I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincerest sympathies to everyone affected by the recent earthquake in northern Japan. My thoughts, and those of my colleagues, go out to families and friends who have suffered as a result of this tragedy.
We have all been struck by the dramatic media reports of recent events, and the fate of the nation was never far from our minds.
It was also during this crisis that I gained a new appreciation for the hidden strength of the magazine medium. Television and newspapers provide us with up-to-date reports about events as theyfre unfolding; magazines are what the public turns to after a crisis for more in-depth, long-term news. The magazine medium helps us, collectively, to put events in perspective.
Following the earthquake, subsequent troubles at the nuclear power plant and the necessity to conserve energy, Japanfs economic outlook does seem to be in jeopardy. This in turn will naturally impact magazine advertising. At the same time, the role of magazine advertising has never been more important, both for the recovery of the nation as a whole, and as a source of information that touches peoplefs lives.
The Magazine Advertising Association, composed as it is of professionals in the field, now more than ever has a responsibility to utilize our collective strength to aid the reconstruction of the nation. I firmly believe that together we can use our resources to help in this time of need.
|
