Graphic Arts Monthly Closed; what in the world is going on?

I have been hearing about the closure for a while but it just hit me how long I have been reading GAM. And really how much I learned by keeping in touch through the trade journals.

This memo was posted on their website

"Graphic Arts Monthly has closed


No additional print issues will be published, and this web site will close on April 30, 2010.


RBI Staff -- Graphic Arts Online, April 16, 2010
Our parent company, Reed Elsevier, announced in July of 2009 its intentions to substantially exit its Reed Business Information-US publishing business, while retaining specific businesses. Over the past several months, multiple publishing brands were divested. As of April 16, 2010, the remaining publishing brands and their associated products and services have closed.


As a result Graphic Arts Monthly has closed. No additional print issues will be published, and this web site will close on April 30, 2010.


For a full list of the brands that have been closed, the brands that have been retained, and the brands that have sold, please see the Reed Business Information-US corporate web site at http://www.reedbusiness.com/us.


We are proud of the role we have played in helping our loyal readers, advertisers and partners. Thank you for your support.


-- Reed Business Information-US"

I can remember when I was just getting started in this business, I signed up for everything. I was receiving 10-15 different trade journals a month and became a student of the business. It was a great way to see new products and equipment come out and a way to stay in touch with the industry from a national perspective. I do realize that there are plenty of online sources but many of them do not have the editorial content and journalists to keep up with the content collection and creation. It is a very sad day when we don't support our own industry. The magazines were created for us; they kept us in tune with what was going on. I for one am saddened to see so much turmoil in the printing and publishing industry. I guess all that will be left are a few national conglomerates, and handful of quick printers and a bounty of web programmers.


I hope that people can look forward and not lose hope as we move through a tough time in our economy and an awkward time in our industry. The digital age does not mean less print it just means we are creating it differently. As an industry we must keep on top of the changes and support those allied industries that do this "compiling" for us so that we can tend to the production work at hand. The shows, the magazines are all part of our industry we need to support them as they rely on us for their livelihood. Just as we rely on our customers to keep coming back and being loyal to us.


Pirate Mike