March 2005

There’s a popular television programme (or program, for our US readers) in the UK called ‘Grumpy Old Men’. It goes like this. A bunch of celebrities of a certain age sit around grumbling about the things in life that make them grumble, like restaurant bills with service charges included that still leave a space on the credit card slip for a tip; you know the kind of thing. Being in the aforementioned age group, I decided it was my turn to get a couple of things off my chest. The first was that in a media advertising market widely reported to be 25% down year-on-year for Q1, one major US publisher could not be bothered to return several phone calls and email messages requesting revised ad rates for a $25,000 space booking I was trying to make for one of our power supply clients. $25,000 may not go far these days, but how much time will I give this guy if it’s $250,000 next year? You’ve guessed it! The second ‘grump’ is about the quality of news releases supplied to Publitek Media News by publishers. We seek out these stories every month and simply ask to be provided with a contact name and email address for one advertising and one editorial contact in each press release. We get this information in about 25% of the submissions we receive. My simple plea is that publishers’ marketing departments go and talk to their editors - they’ll be able to tell them how to format a press release properly. Looking on the brighter side, Publitek’s having a record year with our PR and marcom business in Europe, the US and Asia growing strongly. Thanks to clients old and new, and to all of our partners in the electronics press for helping to making it so. And, of course, spring is on the way!

Dylan McGrath has joined EE Times’ international team of more than 30 editors and reporters. Based out of the EE Times Online San Francisco bureau, Dylan will cover the broad field of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and other industry topics. Dylan McGrath, 31, has worked as a technology journalist and marketing writer for the past nine years, mostly within the semiconductor industry. He joins EE Times Online after more than six years as a writer and account manager with a marketing communications agency. McGrath holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from California State University, Sacramento, and is currently working toward a master’s degree in English/creative writing at San Francisco State University.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Dylan McGrath, EDA specialist, dmcgrath@cmp.com
Advertising: Paul Miller, pmiller@cmp.com

CMP Media’s Electronics Supply & Manufacturing and EE Times announced today the launch of the Green SupplyLine Web site (www.GreenSupplyLine.com), an online resource for OEM and EMS managers, that offers a variety of information resources about the business and technical ramifications of compliance to new environmental directives. Green SupplyLine is CMP Media’s fifth vertically micro-segmented Web site. Implementation of recycling laws in the European Union known as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) begins in mid-2005 and will be followed in mid-2006 by additional regulations known as Restriction of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS). China, Japan and other countries, as well as a dozen U.S. states, will be adopting similar “green” regulations within the next few years. Helmed by Gina Roos, a leading electronics industry supply chain editor, Green SupplyLine is a one-stop resource for engineering, logistics, manufacturing and supply chain managers responsible for managing environmental risks. The Web site delivers how-to information, news, new product introductions and topical forums covering hazardous materials, lead-free technologies and processes, recycling and reuse, and standards and compliance issues.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Robert Keenan, <rkeenan@cmp.com@cmp.com>
Advertising: Stuart Bowen, sbowen@cmp.com

On March 15, CMP Media’s Electronics Group announced the launch of a new and enhanced EE Times Online (eetimes.com). The news operations of EE Times Online, Silicon Strategies (SiliconStrategies.com) and EEdesign (EEdesign.com) have been combined into a single news center to provide users with a comprehensive look at the latest news in the industry. The new home page features a re-designed, easy-to-navigate news section divided into three distinct areas: A lead section with top headlines from around the industry; semiconductor industry news powered by Silicon Strategies (SiliconStrategies.com); and EEdesign (EEdesign.com), a section providing the latest news shaping IC design and the EDA sector. There are also links to global news from EE Times Online’s local language sites such as EE Times France, EE Times Germany, EE Times China, and EE Times Japan. Also featured on the home page are the latest new product stories posted to EE Times Online’s sister site, eeProductCenter (eeProductCenter.com). Alongside these are links directly to detailed, technical how-to articles posted to Planet Analog, Embedded.com, CommsDesign.com and targeted DesignLines in areas such as automotive, power management, wireless networks, and video and imaging.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Robert Keenan, <rkeenan@cmp.com@cmp.com>
Advertising: Stuart Bowen, sbowen@cmp.com

