the difference between print and digital history.

With print, there is a certain permanency.

With digital - no media support (both meanings of the word) - phhht! there goes your history.

best, gordon p

 

[Guest]

In a email to WhatTheyThink today, RBI executive vice president and CFO John Poulin told us Reed Business Information is retaining ownership of Graphics Arts Monthly, Graphic Arts Blue Book, and Converting. RBI plans to use the subscription list from these titles to generate leads through the company's business-to-business marketing unit Mardev-DM2.

 

[david]

GAM list

GAM list

I was talking with them about marketing to their list and sent them a followup email to ask if this was still going to be a possibility - they never replied.

 

[Ian Mackenzie]

David -

I encountered the same thing. I found the email of the sales manager(on the new web site) and contacted him directly. Before we bought anything, we first looked at the list. Ahem....it's a little dated and not very accurate.

We know what the numbers should look like from recent figures we have seen from Infotrends. The Blue Book data was not even close.

Jeff Ardee: [email protected]

Good luck,
Ian

 

[ondemandbindery]

David -

I encountered the same thing. I found the email of the sales manager(on the new web site) and contacted him directly. Before we bought anything, we first looked at the list. Ahem....it's a little dated and not very accurate.

We know what the numbers should look like from recent figures we have seen from Infotrends. The Blue Book data was not even close.

Jeff Ardee: [email protected]

Good luck,
Ian

I agree about the Data. When I put my business in it they were very nice to me. But looking through the Directory it was certainly full of holes. I put some of the blame on the Printers though for not following up on their listing and making sure the information was correct. Just another nail in the coffin.........

 

[thomasallen]

its indeed unfortunate to see an end to it

 

[amazing1589]

I agree with you on this one Hal. I do think that people are more inclined to go online now to search for printing providers.

 

[Joe Tilghman]

WOW been reading it since I was a teenager

 

[mariewilliam1]

It,s really sad.

 

[Akila]

that really sucks