Must-Watch Areas in Printer Contracts: Have Publishers Lost the In-House Expertise to Understand the Fine Print?

Kinsman, Matt, Folio: the Magazine for Magazine Management

PRODUCTION DEPARTMENTS HAVE BEEN among the areas most ravaged by lay-offs, and some observers say that loss of expertise leaves publishers at a disadvantage when negotiating printer contracts.

"When publishers got rid of the production manager, they got rid of people who understood contracts," says publishing consultant Steve Frye. "Now you have people negotiating printing contracts who are editors, art directors, publishers, who don't really know anything about what the terms should be. Many standard clauses that protected publishers from increases have been eliminated."

Frye cites paper pricing as an example. "Publishers used to buy specific paper, say Chocktaw 40 pound, and the …

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Publication information: Article title: Must-Watch Areas in Printer Contracts: Have Publishers Lost the In-House Expertise to Understand the Fine Print?. Contributors: Kinsman, Matt - Author. Magazine title: Folio: the Magazine for Magazine Management. Volume: 39. Issue: 11 Publication date: December 2010. Page number: S44. © 2009 by Media Central Inc., A PRIMEDIA Company. All rights reserved. COPYRIGHT 2010 Gale Group.

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