Electronic Engineering Times-Asia Online (eetasia.com) has unveiled a new look and feel to its network of websites. The optimized design enhances the user experience of 423,237 design engineers and engineering managers across Asia and China, claims the publisher. Launched as a single site in 1995, the eetasia.com network claims 31,260 registered users in Korea, 72,074 in ASEAN, 125,855 in Taiwan, and 194,048 in mainland China with instant desktop access to the latest technologies and methodologies. The re-designed eetasia.com aims to deliver access to 18 highly specialized tech rooms displaying technology news and application methodologies in a clearly structured format, a faster search function, easier access to the Product Watch and Industry News sections, and a new look that aligns the network more closely with Global Sources Online (www.globalsources.com), communicating EE Times-Asia’s role in the Global Sources design-to-export story.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Vivek Nanda, Executive Editor, EE Times Asia
Advertising: Paul Miller, pmiller@cmp.com

A Power Technology Special supplement is to be inserted in the May 1-15, 2005 issue of EE Times-China and May issue of ESM-China, and is aimed to serve as a comprehensive guide to China’s power market. The Special analyzes prevalent technologies and trends within this sector, and tackles power management, regulation and conversion issues confronting design engineers and senior managers across mainland China. In addition, a number of technical features will provide insights on today’s hottest power technologies and applications including, says the publisher. In 2005, mainland demand for discrete semiconductors – including, but not limited to, power transistors, power diodes and thyristors – will reach US$2.4 billion according to Gartner forecasts. That figure will grow by 12% to reach US$2.6 billion by 2007. Demand for dc/dc voltage converters is also set to soar. According to the China Power Supply Society, demand will double over the next two years – from US$6 billion in 2004 to US$12 billion in 2006.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Yorbe Zhang, editor-in-chief, EE Times China, yzhang@globalsources.com Advertsing: Patrick Flynn, International OEM Sales Manager, pflynn@cmp.com

On March 8, EDN Magazine announced the winners of its 15th Annual EDN Innovation Awards at a gala celebration here last evening. The EDN Innovation Awards recognize both the global semiconductor industry’s most significant advances in 13 major product categories and the innovative engineers who led the development of new technologies. EDN also presented awards for the most outstanding contributed articles of the year and added a category to celebrate the “best-of-the-best” winners over the contest’s 15-year history. The award for the “best-of” PMNMar05 Page 4 category spotlights the technological gems that won an Innovation Award in previous years and have withstood the tests of time, market dynamics, and capricious consumers. Winners of this year’s contest are: Susanne Paul, Silicon Laboratories; Atheros Communications; AMCC; Matrix Semiconductor; National Semiconductor; National Instruments; Virtual Silicon Technology; Knowles Acoustics; Enpirion; Power-One; Intel; Texas Instruments; Tektronix; Eric Bogatin, PhD, Synergetix; and Gene Garat, Mentor Graphics. “Innovation is the heart and soul of engineering, and these awards demonstrate that the search for new technologies to improve quality of life is alive and well in the global semiconductor industry,” said John Dodge, EDN editor in chief. “We applaud all the engineers who are dedicated to nurturing the spirit of discovery and invention.”

CONTACTS

Editorial: John Dodge, editor-in-chief EDN, jdodge@edn.com

Elektronik Praxis, Germany, has announced a number of editorial team additions. Martina Hafner will edit software, software-tools, operating systems, communications, RF, and automotive stories. Kristin Rinortner joins to take responsibility for analog and mixed signal devices, oscillators, crystals, EMC, and electromechanical components. Jan Vollmuth will look after telecommunications, memories, identification and component distribution. Meanwhile, Astrid Lehman has left the publication.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Johann Wiesboeck, editor-in-chief, johann_wiesboeck@elektronikpraxis.de

The Embedded World 2005 Exhibition & Conference set a new record with 487 exhibitors from 24 countries, up 22 % from last year. An audited 11,000 qualified trade visitors, up 3 % on 2004, attended the 22-24 February event in Nuremberg, Germany. The number of conference participants rose by 25 %, the organisers claim. According to a visitor survey conducted by Gelszus Messemarktforschung on behalf of NuernbergMesse, the leaders in technical press readership by attendees are Elektronik, Markt & Technik and Design & Elektronik.

