Looking Ahead

Future Activities

Guides for Small Publishers

Four practical guides for small publishers, entitled Renewals, Advertising Sales Tools, Selling Magazines on the Newsstand, and New Subscribers, will be published by the Periodical Publishing Policy and Programs Directorate. These free guides, prepared in collaboration with periodical industry experts, aim to provide small publishers with tools and information to improve business practices and overall operational viability. Two more guides will be developed dealing with the relationship between publishers and creators and the elements of an effective magazine website.

Study of Foreign Periodical Policies and Practices

A study of foreign government periodical policies and practices will be concluded in 2006–2007. Countries to be included in the study are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Australia, and the United States. This report will provide valuable benchmarking information to be used in ongoing reviews of Canadian periodical policy and programs.

Magazines Made to Measure

The Directorate is building a comparative performance evaluation tool for publishers. The intention is to provide tailored reports to recipients of the Support for Editorial Content component of the Canada Magazine Fund, containing valuable information on the performance of their publications, in relation to the median performance of groups of similar publications in the Canadian magazine publishing industry.

Priority Issues

News stand Presence

The Department recognizes the necessity of a strong newsstand presence, and will explore ways to better support the activities of Canadian magazine publishers who wish to increase their market share of newsstand sales.

Alternative Forms of Delivery

With rising distribution costs, the periodical industry is looking at options to diversify the means by which magazines and community newspapers are delivered to Canadians.

New Technology

The tumultuous changes in technology and consumer preferences in recent years have created public policy challenges across the cultural industries. What will be the impact of digital production and distribution on Canada’s traditional cultural industries? Do new technologies require new responses from government? If so, what should they be? In its new position within the Cultural Industries Branch, the Periodical Publishing Policies and Programs Directorate will be able to draw on the knowledge and experience of a range of professionals as we seek answers to these questions, and others, as they relate to periodical publishing.

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