Preparing for the Industry’s Future

The 2008 Publishing Business Conference & Expo—held March 10-12 in New York City—was the setting for a meeting of many of publishing’s top minds. With more than 1,000 magazine and book publishing industry executives in attendance, the Publishing Business Conference & Expo featured two-and-a-half days of intensive conference sessions addressing the biggest issues facing publishers today. Held concurrently, the expo hosted more than 100 exhibitors showcasing publishing technologies and services.

The show, produced by Publishing Executive and Book Business magazines, this year featured its new Publishing Business brand; it formerly was two co-located events, the Publishing Executive Conference & Expo and the Book Business Conference & Expo, and this year was integrated into one major event for the publishing industry.

Nearly 150 speakers led close to 50 sessions, many standing-room-only, and provided attendees with strategies and tactics to tackle the most pressing issues facing their businesses and careers.

“The publishing industry is at a pivotal point …, and executives have so many questions about how best to approach the future,” says Noelle Skodzinski, Publishing Executive editor in chief and Publishing Business Conference program director. The conference addressed many of those questions and hopefully provided attendees with a number of practical strategies for facing the change that is upon us.”

“The conference was a great success. I know I learned a lot and left super-energized,” says Conference Chair Bill Amstutz, who is also president of Strategic Media Operations. “Not only were the rooms full, but the audience participation was tremendous. Great topics create great questions, and the resulting discussion was golden.”

Attendees commented that the conference presented timely, relevant content with a particular emphasis on practicality. “Availing myself of these conference offerings ensures I stay tuned to current and future trends in the print marketplace,” says Andrew Joyce, a production manager at Condé Nast.