CONTACTS

Sales and Marketing: Matthaeus Hose, mhose@elektroniknet.de

Access Communications Deutschland has announced that in June 2005 it will officially launch DeviceMed, a new German-language trade magazine to serve the manufacturers of medical devices. The magazine will be published ten times a year and distributed to qualified professionals of the medical device manufacturing industry within Germany, Austria, Switzerland. Germany’s medical device market is by far the largest in Europe, ranking third worldwide behind only those of the U.S. and Japan, and is considered a strong growth arena for suppliers to its manufacturers. This commercial area is even stronger when Austria and the German-speaking parts of Switzerland and other neighbouring countries are included. DeviceMed will be the first German-language trade publication to cover the manufacturing of medical devices for this strategically important market, claims the publisher. DeviceMed will be designed to help its readers quickly learn about a range of critical subjects for their productivity needs. Every issue will include industry news, regulatory issues, new products and services. There will also be interviews with industry leaders, case studies, and other subjects relating to the industry.

CONTACTS

Web: http://www.devicemed.de

EO News, VNU’s fortnightly magazine focused on business and technology trends in electronics, is to cooperate with IRC Lombardia, part of the Innovation Relay Center international network, to improve visibility of key design initiatives developed in Italy and Europe. Starting this month, EO News will publish a survey of some of the most significant designs. The magazine will publish a detailed description of designs and a list of references to enable readers to get further information from IRC Lombardia. EO News’ web site will provide access to the entire database of IRC’s designs and initiatives from 250 Innovation Relay Centers. Periodically, it will report on solutions and applications derived directly from research.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Alessandro Ferrari, chief editor, alessandro.ferrari@bp.vnu.com

Due to an increased focus on the automotive sector for most electronics companies, Elektroniktidningen is expanding its subscribers within this area through an exclusive offer at the design departments at Volvo Trucks and Volvo Cars. Over 300 design engineers at Volvo have been given the opportunity to try Elektroniktidningen for 2005. The response has been amazing so far, says Marketing manager Fredrik Soderberg, “our expectations are that everyone at Volvo will be able to read every issue of Elektroniktidningen. For 2005 Elektroniktidningen will be more active than ever for the automotive sector by participating in different events and editorial special features.” Elektroniktidningen claims to be Sweden’s most widely read publication for the electronics market. The fortnightly newspaper has 21,000 readers every issue based a circulation of 15,400 copies.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Adam Edstrom, editor-in-chief, adam.edstrom@et.se
Advertising: Fredrik Soderberg, advertising director, fredrik.soderberg@et.se

For the third consecutive month Electronics Express Europe’s (EXE) market share versus arch-rival EPN has increased, claims publisher European Business Press. EXE’s market share is now standing at 58.5% based March 2005 issues, it said. The publisher also claims that its two niche publications, Embedded Systems Europe and Microwave Engineering Europe, are both continuing to grow.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Jean-Pierre Joosting, group editor-in-chief, joosting@electronics-express.com Advertising: Tony Johnson, sales director, tjohnson@mercuryin.es

Duncan Kirk has been appointed head of sales for Electronics Weekly and www.electronicsweekly.com at Reed Business information. Duncan will be a familiar face to many from his days as sales manager of the UK electronics titles at CMP. Following the closure of those magazines he joined RBI in early 2003 as sales director of the Caterer Group stable of magazines. His achievements there, where he has grown share and yield, make him well suited to take up the competitive challenges in the UK electronics market, says publisher Mick Elliott.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Richard Wilson, editor, richard.wilson@rbi.co.uk
Advertising: Duncan Kirk, head of sales, duncan.kirk@rbi.co.uk

In mid-April, Electronics Distributor (EDi) will be re-launched as an online business-to-business magazine. It will be published monthly, and content will consist almost entirely of editorial material. EDi will be sent to specified individuals in the form of an email announcing each issue and subsequent updates. From this, hyperlinks will take each recipient direct to the web site, http://www.edimag.co.uk, and its colour-coded contents page, giving the page locations of regular sections and précis of their contents. These will include two product or technology features; The Interview, a topical discussion with a leading figure in the industry; a New Product section; Stop Press, a vehicle for the instant announcement of industry and product news; formatted Data Update advertisement pages; and a Web Site Directory, listing the sources of electronic components and products.

