Some Weird Stuff Going On With RBI And Canon Communications...Maybe

We heard that Reed Business Information had sold four titles to Canon Communications, a publisher of trade magazines. This was based on a blurb in our RSS feed from Folio: which read: "Reed Business Information is about to sell off another group of magazines. Los Angeles-based Canon Communications is expected Tuesday to announce that it has acquired the global assets of RBI's Electronic Design News (EDN), Design News, Test & Measurement World and Packaging Digest." The link that feed item takes you to, though, is a 404 - Page Not Found. When we called Canon for comment, the receptionist couldn't figure out who to send us to--they're a small company and have no media relations department. Fine. But we pressed on, asking for somebody, anybody to talk to. We got the managing editor of one of Canon's current titles, who left us a voice mail saying "I don't know anything about it, I haven't heard anything about it." Also, fair enough. Third try: The receptionist asked us to mail her a letter spelling out exactly who we want to talk to. Then she tells us: "I don't see why this is such a big deal all of a sudden." Uh, it's a big deal because you made it one. If the sale is real and goes through, up to 80 employees could be affectedthis is based on our counting names on the four pubs' mastheads and trying to eliminate duplicates. But in big trade publishers like Reed, people often work on multiple magazines, so even if the new owners want to dump staff, the current employees may have other mags within the company to devote their energies to. We're inclined to believe this story because RBI has been in slash-and-burn mode since the beginning of this year, selling many titles and closing others. In conclusion? A non-news news story to finish off your Friday. Enjoy the long weekend, tell us (or leave us an anonymous tip on our home page) if you have any dirt about this sale or about anything else, and we'll have more on this for you on Tuesday. In the meantime, view after the jump the list of RBI's remaining titles: * Building Design+Construction * Casual Living * Chain Leader * Construction Equipment * Consulting Specifying Engineer * Control Engineering * Converting * Custom Builder * Design News Sale pending? * DM2 * EDNSale pending? * Foodservice Equipment & Supplies * Furniture/Today * Gifts & Decorative Accessories * Graphic Arts Monthly * Graphic Arts Blue Book * Home Accents Today * Home Textiles Today * Housing Giants * Hotels * Industrial Distribution * In-Stat * Interior Design * Kids Today * Library Journal * Logistics Management * Manufacturing Business Technology * Modern Materials Handling * Plant Engineering * Playthings * Purchasing * Packaging DigestSale pending? * Professional Builder * Professional Remodeler * Publishers Weekly * Restaurants & Institutions * School Library Journal * Semiconductor International * Spec Check * Supply Chain Management Review * Test & Measurement WorldSale pending? * Tradeshow Week * TRACOM * Video Business * related international editions and online products

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Some Weird Stuff Going On With RBI And Canon Communications...Maybe

Rachel Kaufman

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Rachel Kaufman