CONTACTS

Publisher: Robin Paterson, pathart.ltd@virgin.co.uk

Electronics Sourcing is a new monthly magazine, launching in the UK in April. It is designed to provide an authoritative educational tool which helps professional electronic component buyers through the ‘minefield’ of sourcing electronic components and services, says the publisher, MMG. Planned features will range from advice on sourcing lead-free components and off-shore purchasing, to obsolescence management and on buffer stock control. As news issue arise, Electronics Sourcing will be there to report the events. Other content will include the latest news, case studies, topical features covering industry innovations and developments.

CONTACTS

Editorial: Jon Barrett, editor, JonB@mmgpublishing.co.uk
Advertising: Mark Leary, mark@mmgpublishing.co.uk
Web: http://www.electronics-sourcing.co.uk

“Quantum computers will render all current public key cryptography obsolete, and will make possible quantum simulations for applications from materials physics to medicine”, says they IEE. So they’re holding a seminar about it on 20th April at St. Annes, College, University of Oxford, UK. This first IEE seminar on quantum information processing aims to encourage a dialogue between QIP scientists and engineers and the industrial technologists who might exploit QIP (possibly in ways the QIP community does not recognise yet). This seminar should be of interest to physicists, materials scientists, and engineers working, or having an interest, in the fields of advanced computing and secure communications.

CONTACTS

Registrations: Len Lewell, llewell@iee.org.uk
Web: http://www.iee.org/oncomms/pn/materials/qip.cfm

RIEE/FSA International Semiconductor Executive Forum & FSA Suppliers Expo EUROPE will take place on 11 - 12 May at The Mermaid Conference and Exhibition Centre, London. The IEE/FSA Forum aims to bring together high-tech industry leaders from around the world to discuss business and technical topics, to include senior decision makers from fabless semiconductor companies and integrated device manufacturers, as well as industry suppliers, analysts and experts. Professionals from fabless and IDM companies are invited to this complimentary exhibition.

CONTACTS

Web: http://www.fsa.org/suppliers_expo/europe

Mick Elliott, industry guru and publisher of Electronics Weekly tells us what’s working for advertisers...

Boring ads work!!! I hope that got your attention. And the next point is boring to whom? Well maybe to some hotshot creative types like those pretentious chaps in the current IKEA ads running on television, but to your average electronics magazine reader it is content, not style, which triumphs in the bid for their attention. That is the clear message contained in a recent piece of research undertaken by Electronics Weekly.

We asked 600 readers what they look for most in an advert (specifically in Electronics Weekly) but it would apply to any magazine. It was a multiple choice question so they could tick more than one box. So starting in reverse order (we are getting close to Eurovision Song Contest time so indulge me) - bold colours and eye catching images scored not quite nul points but certainly the lowest, followed by creativity. Out on top by some distance were the answers - basic information or detailed information on the product. It probably is not so surprising. The look of ads has changed in the past five years, as the branding campaigns dwindled and the need to engage the engineer became imperative. Many ads carry small circuit diagrams and technical information, some are close to complete datasheets.

The good news is that engineers do act on seeing these promotions. In a recent piece of independent research over 80 per cent of respondents indicated they take an action having seen an ad in magazines, either contacting the advertiser or visiting the advertiser’s website, a result endorsed by the Electronics Weekly research. I guess the other piece of good news is that, while the marketing constituency in our industry is looking for more and more creative solutions in print and online, magazine advertising clearly still works, and I’ll repeat that on behalf of all publishers and media agencies, magazine advertising still works! There’s life in the old print yet!!

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